Winner! Winner!

Image by hakan kaydu from Pixabay 

We wrap up our focus on self-development and lifelong learning with a story. 

Levels of Leadership

Leaders provide purpose, direction, and motivation to those they lead. Although these leadership requirements are similar for the leaders at different levels of an organization, the challenges faced and the perspective required to meet the challenges are considerably different at each level.

Where is Your Finish Line?

 

"The Start and Finish Line of the 'Inishowen 100' Scenic Drive" by Andrew_D_Hurley is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Where is Your Finish Line?

e. L. Pelletier – February 8, 2021

“Habit #2: Begin with the end in mind. ®”

~ 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey

Have you ever asked yourself, “where am I going in leadership?” It sounds like a straightforward question, but in reality, it is one of the most gut-wrenching questions you might ever have to answer. To appropriately respond to that question, you have to know how to start, keep your ego in check, and be able to channel your inner child’s imagination. In other words, answering the question of where you are going in leadership can’t be answered off the cuff.

Challenge #8: 2021 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge #8: Leaders value learning.

• Read “The Pillars and Tenets of Learning” section in Learning in the Wildland Fire Service.
• As a leader, how can you help your organization improve on implementing these pillars and tenants?

IGNITE: Develop Your People for the Future

Duty: Develop your people for the future.

• Clearly state expectations.
• Delegate tasks that you are not required to do personally.
• Consider individual skill levels and developmental needs when assigning tasks.

[Photo: Brian Childs]

Communication

Communication is the primary tool for establishing an effective command climate. The ability to communicate effectively is universally rated as one of the most important leadership behaviors. 

IGNITE: Set the Example

 

Integrity: Set the Example

• Share the hazards and hardships with your subordinates.
• Don't show discouragement when facing setbacks.
• Choose the difficult right over the easy wrong.

[Photo credit: Kari Greer/USFS]

Leading the Learning

 

Leading the Learning

By Kelly Woods – Director, Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Most of us have read Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. It’s the yellow book you receive whenever you attend a wildland fire leadership course. If you have not read it cover to cover, you should – remember leaders are readers. We all undoubtedly are familiar with the contents of this book even if we have not read it numerous times. Within its pages, the core values of our business – duty, respect, and integrity are defined. The principles which guide leaders in support of these values are revealed. Together these words provide a leadership framework for wildland firefighters in all phases of their service.  Essentially, this book is where we find out what it means to be a leader in wildland fire.

Did you know there is a book like this for learning? Guess what it’s called…Learning in the Wildland Fire Service.

Command Presence - Story from the Fireline

After hearing that fires had broken out in the Placer Creek area in northern Idaho on August 21, 1910, Edward Pulaski, a local forest ranger, came to the firefighters’ aid, bringing food and medical supplies to nearly 50 crew members there. The men did not realize it, but they were situated on the edge of an impending firestorm, and Pulaski was about to lead them from certain death.

Challenge #7: 2021 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge #7: Leaders know themselves and seek improvement.

• Download and use the Individual Development Plan Guide.
• Take the time today to start or update your Self-Development Plan Worksheet.
• Follower/Aspiring Leader
• New Leader
• Leader of People
• Leader of Leaders
• Leader of Organizations

Click here to visit the self-development tool. 

#2021WFLDPCampaign #selfdevelopment #fireleadership

IGNITE: Duty - Develop your people for the future.

 

DUTY

Develop your people for the future.

• Clearly state expectations.
• Delegate tasks that you are not required to do personally.
• Consider individual skill levels and developmental needs when assigning tasks.

#fireleadership #duty #developyourpeople

Command Presence

More than anything else, the leader’s command presence sets the tone for the command climate. Command presence is how we present ourselves to others, the myriad of personal attributes and behaviors that communicates to others that we are worthy of their trust and respect.

It's Time to Check Your Blindspots!

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Throughout 2020 we traveled along the path of command presence and asked the question, "Do you know who you are?" Our hopes were for you to get a clear picture of who you are and how you are seen by your people. This self-awareness journey should have revealed your strengths and weaknesses. One of those weaknesses may have been things you didn't see—your blind spots. 

Opening yourself up to appraisal by others can be an insightful and growing experience. 

IGNITE: Know Yourself and Seek Improvement

INTEGRITY

Know yourself and seek improvement

• Know the strengths/weaknesses in your character and skill level.
• Ask questions of peers and supervisors.
• Actively listen to feedback from your people.

#fireleadership #selfdevelopment #integrity

Command Climate

Command climate refers to the environment within the influence of a particular leader or chain of command. 

Challenge #6 - 2021 WFLDP Campaign

Challenge #6: Leaders contribute to the greater good.

• Obtain and read the vignettes included in Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. (https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/494-2)
• New stories are needed. Submit yours. (https://www.nwcg.gov/contact)

#2021WFLDPCampaing #fireleadership

Unity of Effort - A Story from the Fireline

On October 27, 2003, Santa Ana winds, with gusts of more than 50 mph, drove the Grand Prix Fire across the Los Angeles County line towards the communities of La Verne and Claremont. With most their fire resources assisting in San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County fire officials called the national Incident Management Team (IMT) at Grand Prix Fire to ask for help. 

Little Book With A Big Impact

Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, LWFS, the Yellow Book, the Leadership Bible. Whatever you call it, it sets the foundation for expectations and future progress throughout your leadership journey. As you progress through you career, take the time to read and reread Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. You might find that it means something different each time you read it depending on where you are in your leadership journey.

IGNITE: Good Leadership

 

Leadership is the art of influencing people in order to achieve a result. The most essential element for success in the wildland fire service is good leadership. - Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 1

[Photo: NWCG Leadership Committee]

Unity of Effort

Our leaders subscribe to unity of effort as a second key component our command philosophy. In a high-risk environment, mixed messages or countermanding directives add to the potential for friction, danger, and uncertainty. Many times at all levels of the wildland fire service, leaders find themselves in gray areas where jurisdictional lines blur and overlap. No matter the challenges at hand, fire leaders work together to find common ground and act in the best interests of those responding to the incident, the public, and our natural resources. 

Challenge #5 - 2021 WFLDP Campaign

[Photo: Dan Ng/NPS]

Challenge #5: Wildland fire leaders follow a defined set of values and principles.

• Journalize answers to the questions found below.

Duty – What does Duty mean to you?

• How do you know if you are proficient in your job, both technically and as a leader?
• What helps you make sound and timely decisions, especially in time compressed situations?
• How can you ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, accomplished?
• Can you think of someone you have helped develop, that has progressed?

Respect – What does Respect mean to you?

• What tools do you use to make sure you know your people and are looking out for their well-being?
• Is it easy or difficult for you to keep you people informed?
• How do you know if you are building a strong foundation for your team?
• Employ your people in accordance with their capabilities

Integrity – What does Integrity mean to you?

• Are you actively working to know yourself and seek improvement?
• Do you step up when needed? Are you willing to take responsibility for your actions and those of your team even during failure?
• Do you model what right looks like? Are you holding yourself to the same standards you expect of your people?

For Which We Are Accountable

(Credit: NWCG)

For Which We Are Accountable 

by e. L. Pelletier – January 27, 2021

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable." ~ Moliere (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin)¹

Much like watching funny videos on the internet, researching “leadership” can lead you down a rabbit hole that you may never find your way out of; at least, that is my hope for every person who aspires to be a great leader.

Command Based on Inent

Translating vision into clear leader’s intent is at the heart of our command philosophy. Describing the task, purpose, and end state is the prerequisite for empowering our people to exercise individual initiative and take appropriate risks and actions as the situation requires. 

This philosophy is based on the understanding that competent subordinate leaders who are at the scene of action understand the current situation better than does a senior commander some distance removed.

This does not imply, however, that our actions are not coordinated. Fire leaders continually work to achieve coordination and cooperation among all forces toward a commonly understood objective.

(Click here to download a copy of Leading in the Wildland Fire Service.)

Command Philosophy

Our philosophy of command supports the way we manage incidents. To generate effective decision making and to cope with the unpredictable nature of incidents, fire leaders decentralize command. That is, we empower subordinate leaders to make decisions based on their understanding of their leader’s vision for success.

(Click here to download a copy of Leading in the Wildland Fire Service.)

Our Foundation

The values (Duty, Respect, and Integrity) and principles are the foundation of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP) that was created as a response of the Tri Data study from the South Canyon fire. They were first seen as a part of the Report of the Leadership Task Group to the Training Working Team. On establishing values and principles, the report said (page 26 of the report):

A Look at Our Values & Principles

These are two presentations of wildland fire's values and principles. 

Which version appeals to you and why?

Does the word courage tie the values together or is there some other word that would make more sense? Is a word needed?