Leadership is in the Story

(Photo credit: ishineushine.blogspot.com)

So, what do the lessons of Alice and the Cheshire cat, the tortoise and the hare, Stone Soup, Dorothy in Oz, and the Little Red Hen all have in common? Answer: they are all presented in "5 Important Leadership Lessons You Learned in Kindergarten" by Jesse Lyn Stoner.

Storytelling is woven into the fabric of our culture. When I became involved in wildland fire training development, I was told that one of the most important aspects of the NWCG curriculum is the instructor's experience. Being able to tell our stories is a powerful teaching tool. Not everyone has the gift of storytelling, but nearly everyone has a story to tell.

Many years ago, I proposed a storytelling self-development tool for use by wildland firefighters. At that time, I was told another entity was working on a similar project. As with many initiatives, I don't think it came to fruition. It has been two years since presented the tool to blog readers, so here it is again:

“How-To” Suggestion:

1. Download and read LILA Harvard University's Deborah Sole's and Daniel Gray Wilson’s "Storytelling in Organizations: The Power and Traps of Using Stories to Share Knowledge in Organizations" which can be found online at http://www.providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/Storytelling_in_Organizations.pdf
2. Obtain and read the book Leadership Lessons from West Point from the Leader to Leader Institute. Authors of this publication set the example of using storytelling to bring very real leadership experiences to life.
3. Research storytelling as a leadership development tool. A few printed and Internet resources are listed below as possible guides for your knowledge quest. (Supervisors: Consider adding storytelling references to your local leadership library.)
4. Implement storytelling when communicating; use the information you have gained from your research.
5. Document experiences where storytelling was used to handle a leadership challenge (bring about change, encourage teamwork, share knowledge, transmit the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles,etc.). Indicate whether the experience was effective or ineffective; if ineffective, document what could have been differently for future reference.
6. Create a personal storytelling library for future use. Revisit your storytelling library to keep the information updated and relevant.
7. Continually practice and improve your skill.
8. Pay it forward. Share this leadership development tool with members of your crew; become a storytelling mentor.

Printed Resources:

Denning, Steve. The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. Jossey-Bass. April 2005.

• Addresses “how to use storytelling to deal with the most difficult challenges faced by leadership today” including:
• Motivate others to action
• Build trust in you
• Build trust in your company (branding)
• Transmit your values
• Get others working together
• Share knowledge
• Tame the grapevine
• Create and share your vision
• Solve the paradox of innovation
• Use narrative to transform your organization

Denning, Steve. Squirrel Inc.—A Fable of Leadership through Storytelling. Elsevier. June 2004.  http://www.stevedenning.com/Books/squirrel-inc.aspx

• Addresses “the use of storytelling to address leadership challenges”
• How to bring about change
• How to communicate who you are
• How to transmit values
• How to foster collaboration
• How to stop rumors
• How to share knowledge

Leader to Leader Institute (Major Doug Crandall, editor). Leadership Lessons from West Point. Jossey-Bass. 2007.

• This publication is the ultimate reference for using storytelling for leadership development.
• “In our classrooms, as in this book, we bring forth concepts and theory, relate stories from our own leadership endeavors, and help cadets make sense of their own experiences as they look toward the future. Throughout this book, we open a window into this world of leadership development that is the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point and share some of our candid reflections, compelling stories, best practices, and frontline ideas.” (Major Doug Crandall, xxvi)

Simmons, Annette. The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through Storytelling. Perseus Books Group. June 2002.

http://groupprocessconsulting.com/images/uploads/Chapter_1.pdf

• Addresses “six types of stories that will serve you well in your efforts to influence others”
• Who I Am Stories
• Why I Am Here Stories
• My Vision Story
• Teaching Stories
• Values in Action Stories
• "I Know what you are Thinking" Stories

Internet Resources:

• Brooks, Kevin. Story - Storytelling - Business –Research
• Denning, Stephen
• GoldenFleece
• Group Process Consulting. (Simmons, Annette)
• Ivy Sea Online. Stories & Storytelling.
• Lipman, Doug. Story Dynamics: Igniting Transformation Through Storytelling. 
• McLellan, Hilary. Leadership and Stories. 

Stories from the Fireline can be a powerful self‑development tool. Effective use of the tool requires thought, organization, and practice.

Stories from the Fireline

"Sharing experiences through stories is emerging in various professions as a powerful way to exchange and consolidate knowledge. Research suggests that sharing experiences though narrative builds trust, cultivates norms, transfers tacit knowledge, facilitates unlearning, and generates emotional connections. ~ Deborah Sole and Daniel Gray Wilson, LILA Harvard University

Every individual involved in the wildland fire service has a story to tell and a common mechanism for sharing our lessons learned and past experiences. Knowing what story to tell and when to tell it is a powerful communication skill. Stories from the Fireline is a self-development tool intended to assist wildland fire leaders enhance their storytelling skills.

“How-To” Suggestion:

1. Download and read LILA Harvard University's Deborah Sole's and Daniel Gray Wilson’s "Storytelling in Organizations: The Power and Traps of Using Stories to Share Knowledge in Organizations" which can be found online at http://www.providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/Storytelling_in_Organizations.pdf


2. Obtain and read the book Leadership Lessons from West Point from the Leader to Leader Institute. Authors of this publication set the example of using storytelling to bring very real leadership experiences to life.
   
3. Research storytelling as a leadership development tool. A few printed and Internet resources are listed below as possible guides for your knowledge quest. (Supervisors: Consider adding storytelling references to your local leadership library.)
   
4. Implement storytelling when communicating; use the information you have gained from your research.
   
5. Document experiences where storytelling was used to handle a leadership challenge (bring about change, encourage teamwork, share knowledge, transmit the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles, etc.). Indicate whether the experience was effective or ineffective; if ineffective, document what could have been differently for future reference.


6. Create a personal storytelling library for future use. Revisit your storytelling library to keep the information updated and relevant.


7. Continually practice and improve your skill.
   
8. Pay it forward. Share this leadership development tool with members of your crew; become a storytelling mentor.

Printed Resources:

Denning, Steve. The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. Jossey-Bass. April 2005.

• Addresses “how to use storytelling to deal with the most difficult challenges faced by leadership today” including:
  - Motivate others to action
  - Build trust in you
  - Build trust in your company (branding)
  - Transmit your values
  - Get others working together
  - Share knowledge
  - Tame the grapevine
  - Create and share your vision,
  - Solve the paradox of innovation
  - Use narrative to transform your organization

Denning, Steve. Squirrel Inc.—A Fable of Leadership through Storytelling. Elsevier. June 2004. http://www.stevedenning.com/Squirrel.htm

• Addresses “the use of storytelling to address leadership challenges”
  - How to bring about change
  - How to communicate who you are
  - How to transmit values
  - How to foster collaboration
  - How to stop rumors
  - How to share knowledge

Leader to Leader Institute (Major Doug Crandall, editor). Leadership Lessons from West Point. Jossey-Bass. 2007.

• This publication is the ultimate reference for using storytelling for leadership development.
  
  “In our classrooms, as in this book, we bring forth concepts and theory, relate stories from our own leadership endeavors, and help cadets make sense of their own experiences as they look toward the future. Throughout this book, we open a window into this world of leadership development that is the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point and share some of our candid reflections, compelling stories, best practices, and frontline ideas.” (Major Doug Crandall, xxvi)

Simmons, Annette. The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through Storytelling. Perseus Books Group. June 2002. http://groupprocessconsulting.com/images/uploads/Chapter_1.pdf

• Addresses “six types of stories that will serve you well in your efforts to influence others”
  - Who I Am Stories
  - Why I Am Here Stories
  - My Vision Story
  - Teaching Stories
  - Values in Action Stories
  - "I Know what you are Thinking" Stories

Internet Resources:

Brooks, Kevin. Story - Storytelling - Business – Research. http://xenia.media.mit.edu/~brooks/storybiz/storytelling-business.html

Denning, Stephen. http://www.stevedenning.com/

GoldenFleece.http://www.storyatwork.com/

Group Process Consulting. (Simmons, Annette)
http://groupprocessconsulting.com/images/uploads/DevelopingYOURstory.doc
http://groupprocessconsulting.com/images/uploads/StorytellingKeynote.doc

Ivy Sea Online. Stories & Storytelling. http://www.ivysea.com/pages/Storytelling_portal.html

Lipman, Doug. Story Dynamics: Igniting Transformation Through Storytelling, http://www.douglipman.com/

McLellan, Hilary. Leadership and Stories. http://tech-head.com/leader.htm

Sanborn, Mark. How Leaders Communicate.
Part 1: http://www.marksanborn.com/store/Leadership_Lessons_03-30-06.asp
Part 2: http://www.marksanborn.com/store/Leadership_Lessons_04-27-06.asp

Stories from the Fireline can be a powerful self‑development tool. Effective use of the tool requires thought, organization, and practice.

“People may read the statement of organizational values every day and may carry their values cards in the wallet at all times. But what they remember are the stories and examples of how those values were put into action.” – Major Chip Daniels, Leadership Lessons from West Point

The Power of a Story

(Photo: Morgan888/Pixabay)

Storytelling is woven into the fabric of our culture. When I became involved in wildland fire training development, I was told that one of the most important aspects of the NWCG curriculum is the instructor's experience. Being able to tell our stories is a powerful teaching tool. Not everyone has the gift of storytelling, but nearly everyone has a story to tell and can learn the skill.

Storytelling

by Justin Vernon

A few days ago the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program posted a question about storytelling on their Facebook page, and that kick started my thought process about the topic.

Let me start off by saying I love good storytelling, especially stories that are true. I’ve always read some varieties of fiction, mainly Louis L’Amour westerns and sci-fi and fantasy in the style of Douglas Adams, J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert Jordan, along with smatterings of other fiction. But for the most part I find myself drawn to the stories that are true, found in memoirs, biographies, and the like. I often find that reality provides us with stories that are better than can be created in an author’s imagination, because sometimes reality is so improbable that one couldn’t just make it up. More than that, for me at least, I find that true stories simply resonate more strongly with me than fiction does. That’s probably because as I read a work of fiction, I’m always aware that it’s a fabrication, that the author is likely writing events in a purposeful manner to create or invoke certain emotions for the reader. In non-fiction stories, there isn’t that same sense, real or imagined, that the author is trying to manipulate my thought process.

Anyway, back to storytelling. One of the things I love most about working in wildland fire, and aviation especially, is the storytelling that happens whenever a group of people come together. There’s always a slow time when the stories start to roll out – whether it’s sitting around the office or station over a cup of coffee waiting for an IA, or out in the field during mop-up. Given that many fire people have an adventurous nature and goofy temperament to some degree, the stories of screwups, mishaps, and improbable successes are almost always good for a laugh.

I think it’s often overlooked that wildland firefighting is primarily a culture where oral traditions reign supreme. At least in my experience, most fire folks are in fire because they enjoy working in the woods, and activities like reading just aren’t that high on the priority list. Very few of us ended up in this line of work because we enjoyed office buildings and paperwork. While there are notable exceptions, most folks don’t carry books in their gear bags. I remember that I was in college, studying forestry with a combination of timber beasts and fire folks, when I realized that most of my peers didn’t read for pleasure, and even reading for school or work was avoided when possible. As I’ve grown older and more observant, I’ve realized that while reading isn’t a priority for this culture, oral storytelling takes the place of reading in transferring knowledge, traditions, best practices, and cultural norms among members of the group. Thus storytelling in its various forms has a more powerful role to play in the fire community than might be expected at first glance.

Telling stories is a powerful way to exchange information, and establish commonalities among members of the group. It’s amazing how often you can find that despite having a completely different background from someone you’ve just met, you share similar experiences. Stories are one way in which we can establish common experiences with one another, and in the fire realm, can be great tool when building a team. Sitting around a beer-filled table, or around a bonfire beer in hand while sharing stories is one of our culture’s primary means of forming bonds within the group, outside of shared experiences on the fireline.

It’s also a way for us, as the “crusty old salts,” to pass information on to the younger people in our lives. I still remember soaking up random bits and pieces of information listening to the more experienced folks on the crew swap stories around the hangar when I started working in helitack a decade ago. It’s impossible for us to share our knowledge all at once with the next generation, and storytelling is a way of parceling out that knowledge when it’s appropriate to do so, whether over beers after work or around the shop sharpening saws and tools after a day of project work.

Informal storytelling is also a way that we can share our negative experiences in an environment that is relatively safe for the person doing the sharing. Formal means of exploring accidents, screwups, failures, etc, often have a negative association, whereas informal storytelling can be a safer way to share your experience, and what you learned from your screwup. Think of the powerful learning moments in your life, and I bet you’ll find more occurred in a storytelling situation than during a formal learning event.

Storytelling is personal, and that personal connection you get when telling or listening to a story is important in the increasingly disconnected environment of 21st century social interaction. We tend to pay more attention to things when they’re relevant, when there’s a personal connection or relationship with the story being told, and when we pay attention we usually get more out out of it than if it doesn’t hold our attention.

A great example for me is the story of South Canyon/Storm King. I’d read the reports, and I’d read Fire on the Mountain, and while interesting, it really wasn’t all that personal. This past summer Eric Hipke with the National Interagency Fire Center released a two-part video telling the story South Canyon in the words of those who were there. For me that video made an impact beyond what reading about the event had. When you see the faces of those involved, and you can read their emotions, see their pain, still strong twenty years later, and imagine being in their shoes, it becomes personal, and more real.

I like telling stories. I’ve been blessed to have experiences in my life and career that are somewhat unique in nature, and they make for some great stories. For me at least, storytelling is as much about defining who we are as it is entertaining or teaching and learning. My stories are part of who I am, pieces of the puzzle that is me. Like puzzle pieces, each story can be interesting in and of itself, but it’s only when all the pictures are assembled that you see the sum of the parts. It doesn’t matter if it’s your stories, painting a picture of your life, or the stories of you organization or family, painting a bigger picture – there’s value in the storytelling that is often missed in the digital age.

Until next time…

************************************************

Justin Vernon is a regular guest contributor on our blog. Justin works for the United States Forest Service and is a member of Sparks for Professional Reading Program Change. Check out his Chasing Fire blog. All expressions are those of the author.

Do You Believe in MAGIC?

If you are like me you’ve sat through training sessions and presentations where “death by PowerPoint” did little for the educational experience. Leaders who can share purposeful stories are invaluable. The power of storytelling is a tool that can help leaders convey information.

Jeremy Bennett provided a great blog post recently about students of fire such as Paul Gleason who developed storytelling into an art—an art that had huge impacts on those around them.

In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton, Peter Guber talks about the power of storytelling and provides great insight about its use as a leadership tool. Feel free to read the interview transcript or listen to the audio.

Storytelling is MAGIC

Guber believes that stories should have MAGIC.

M – You have to motivate.
A – Try to engage your audience emotionally, not intellectually.
G – All storytelling narrative is goal oriented.
I – All storytelling is interactive.
C – You have to have good content.

Helpful Hints

• Storytelling is a tool that is used purposefully.
• Practice pays off.
• Move people’s hearts and emotions before you move their feet or their tongue.
• Stories are often shared, often virally.

Word of Caution

A good story often “spreads like wildfire.” Therefore, storytellers must surrender control. Lt. Col. Eric Carlson shared the following quotes from Paul Tillich during the 2011 Gettysburg Staff Ride:

• All history is remembered history.
• The meaning of history lies beyond history.
• There are two periods in history: one of preparation and one of expectation.

Tell your story with purposeful narrative and allow it to grow and impact your listeners. You may not affect everyone and the story may change from storyteller to storyteller, but most stories live on, relatively intact, long after the storyteller has gone on, impacting future generations through belief.

Additional storytelling references:

• Denning. Stephen. The Leader's Guide to Storytelling. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2005.
• Stories from the Fireline, blog post from June 17, 2010

Understanding the Value of Storytelling

From my first moments working in wildland fire, I understood that we are a storytelling culture. I attended Guard School the same week I “celebrated” my 18th birthday. The only cadre members I remember from that week were members of the Zigzag Hotshots. They told stories that captivated my young impressionable mind. Through their words and story sharing, I began to understand how my choices and the choices of those leading me could directly affect the safety of everyone involved. I was drawn into the adventure of the job as they relayed details of what I might expect as I began life as a wildland firefighter. I was learning from their experience. When someone shares their story, we cannot help but become active participants in the events. Listening, judging, and processing each detail to determine if we would have read the context clues in the same way, ultimately arriving at the same actions. Or would we have done something different? Either way, through this process we develop our own experience. 

On June 17, 2010, I posted an entry titled “Stories from the Fireline.” As I sifted through the Knowledge at Wharton's Leadership and Change archive, I found an article with Peter Guber a fitting follow-up to my previous blog entry. An audio download accompanies the article titled "Peter Guber on Sharing Stories, not Just Information, to Communicate Effectively."

The Power of Our Stories

Author: Pam McDonald, BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development

In his 2015 TedTalk, Dave Isey, founder of StoryCorps, talks about the importance of storytelling and listening to others tell their story. Storytelling is woven into the fabric of our culture. Whether it is around the camp fire after a long days work, in the vehicle coming and going to the fireline, or over a beverage, stories bind us together. Being able to tell our stories is a powerful teaching tool, but not everyone has the gift of storytelling; however, nearly everyone has a story to tell or ears to hear.

Challenge #26: 2023 WFLDP Campaign

 

Challenge #26: Leaders persuade through storytelling.

• Read: Storytelling Can Make or Break Your Leadership
• View: Storytelling and its Persuasion Power
• Wildland Fire Learning Portal: Learning From Unintended Outcomes (specifically the Facilitated Learning Analysis)
• Writing Exercise: Journal your leadership story.

Looking Back with Gina Papke

An Introduction: Gina Papke from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Wildland firefighters are adept at the art of storytelling. Every fire and every firefighter has a story to share and share it they do. Visit any fire or spike camp and stories will either be shared or made. Sharing our stories gives new generations insight into the evolution of fire operations.

In this video, Gina Papke, Fire Program Specialist and former hotshot, shares a few stories as she reflects upon her 35 seasons in fire. Gina became the first female Interagency Hotshot Crew Superintendent in the nation when she assumed leadership of the ZigZag Hotshots in 1991.

Stay tuned for more Gina Papke stories in future blogs.

****************************************************

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project with hotshots. All members of the wildland fire service can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. 

Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Another Confession - I Want to Listen with My Heart

(Listen, Understand, Act" by highersights is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)

In my last blog, I shared with you that I am a horrible communicator. As I do my research for the 2023 Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP) campaign on servant leadership, I have more work to do on listening to others. I want to move from being an active listener to an empathic listener.

Gina Papke on Influential People

Influential People from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Where is it written that you need a title to be a leader? According to Leading in the Wildland Fire Service,

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.  (p. 1)

Where we serve doesn't matter. What matters is the quality of service we provide to the overall mission. Each group in the fire service has importance and influences in a manner different from the other. We all, regardless of our position in the organization, have a duty to do our best wherever we are and whatever we are doing. Unlike the television show Cheers, you don't have to be a leader "where everyone knows your name." 

******************************************* 

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project for her master's thesis. All members of the wildland fire service, not just hotshots, can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

From the Field for the Field: Dan Pickard on Positive Influence and Leadership

Positive Influence and Leadership from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE 

Fire leaders are committed to building a high level of competence in team members. Their satisfaction depends on it as does the future of the organization. Some of today’s team members are the leaders of tomorrow; it is the leader’s responsibility to mentor and help them cultivate the right tools and skills that they will need to face the challenges of the future.

Setting and Achieving Standards

Leaders set standards as a means of clearly stating the leader’s expectations as well as those of the organization. Standards define acceptable performance, and holding people accountable is contingent on clearly defined standards. Fire leaders step up to the responsibility of establishing reasonable standards, training to those standards, and providing the resources necessary to achieve the standard. With standards in place, leaders help people develop technical and personal competency, enabling them to grow as individuals.

Mentoring

Leaders also help their people grow by mentoring and sharing experiences. Mentoring them begins their journey from followership to leadership. Fire leaders coach and then step back to allow people to take on new responsibilities. Providing the opportunity to test new waters and try new behaviors is important in developing people for the future.

We consider the individual skill levels and developmental needs when delegating tasks, making sure people have appropriate challenges that press them to grow and expand their skills.

[Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 40 and 41]

**************************************

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project with hotshots. All members of the wildland fire service can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. 

Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Thanks, Bethany Hannah for your vision and leadership to capture our history. 

The Art of Refusing Risk & Respecting Extreme Fire Behavior

Refusing Assignments from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

There is an art to risk assessment. What may seem impossible to one person may seem achievable by another. Effective fire leaders develop the art through experience as students of fire and leadership. We know from our history that human factors are critical to our success or failure. Good fire leaders  employ numerous methods, continually develop situation awareness, and develop their people to provide the critical feedback to keep everyone safe.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Listen to Charlie Caldwell, former Redding Hotshot Superintendent, speak on refusing assignments.
• Review "How to Properly Refuse Risk" with your crew/team.

How to Properly Refuse Risk
Every individual has the right and obligation to report safety problems and contribute ideas regarding their safety. Supervisors are expected to give these concerns and ideas serious consideration.
When an individual feels an assignment is unsafe they also have the obligation to identify, to the
degree possible, safe alternatives for completing that assignment. Turning down an assignment is
one possible outcome of managing risk.

A “turn down” is a situation where an individual has determined they cannot undertake an assignment as given and they are unable to negotiate an alternative solution.

The turn down of an assignment must be based on an assessment of risks and the ability of the individual or organization to control those risks. Individuals may turn down an assignment as unsafe when:

1. There is a violation of safe work practices.
2. Environmental conditions make the work unsafe.
3. They lack the necessary qualifications or experience.
4. Defective equipment is being used.

The individual directly informs their Supervisor they are turning down the assignment as given.
Use the criteria outline in the Risk Management Process (Firefighting Orders, Watch Out
Situations, etc.) to document the turn down.

The supervisor notifies the Safety Officer immediately upon being informed of the turn down. If there is no Safety Officer, the appropriate Section Chief or the Incident Commander should be notified. This provides accountability for decisions and initiates communication of safety concerns within the
incident organization.

If the supervisor asks another resource to perform the assignment, they are responsible to inform the
new resource that the assignment was turned down and the reasons why it was turned down.

If an unresolved safety hazard exists or an unsafe act was committed, the individual should also
document the turn down by submitting a SAFENET (ground hazard) or SAFECOM (aviation hazard) form in a timely manner. These actions do not stop an operation from being carried out. This protocol is integral to the effective management of risk as it provides timely identification of hazards to the chain of command, raises risk awareness for both leaders and subordinates, and promotes accountability.

[Incident Response Pocket Guide, pp.19-20]

*******************************************
What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project for her master's thesis. All members of the wildland fire service, not just hotshots, can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

The Value of the Work

The Value of the Work from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Why do you work? Do you get value from what you do?

The answers to these question vary among fire personnel. Adam Hernandez shares his reflections on the values he has experienced as a hotshot.

Kudos to Adam for applying lessons and the core values of duty, respect, and integrity well beyond the fireline and into his personal life.

---

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project for her master's thesis. All members of the wildland fire service, not just hotshots, can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Ron Garcia - Fun and Camaraderie

Fun and Camaraderie from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

If you're not having fun at work, then it's time to do something else. 

Ron Garcia, District Fire Management Officer for the U.S. Fire Service, doesn't actually share what the average human being would consider fun in this video. However, he shares a genuine response about fun in the workplace. When you office becomes the great outdoors, the definition of fun can take on a whole different meaning. Take a few minutes to see if Ron's ideas of fun match any of yours.

Dirk Charley on Motivating the Guardians of the Forest

Leadership and Motivation from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

Motivation and Expectations

Leaders understand that people derive motivation from individual values and needs; others cannot force a person to be motivated any more than one person can force another to change. However, we recognize that leaders are responsible for putting in place the conditions in which people are motivated to act.

To create these conditions, fire leaders start by taking the time to learn about our people—understanding their internal motivations and accepting them as unique individuals.

In addition, leaders keep in mind that each team member has expectations regarding the benefits—overt as well as intrinsic—they will receive from their work.

Many barriers can prevent people’s expectations from being met: poor relationships with their peers, intrusive supervision, inadequate resources, or work without meaning.

Fire leaders work to reduce barriers and increase benefits such as giving people a sense of achievement, recognizing accomplishments, resolving unhealthy conflict, providing meaningful work, increasing the responsibilities, and offering opportunities for advancement.

[Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 46-47]

******************************************* 

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project for her master's thesis. All members of the wildland fire service, not just hotshots, can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Leadership at the Lowest Levels

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.

Leadership is not about a title. The wildland fire service prides itself on leadership at all levels. In this Smokey Generation video, Lee Miller shares a leadership success story of his transport driver having the courage to lead up.

We challenge you to watch the video and dig a little deeper into leading up.

From the Field for the Field: Adam Hernandez on Examples of Good and Bad Leadership

Examples of Good and Bad Leadership from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

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

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge
Post your own leadership video message on The Smokey Generation website. Here are a few questions for inspiration:

1. What makes you want to follow someone?
2. Who do you think is a leadership role model and why?
3. If you were to pick the three most important character traits for an effective leader, what would those be?
4. Are leaders born or made…explain?
5. Regarding leadership, what quote comes to mind?
6. Who are some of the individuals that had a significant influence on your life?
7. Thinking back to your youth, what other influences in helped you become a leader? 
8. What do you consider your strengths to be?
9. What do you consider your weaknesses to be?
10. Since you started your career with the wildland fire service, what are the biggest improvements you have witnessed?
11. What do you consider the worst changes you have seen in the wildland fire service?
12. Describe a few of the toughest decisions or dilemmas you have faced? 
13. What helped to guide you through those situations? 
14. Why do think people follow you?
15. When did you realize that you had a significant influence on others?
16. What handful of “lessons learned” would you offer to a young leader today?
17. What is a book you have read recently that you would recommend to others?
18. What ideas or projects are currently working on?
19. How do you go about initiating a new idea in order to put it into practice?
20. Do you think a legacy is important and if so, what do want your legacy to be?

**********************************

What is your story? We challenge you to become a part of this amazing  project and share your leadership stories. Bethany Hannah began The Smokey Generation: A Wildland Fire Oral History and Digital Storytelling Project with hotshots. All members of the wildland fire service can share their stories by following her example. Click here for potential leadership questions. 

Visit The Smokey Generation website for complete information.

Thanks, Bethany Hannah for your vision and leadership to capture our history. 

Ron Garcia on the South Canyon Fire

South Canyon from The Smokey Generation on Vimeo.

"But to realize the potential of the present, we need to heed the wisdom of the past." - Eric Greitens

There are defining moments that shape every person. Those moments become the slides one uses for future events and decisions. Not every event will be the magnitude of a South Canyon or Yarnell Hill, but influence us regardless.

Ron Garcia shares his experience of responding to the South Canyon fire in the days following the tragic event.