IGNITE: Changes

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to see the ways that you yourself have changed." ♦ Nelson Mandela ♦ 

[Photo: Nelson Mandela]

#fireleadership

Think LCES - Keep Your Team Safe in a Pandemic

Every generation has a pivotal moment in their history. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of those moments. Now is the time for strong leadership. No one is immune from the impact of this pandemic. Most importantly, every person at every level of the organization has the ability to make a difference. Every one of us has the ability to lead and SHOULD lead.

What does leading in a crisis look like? The answers are as varied as the situation put before us, but maybe we could adapt LCES to heighten our response:

IGNITE: Empathy and Attunement

“Empathy and attunement are not a waste of time in today’s business climate, but essentials for success.” ♦ Daniel Goleman ♦

[Photo: Kari Greer/USFS]

#fireleadership

Challenge #15 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 15: Teams know when their leader is authentic.

• Review 2019 WFLDP campaign challenges to learn more about leading with authenticity.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: Wisdom - A Lifelong Pursuit

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it. ♦ Albert Einstein♦

[Photo; Kari Greer/USFS]

What does a well-founded risk decision look like?

(Credit: Geralt/Pixabay)

What does a well-founded risk decision look like?
By Mark Smith, Mission-Centered Solutions
©Mission-Centered Solutions Version 7 FINAL (16 June 2017)

[Mark Smith has been presenting Luck Runs Out (What does a well-founded risk decision look like?) at IMT meetings, safety summits at wildfire academies, etc. Where The Big Lie was more a problem statement, Luck Runs Out is meant to focus on actionable, practical steps forward for IMTs and Agency Administrators. The information below started not as an essay but as a handout to go with presentations.]

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This paper is the result of an ongoing dialog around risk I’ve had within the post-Yarnell Honor the Fallen group. One member posed the rhetorical but critical question: “Should we be risking lives for suppression efforts or not?“ That prompted my response in The Big Lie essay on the levels of risk I think wildland firefighters operate in routinely, and how we could be more intelligently accepting that risk.

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IGNITE: Together We Can Prevail

We are not alone in this fight; we are not alone in dealing with this hardship — together we can prevail. ♦ The Daily Coach ♦

[Photo: Kari Greer/USFS]

Challenge #14 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 14: Effective leaders know themselves and their team.

• As an individual and with your team, complete the “Values Exploration” exercise found on our blog. (https://bit.ly/2Uax4sF)
• Write your values in your journal.
• Post team values where all have access.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

IGNITE: Calm is contagious!

“Calm is contagious.”

♦ Multiple attributions, including Navy SEALS ♦

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]

The Higher Up You Go...

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay )

Pandemic or not, how leaders view the relationship with their followers determines the effectiveness of their leadership. The following statement by Rorke Denver says volumes:

"The higher up the chain of command you go, the more people you are in service to." - Rorke Denver

IGNITE: Opinions Come Last

“Tell me what you know, then tell me what you don't know, then finally, you can tell me what you think.” ♦ Colin Powell ♦

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]
#fireleadership

Challenge #13 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 13: Effective leaders are willing to address negative thoughts that may be affecting their leadership.

• In your journal, list your negative self-talk.
• Develop a plan to address each barrier.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

IGNITE: Addressing Limiting Thoughts

Knowing what our limiting thoughts are, and replacing them intentionally, is the only way to create a different possibility. ♦ Kristi Hedges, “The Power of Presence” ♦

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]

#fireleadership #commandpresence #2020WFLDPCampaign

Reacting with Resiliency

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

This is an interesting time in our history. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a lack of preparation across the globe. As I sift through posts on social media, I have yet to see anyone acknowledge their lack of preparedness. I see an abundance of blame and shame, however.

IGNITE: Doing What is Necessary

“It is no use saying, ‘we are doing our best.’ You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.” ♦ Winston Churchill ♦

[Photo: La Grande IHC]

#fireleadership

Challenge #12 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 12: Leaders with effective command presence show empathy.

• Watch RSA’s adaptation of Brene Brown’s talk on empathy.
• In your journal, write the definitions of "sympathy" and "empathy." Describe cases when each is appropriate.
• How can you practice empathy with regard to the present COVID-19 pandemic?

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

IGNITE: Growth Opportunities

Our most significant challenges are often our greatest occasions and learning experiences to grow. ♦ George Raveling, Coaching for Success ♦

[Photo: Kari Greer/USFS]