IGNITE: The Only Limit

 

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. ♦ Franklin D. Roosevelt ♦ 

[Photo: Kari Greer]
#fireleadership

Challenge 51 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge 51: Effective leaders take time to reflect.

• Take a critical look at yourself/your leadership.
• Does your perception of you match that of those you lead?
• Are you a better leader now than you were 12 months ago?
• Develop a plan for continued improvement.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

Celebrating 20 Years

The National Wildland Coordinating Group's Leadership Committee is excited to announce the theme for the 2021 National Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign. The 2021 campaign titled "Sharpening Your Tools" will highlight the 20th anniversary of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program. 

IGNITE: What We Can Control

We don't control what happens, we only control how we respond. ♦ Stoic philosophy ♦

[Photo: Pioneer Peak IHC]
www.fireleadership.gov

 

IGNITE: The Ability to Persuade

 

“Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.” ♦ Ruth Bader Ginsburg ♦

[Photo: San Juan IHC]
#fireleadership

Challenge 50: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge 50: Effective leaders take care of themselves.

• Assess your self-compassion.
• Develop a self-compassion plan in your journal.
• Implement the plan.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

They Told Us So

(Credit: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC)

Wildland firefighters are as familiar as anyone can be when it comes to fire. They aren't afraid to run towards the fire when others run away. They aren't afraid to get their hands (face, hair, etc.) dirty. We are going to dig into the dirty stuff in this blog. I am going to dig into the dirty side of organizational learning.

IGNITE: Leadership is Not a License

 

“Leadership is not a license to do less. Leadership is a responsibility to do more. ♦ Simon Sinek ♦

[Photo: Lassen IHC]
#fireleadership

Challenge 49 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 49: Effective leaders set and respect boundaries.

• Assess your ability to set boundaries.
• Read “Boundaries – When to Say Yes When to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #fireleadership

IGNITE: Acquiring Wisdom

 

“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” ♦ Marilyn vos Savant, columnist ♦ 

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]
#fireleadership

Assess Your Engagement

As a student of fire and leadership (and beyond), you have undoubtedly encountered the decision-making model/cycle. We use it to assess a situation with logical and critical decision making. Here is what we present in Leading in the Wildland Fire Service.

IGNITE: Begin by Listening

 

“Any worthwhile conversation begins with listening.” ♦ Simon Sinek ♦

Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC

www.fireleadership.gov
#fireleadership

Challenge 48 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 48: Confident leaders own their shortcomings.

• Make a vow to own your mistakes and apologize to those affected.
• In your journal, write down those times when you were wrong and failed to admit it. Consider apologizing.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: Treating People

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of being.” ♦ Goethe ♦

[Photo: Lassen IHC]
#fireleadership

Taking a Look at Moral Courage

Moral Courage

(Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 63-64)

Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. We avoid ethical dilemmas by directing team members to operate in ways that are consistent with our professional standards and by directing them only to actions they can achieve ethically.

Challenge 47: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 47: Effective leaders promote self-care.

• Watch Sarri Gilman’s TedTalk (https://youtu.be/rtsHUeKnkC8).
• In your journal, write down areas where you need to set boundaries.
• Develop a plan for self-care for self and others.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: Give Your Best

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what is left of you.” ♦ Steve Keating ♦

Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC
www.fireleadership.gov

People As the Priority

(Janine Bolon/Pixabay)

Fire leaders bring order to chaos, improve our people’s lives, and strengthen our organizations. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 6)

What does the statement "improve our people's lives" mean?

IGNITE: Bring Someone With You

If you have the opportunity to do amazing things in your life, bring someone with you. - Simon Sinek

Photo: Devil's Canyon Veteran's Handcrew

#fireleadership

Challenge 46: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 46: Effective leaders build the team.

• In your journal, write down what you are doing to prepare the next generation of leaders to replace you.
• Commit to implementing or continuing your plan of action.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: Share the Lesser-Known Stories

To really distinguish ourselves, we need to be better about learning the lesser-known stories and introducing them to our teams. ♦ The Daily Coach blog ♦

[Photo: Midewin IHC]
#fireleadership

When Being Wrong Might Be Right

("think" by michael pollak is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Are you someone who reads a post and shares because it resonates with your perspective or are you one of "those" people who heads to fact-checker sites to debunk information found within the post? I am one of "those" people. How did I become one of "those" people? Leadership development, that is how.

IGNITE: The Attitude of a Student

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” ♦ Og Mandino ♦

[Photo: Lassen IHC]

#fireleadership

Challenge 45: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 45: Good leaders acknowledge their biases and work to eliminate them.

• Watch “12 Cognitive Biases Explained.” (https://youtu.be/wEwGBIr_Riw )
• Reflect on your biases in your journal. Devise a plan to address your biases.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: You Decide

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]
#fireleadership

My Lesson Learned: Wash the Truck

(Credit: Dan Coody)

Let me preface this with the fact that my department does not solely do wildland. We are a small rural, all-hazards department. That being said leadership is everywhere all the time, it’s kind of like the force. The headline says it, "Wash the Truck." It’s a small issue that I analyzed to get to the root of the problem, and I’d be lying if I said that finger wasn’t pointing directly right back at me. 

IGNITE: Our Differences

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

 ♦ Audre Lorde, writer♦

Photo: Justin Vernon

Challenge 44: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 44: Effective leaders challenge themselves and others.

• Seek out something challenging—a project, new skill or hobby, tough read, workout, etc.—for you and your people.
• Journalize about your journey.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: Your Actions Matter

How you act and how you behave dictates how those around you will respond. 

♦ The Daily Coach blog ♦

[Photo: Matt Lynde/USFS]
#fireleadership

Impact versus Intent - The "Thorn in My Side"

 

("hammers 'n nails" by douglasjonesjr is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Within the world of wildland fire, we talk a lot about intent. Today I want to talk about the impact our communications and actions have on others, regardless of our intent.

IGNITE: Moral Courage

 

“To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.” ♦ Confucius ♦ 

Photo: Kari Greer/USFS 

www.fireleadership.gov

Challenge 43: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 43: Effective leaders are resilient.

• Watch “What is Resilience.” 

• In your journal, define “resilience.”
• Refer to the 2014 campaign for tools. 

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence #resilience

IGNITE: Growth is Uncomfortable

“Growth is uncomfortable because you’ve never been here before. You’ve never seen this version of you. So give yourself a little grace and breathe through it.” ― Kristin Lohr 

[Photo: Jackson IHC] 

#fireleadership

Seek a Common Operating Picture

(Credit: Moon Station/Pixabay)

There is so much dysfunction and strife in the world today. Whichever side of the particular spectrum you find yourself, you are not immune. Even the rose-colored glasses cannot stop us from seeing the divisions we face. 

IGNITE: Have Fun

People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” - Dale Carnegie

[Photo: Entiat IHC]

#fireleadership

Need Help with Your Staff Ride?

(Credit: George Risko)

Have you and your organization ever considered developing your own local staff ride?

Do you have an idea and materials but are not sure what direction to go?

Challenge 42: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 42: Good leaders promote building confidence in themselves and those they lead.

• Recognize and celebrate your successes and the successes of others.
• Journalize about your successes and the attributes, skills and actions that contributed to your achievements.

IGNITE: Listen Completely

“When people talk, listen completely.” ♦ Ernest Hemmingway ♦ 

Photo: Baker River IHC 

www.fireleadership.gov

#fireleadership

Cultivating Command Presence

(Photo: Kari Greer/USFS)

I was recently listening to the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned podcast and came across this episode about “Command Presence”. In the interview they discuss the definition of command presence and how to cultivate it. One of the conclusions of the conversation was that, in order to cultivate powerful command presence, you need to be able to be comfortable and confident with your own style of leadership. The podcast started me reflecting about the ways that I ground my own leadership style. Two thoughts jumped out at me:

IGNITE: Building Strong Cultures

“Building a strong culture is what builds a strong organization..” ♦ Simon Sinek ♦ 

[Photo: Midewin IHC]

#fireleadership

Challenge 41: WFLDP 2020 Campaign

Challenge 41: All leaders are human.

• Think of a time when as a leader you felt inadequate.
• Journalize about the following:
• What were/are your thoughts?
• Were/Are those thoughts valid?
• What would an alternate thought be?

#2020WFLDPCampaign

IGNITE: Practice!

“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” - Malcolm Gladwell

[Photo: Kyle Miller/Wyoming IHC]

#fireleadership

The Courage to Say "No"

(Photo: Gordon Johnson/Pixabay)

Why is it so hard for some of us to say no? Is it because we don't want to let someone down? Is it because we fear reprisal? Is it because we don't know how to?

IGNITE: The Greatest Enemy of Knowledge

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” ♦ Stephen Hawking, physicist ♦

[Photo: Justin Vernon]

#fireleadership

Challenge 40: 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 40: Effective leaders spend time with their people.

• Estimate how much time you spend, both digitally and face-to-face with your people.
• Vow to make face-to-face time with your people a priority.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence

IGNITE: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

 

To gain respect from our people, we first respect them.

♦ Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 45 ♦

[Photo: Pioneer Peak IHC]

#fireleadership

Change is Coming

("Swiss Cheese" by thenoodleator is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

We live in a period of such uncertainty. Worldwide pandemic. Wildfires raging across all western states. Double hurricanes forming. Meteoroid headed to earth. Political and social unrest. Worldwide hunger and water shortages.

IGNITE: Beyond the Illusion of Control

Adversity teaches us how to live beyond the illusion of control. ♦ LaRae Quy, author/trainer/coach ♦

[Photo: Justin Vernon]

#resilience #adversity #fireleadership

Challenge 39 - 2020 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge 39: Effective leaders are good communicators.

• Read Braja Deepon Roy’s blog “Active Listening and Its Importance in the Workplace.” (https://bit.ly/3dPXqHL)
• Write the tips in your journal. Develop a plan to increase your active listening skills.

#2020WFLDPCampaign #commandpresence, #fireleadership

IGNITE: More Than Working Together

 

“A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.”

 ♦ Sinek Sinek♦

Photo: La Grande IHC

www.fireleadership.gov