Mindfulness, Self-Compassion and Leadership in Wildland Fire

Mindfulness, Self-Compassion and Leadership in Wildland Fire

Alexis Lewis Waldron, PhD

Background

The impetus for studying the topics of mindfulness, self-compassion and leadership started with research into learning why people do or do not speak up in risky situations in wildland fire (Lewis, et al, 2011). One of the key components described by fire personnel in this research was leadership. Nine core qualities of leadership emerged with two being central – quality of experience (variety of experience) and compassion and caring (Lewis, 2008). We wanted to know what processes would help develop these kinds of desired qualities that were noted by firefighters as keeping them safe and open to dialogue.

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

When further research was completed with fire personnel regarding how they were thinking and behaving when things went right and when things went wrong it became apparent that they were emulating aspects of being mindful and self-compassionate (Lewis & Ebbeck, 2014). The next step was to create a mechanism for wildland firefighters to use that could help them through stressful decision-making circumstances and to enhance personal development. The result was SHARP (Waldron & Ebbeck, 2015). SHARP is based on aspects of mindfulness and self-compassion as assessed through a myriad of research and was developed with wildland fire personnel as something that they felt they might be able to use at home and at work.

Findings from a qualitative, experimental study (Waldron & Ebbeck, 2015) reported very positive results for those who used it. The following are a few excerpts from study participants:

Results from Younger Fire Personnel

[Analyzing R – Response] What am I thinking and feeling? That’s their opinion about it, they can say what they want, it’s my reaction to what they are saying that really dictates am I going to be able to look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day and ask myself, did I put my best foot forward? —Yes, I did because I stopped to be sharp.

For instance, Logan (a 29-year-old firefighter with 10 years’ experience) stated “when it seems
as though I lose focus or tend to go on ‘autopilot’ I look down at my wristband (SHARP stamped on it] and regain that focus.”

Both Hank and Kent reflected on their experiences of how SHARP helped them refocus, see their priorities more clearly, deal with unknowns, regulate their emotions, communicate more effectively, and maintain a “sunnier” outlook— all common outcomes associated with mindfulness and self-compassion. Hank went on to say, “It [SHARP] allows you to bring the most important aspects of the positive things that you value to the forefront into your life...and the rest, it also could help you look at it as water off a duck’ s back.”

Results from Seasoned Fire Personnel

Two or three different times this year, on some very intense incidents...it would have been so helpful if the individuals creating the stress could have thought what am I outwardly doing? [Act in SHARP] What am I thinking and feeling? [Respond in SHARP] And they weren’t in touch with themselves, I don’t think. They were totally not in touch with how they were affecting the team. And that was a problem. And as far as I’m concerned not acceptable at all. So with that said...I think it [SHARP] would help these people...with that fire god mentality. (“Steve”, 39 years of fire experience, Type 1 Operations on a team)

Steve has expanded a common awareness concept in fire with those he works with to include self-reflection: “I tell every division supe, you need to size up your people, not just the freaking fire, but your people. And this [taps SHARP sticker] you’re sizing up yourself too.”

Beyond these direct comments other wildland firefighters that were not a part of this study but have used it after a two-hour training have shared these thoughts: “it saved my marriage” and “it gave me a way to deal with the passing of my best friend” “my leaders are recognizing more creative, effective decisions from me.”

Using SHARP

SHARP is an attention awareness tool that can be a guide to finding a way to be grounded in difficult and everyday situations. People who have found the most success with it place the visual of SHARP and its questions somewhere within view (water bottle, desk, bathroom window, keychain) Below is a more thorough description of the questions posed in SHARP.

S – Stop is about taking a moment to literally stop whatever you are doing and take a look around at what’s happening around you and describing it to yourself.

H – Here is about how engaged you are in what is happening in your life in the given moment; many of us spend a lot of time being engaged in the past or future. Taking notice of where our attention is - is the first step in making a choice of where we want to spend our moments – in the past, future, or now. Most people spend a lot of time in the past and future and forget to take notice of the present moment and what is happening right now. And “now’ is literally all we ever have.

A – Act is taking notice of what you are outwardly doing – what can others see you doing? What is your body language saying, etc. The important part is just to notice – not judge.

R – Respond is looking inside at how you are thinking and feeling with physiological responses (e.g., am I feeling angry, calm, nervous, etc., and feeling heat or coolness anywhere or sweating?)

P – Person is our decision point after taking notice of all these aspects of our lives in the moment and then asking the question – with all this in mind, what is the very best thing I can do for myself right now? It is a prompt to take notice of your self-care and to do what is best in the moment. And again it is the moments that shape our lives.