IGNITE - RESPECT!

Know your people and look out for their well-being. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 58

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Zooming Out on Complexity

Cohesive teams are more creative and adaptable when dealing with complex situations. This enables them to detect and mitigate errors before irreparable damage occurs. Cohesion allows team members to anticipate the needs and actions of other team members. This increases efficiency and saves time. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 52)

In his short TED Talks video "Simplifying Complexity," Eric Berlow contends that "complex doesn't always equal complicated." He suggests that by embracing complexity through the use of good visualization tools and stepping back or zooming out, simple answers may emerge.

IGNITE - Provide Clear Intent

Unclear expectations lead to inefficient processes and subpar performance. – Christine Lotze

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Leadership Lessons are for Everyone

Followership is Leadership: Are you up for the challenge?

"Leadership lessons apply to EVERYONE. (No matter where you sit or what season you are in.)" ~ Chery Gegelman

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge

• Read Chery Gegelman's Simply Understanding... blog "Leadership Lessons Are For Everyone."

"Escape: A Dateline Special Presentation" Airs This Weekend

Leadership in Cinema Documentary Alert:

NBC Dateline is airing a documentary on the Cedar and Paradise Fires this Sunday, March 8 at 9 p.m., 8 Central.

"My hope and my sense from our interactions with the crew working on this program is that it will be a sensitively drawn retrospective. For sure, the fact that NBC chose the Cedar Fire as one of only three catastrophes featured in this special 3-part series about disaster survivors validates our extraordinary experiences here in San Diego that terrible week in 2003--and again in 2007.

Let this new version of our story be a tribute both to those loved ones we lost and to our resilience as survivors." - Sandra Millers Younger, author of "The Fire Outside My Window"

More from Sandra Millers Younger:

Some students of fire are familiar with Ms. Millers Younger from the development of the San Diego County Mega Fire Interactive Case Study development. Find out more about this historical documentation of the Cedar fire and Sandra's efforts to change and prepare her community on her website.

Mentoring A New Generation

Continuing our partnership with the Eagle Rock School (ER), students of Cynthia Elkins and Dayan Safferstein’s art class spent the past 5 weeks painting this mural in the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Dorm at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Building on the success of the ER Internship and Citizen Science Classes (Fire & Dragonfly), students learned how to work with clients, adopt and expand their vision, work on a team with varied work styles, and finish an original work of art under a deadline. The project was a new way to involve ER students and to connect with new audiences and students that may have never thought about doing anything with the National Parks. The mural provides a way for youth to leave their mark on RMNP and show other students they too can get involved and leave a lasting impression.

The class was the idea of Paul Cerda (Alpine Hotshots), Ben Baldwin (RMNP) and Jon Anderson (ER). “We have worked together on several internships, classes and opportunities and thought this would be an interesting idea,” said Ben Baldwin.

The class also painted a replica of the "1981 Arrowhead 1" logo on the south facing wall of the dorm. The image was taken from a crew shirt Jon Larson gave Paul Cerda at the crew's 30-year reunion. 

IGNITE - Invest in Training

The best leaders know that the investment in training will pay off in the long term. – Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge 5th Edition

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Behind the Curtain

Follow the yellow brick road, and you shall reach the Emerald City. Beware, however, for what you find behind the curtain may not be what you expect. 

Located in the City of Trees (the Emerald City) in a small office from behind two large monitors (behind the curtain) and a set of controls (a keyboard and the Internet), this blogger (the wizard) administers various Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program social media platforms.

Through my wizardry, I am able to do great and powerful things. If it weren't for Facebook intervention, I just might control everything you see. So, who am I, you ask? Well, I am just like many of you. I am no one special. I don't have a fancy title. I don't have a big office. I don't have special powers. I don't have the answers. Truth be known, I am a "humbug"—a fraud. I am a nice person but a terrible wizard, and I don't act alone. There are communities of people who help me create and maintain the splendor you see.

Munchkins from near and far bring skills, creativity, and magic to create a leadership social media network that reaches students of fire and leadership in kingdoms around the world. These wonderful helpers write blogs, create mini posters, share content, and promote our program. Together we create one of the biggest and best lands of leadership around.

However, no matter how much glory and praise is given to this wizard and Munchkins, the truth is the wizard cannot give to the Tin Men, Cowardly Lions, Scarecrows, and Dorothys what they already have. Inherently, each of you already possesses what you need to succeed. All the wizard does is flip the controls using the resources of others to create a path of discovery.

It is along the path of discovery that we connect with one another to share our stories, and our knowledge and experiences. We vow to never repeat the mistakes of others and to remember those that have gone down the path before us. We know the path is long and may not be paved with gold, but with persistence we hope to obtain whatever it is we seek to find. The truth is ours to find.

There is no Emerald City. There is no wizard with great powers who will do for us what we can do ourselves. There is no path that we don't build ourselves. And lastly, there is no place like home where those we love await our return each day.

This is Part 2 of a two-part series. 

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About the Author:
Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.

Paul Cerda Presented with 2014 Lead by Example Award

(Mike Lewelling, Paul Cerda, and Jim McMahill)

Congratulations to Alpine IHC Superintendent Paul Cerda. Paul was one of the recipients of the 2014 Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award for motivation and vision.

Paul  was recognized for boldly leading with inspired vision and clear intent. His efforts to lead the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew to Type 1 Wildland Fire Module status shows his ability to innovate, communicate, and influence change. This bold effort to diversify for the betterment of the wildland fire service took insight and courage.

As an advocate for leadership development, Paul embodies the values of duty, respect and integrity. His vision, motivational ability, and innovative methods to “build the team” demonstrates true passion for his people and those he serves. Paul has not only created depth within his own organization but also strengthened the entire service through your positive influence. Paul has shown what right looks like.

IGNITE: Love - The Strength of Any Organization

I don’t necessarily have to like my players and associates, but as their leader, I must love them. Love is loyalty, love is teamwork, love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization. – Vince Lombardi

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