Our perspective is that leaders are made, not born.
The distribution of innate leadership traits in the wildland fire workforce is similar to the normal Bell Curve distribution for any set of traits in any population. A small percentage of people are natural leaders, possessing the character and traits that compel others to follow them. Another small percentage have character flaws or issues that would prevent them from ever becoming effective leaders.
Most people—the vast majority—do not come to the job as natural leaders, yet they have the ability to become very effective leaders by working to develop their leadership skills.
The wildland fire service cannot be successful depending on that small percentage of natural leaders. As a result, we accept the responsibility of making ourselves the best leaders that we can be, continuously embracing opportunities to learn the art of leadership through formal training, field experience, and self-development. The best leaders are life-long students of leadership.
[Click here to download a copy of Leading in the Wildland Fire Service.]
I believe in Natural Born Leaders at what percent I really don't know. But you say they are a small percent then they should be sought and taught how to develop their skills. Natural born leaders are leaders of instinct. They know instinctively to do something and that something is a direct result of their environment they reside in. The results will be from their inner instinctive actions whether good or bad. These people need their leadership skills focused and developed on what is the right thing to do. Naturally they know to do something but their environmental influence guides their actions. If a natural born leaders environment holds integrity, accountability, duty, and responsibility high then they can and will lead that way whether or not they are trying to, and others will see and follow naturally. I believe we all are products of our environment. Now remember environment is something that changes all the time but a natural born leader knows when to change with the environment or to change the environment they are in. David Ramirez-Rubalcaba
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