We Reap What We Sow: Tending and Harvesting

(Image by congerdesign from Pixabay)

"We were planting seeds of change, the fruit of which we might never see." - Michelle Obama, "Becoming"

Undoubtedly you've heard the old adage, "We reap what we sow"? Good or bad, we may never know the results of our efforts.

Every stage of the process is critical and worthy of attention. Therefore, this will be a multi-part series using the leadership environment framework and a farming analogy. This is the last installment in our series (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3).

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TENDING

So, the farmer has prepared the land  and has sowed the seeds. One might think it is up to the seed to do the rest. The journey has only just begun. Without assistance of the farmer and some help from Mother Nature, a seed may never reach harvest. Without water, a plant may shrivel up and die. Without proper nutrients, the plant may not grow or produce. Without proper weed or pest control, the plant may get choked out, become diseased and/or die. The farmer must be an active participant in the seeds growth and maturity and protect it as needed.

Challenge #45 - The Art of Leadership

Effective leaders know themselves and seek improvement.

Integrity Challenge:
In your journal, answer the following personal questions:

• What do you love?
• What do you live by?
• What do you think is the purpose of life?

Source: Daily Stoic blog referencing “The MovieGoer” by Walker Percy

IGNITE: Look Up, Look Down...

Look down from as high as possible. Look ahead as far as we can see. Then decide what to do. - Simon Sinek[Photo: Tallac IHC]

#fireleadership

Challenge #44 - The Art of Leadership
Social connections are good for our mental health.

Self-Care Challenge:

• In your journal, write a one-sentence statement of what you want your social life to be like.
• Make a plan to take positive steps in that direction.

[Source: "The Self-Care Prescription" by Robyn Gobin, Ph.D.]

#artofleadership

The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision.

♦ Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 64 ♦

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]
#fireleadership

We Reap What We Sow - Sowing

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

He who sows bountifully, will also reap bountifully

2 Corinthians 9:6

Undoubtedly you've heard the old adage, "We reap what we sow"? Good or bad, we may never know the results of our efforts.

Every stage of the process is critical and worthy of attention. Therefore, this will be a multi-part series using the leadership environment framework and a farming analogy. This is the third installment in our series (Part 1 and Part 2).

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Within the wildland fire service, we believe that leaders are made not born. Operating upon that premise and that leaders create other leaders, sowing is vital to the sustainment and success of the organization. Taking an active and dedicated approach to developing our leaders strengthens the effort started some 20 years ago when the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program was formed following the death of 14 firefighters on the South Canyon fire.

SOWING

Now that we have made the proper preparations for planting, we enter the process of sowing—plant the land with seed. Farmers have a variety of methods by which to spread seeds:

Challenge #43 - The Art of Leadership

Challenge #43 - The Art of Leadership

Need help journaling? Check out the blog "How to Keep a Notebook Like Da Vinci."

http://bit.ly/30jW8xp

[Source: From the Green Notebook]

IGNITE: Willingness to Learn

"We can teach only if we are willing to learn."

♦ Simon Sinek ♦

[Photo: Kari Greer/USFS]
#fireleadership

Challenge #42: The Art of Leadership

Challenge #42: The Art of Leadership

Self-leadership and awareness is vital for leadership success.

• Do something kind for yourself daily.
• Record your daily personal acts of kindness in your journal.

#artofleadership

IGNITE: The Seeds of Adversity

Every failure, every adversity, every heartache carries with it a seed of an equal or greater benefit.

♦ Napolean Hill ♦

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]

We Reap What We Sow - Preparation (Part 2)

(Image by Dean Moriarty from Pixabay )

“To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil.” - Xenophon, Ancient greek philosopher and historian, student of Socrates, Circa 430 - 354 BC

Undoubtedly you've heard the old adage, "We reap what we sow"? Good or bad, we may never know the results of our efforts.

Every stage of the process is critical and worthy of attention. Therefore, this will be a multi-part series using the leadership environment framework and a farming analogy. This is the second installment in our series (Part 1).

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SOIL PREPARATION

Before seeds can grow, a farmer prepares—plows, levels and fertilizes—the soil/field for production. The same goes for leaders developing their people or themselves. They take the time to ensure the developmental environment/opportunity matches the person being developed, as well as meets the needs of the organization.

Challenge #41: The Art of Leadership

Challenge #41 - The Art of Leadership

Leaders are communicators.

Visit the Wildland Fire Leadership Development self-development plan website.

• Review the information found within the tool.
• Practice preparing leader's intent.
• Practice giving briefings and debriefings.

IGNITE: Perspectives Matter

A critical process to leading in rapidly changing, complex times is examining our own assumptions and realizing that others might see things differently. ♦ Komives, Lucas & McMahon 

[Photo: San Juan IHC]

#fireleadership

Challenge #40: The Art of Leadership

Leaders are lifelong learners.

Challenge #40:

• Visit the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program self-development plan website.
• Download the Individual Development Plan Guide.
• Download and complete the appropriate self-development plan worksheet.

We Reap What We Sow - Preparation

(Image by congerdesign from Pixabay )

"We were planting seeds of change, the fruit of which we might never see." - Michelle Obama, "Becoming"

Undoubtedly you've heard the old adage, "We reap what we sow"? Good or bad, we may never know the results of our efforts.

Every stage of the process is critical and worthy of attention. Therefore, this will be a multi-part series using the leadership environment framework and a farming analogy.

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Leaders most important assets are their people. One of a leader's most important duties is developing their people for the future. Easily said, but not so easily done; otherwise, everyone would be doing it. Leaders have a duty to develop those they lead (including self), the integrity to know if they are fit for duty, and respect for the well-being of those they lead.

Challenge #39 - The Art of Leadership

In your journal, answer the following questions:

• Are you developing leaders in your organization or are you developing bureaucratic, rule-following functionaries?
• What can you do to enhance leadership development?
• What practices can you institute or recommend for increasing trust in your organization?

[Source: "A Year with Peter Drucker" by Joseph A. Maciriello]

2019 WOR Day 7: South Canyon 25 Years Ago Today

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

On July 2, 1994, seven miles west of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, lightning ignited a Bureau of Land Management fire in piñon-pine and juniper on a ridge at the base of Storm King Mountain. The fire, paralleled by two deep canyons, was initially believed to have “little chance” to spread. The past two days, lightning had started 40 new fires on this BLM District. The entire general area, in a one-year drought, was experiencing low humidity and record-high temperatures. Over the next two days, the South Canyon Fire increased in size. Visible from Interstate 70 and nearby residential areas, the public became concerned. Some initial attack resources were assigned.

Challenge #38 - The Art of Leadership

Time is one of our most precious assets.

Challenge:

• For one week, track your time in your journal.
• Where did you spend your time?
• Did you accomplish what you wanted to accomplish?
• Are you wasting precious moments?
• If time management is an issue, develop a plan of action to rescue the resource.

#artofleadership

2019 WOR Day 6: Slide Tray vs Critical Thinking

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

We love the “Slide Tray” analogy, which stems from the model of Recognition Primed Decision making (RPD). It supports our fascination with “experience.” For many of us THE way to be a good firefighter is having lots and lots of experience…because it gives you more “slides” to pull from out on the fireline.

2019 WOR Day 5: Muscle Memory

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

What does Muscle Memory mean and what does it mean to us as firefighters?

Muscle memory by definition is “the ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired as a result of frequent repetition of that movement. Typing, for instance, relies heavily on muscle memory"

Without conscious thought….let’s look at the benefit of that best of our abilities at all times on the fireline. This is an example of a positive implementation of muscle memory. The strength of muscle memory in learning the 10 and 18 is that we are implementing those steps throughout the day without conscious thought and these lessons help us to make better decisions on the fireline.

2019 WOR Day 4: Inattentional Blindness

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

It’s logical to think that you can see whenever your eyes are open, but the reality is that attention plays a crucial role in your ability to visually perceive something. Inattentional blindness occurs when our eyes are open to our current environment, but focused on the “shiny object.”

2019 WOR Day 3: Change Blindness

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

Remember yesterday’s discussion of TJ’s rappel gear? When you looked at the harnesses side by side did you think to yourself “how could they miss that?” Well you wouldn’t be alone if you did but let’s put you in the hot seat and see how you do.

Challenge #37 - The Art of Leadership

Being a good leader means deferring to another person's strength.

Challenge:

• List your weaknesses in our journal.
• List your strengths in your journal.
• Next to each weakness and strength identify someone (or more than one person) who can complement you.
• Develop a strategy to engage with the other person.

2019 WOR Day 2: Willow Rappel Fatality

Thomas TJ Marovich Jr.

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness, and safety of wildland firefighters.

July 21, 2009, at the Willow Helibase, began like most days, fairly “standard.” Crews did what crews do in the morning and then gaggled up for briefing. TJ and his crew were slated for a proficiency rappel (proficiency rappels are required every 14 days to maintain technical competency). They prepared as they normally do, checking and re-checking equipment. Rotors are spinning; several crews had gathered to watch. Imagine the mix of excitement and pressure and maybe just a little fear.