Words to Live by

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rick Lasky on March 11, 2008 at 9:51pm

Hi Julie,

I can't wait for this book to hit the shelves. Finally a book my new firefighters (and old) can use for all the right reasons!!

"Leadership takes courage. The courage to make the right decisions because they are right and not because they are popular. Decisions based on good solid information and common sense are always the best ones."

See ya!

Rick

Permalink Reply by Mark Lafountain on March 12, 2008 at 12:15am

Hi Julie,

Your friend's statement is very true! The book sounds like it will be great! I like Rick's reply...it reminds me of advice I received during my Fire Service Career. Career or Volunteer...fire doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care whether you are paid to be there or not. It will burn you just as fast. The service given to the Public can be the same whether you are Career or Volunteer.

I work with a Retired Chief that I have a great deal of respect for. He was Chief in a Career Department and I was Chief in a Volunteer Department. We have had many conversations about the job of Fire Chief. He was (and still is) a person I look to for opinions and wisdom. He told me that a major difference between a Career and Volunteer Chief is the way the job is kept or lost.

He said that a downfall to the Volunteer Chief is that the position is kept or lost by popular vote. If you tick off someone (no matter if your decisions are correct and safe), it spreads like a Wildfire. You no longer are popular, and during your Elections, you are replaced with the person who is more popular, even if that successor is ignorant. You can be the best Fire Officer in the World, but if you are not liked, you're out. The Career Chief position is lost by gross negligence, insubordination, or breaking the law, not by opinions.

He told me while I was Chief, "Hold your head up high...you're the Chief. The Firefighters are looking to you for guidance. Make the best decisions you can. Learn from them if you must, but know in your heart that you did your best. As long as no one was hurt or killed and the law wasn't broken, the decisions were good...no matter what their opinions are. You can't make decisions based on whether they are popular. You need to be able to lay your head on your pillow at night and get a full night's rest."

Being a first time Fire Chief, I followed that advice, and I did not regret any decisions I made. Mr. Sargent is correct...you need them more than they need you; however, they also need to accept and respect those decisions that are made. They aren't always easy.

Talk to you later!

Mark

Permalink Reply by Sunshine Lemme on March 12, 2008 at 8:52am

Goethe's words work for me inside and outside the fire service:

"Treat people as if they were that they ought to be, and you'll help them to become what they are capable of becoming."

What else can a real leader do?

Permalink Reply by Julie Simmons on March 12, 2008 at 10:27am

We're all excited about it! Like all good things, it is taking massive amounts of work and effort, but we love the challenge. We truly have the most innovative minds in firefighting working with us on this one. Including you!

Stay safe, buddy!

Julie

Permalink Reply by Julie Simmons on March 12, 2008 at 10:28am

That's great! You're very fortunate to have such a mentor. I think folks underestimate the difference a true leader or mentor can make in a person's life or career. and I imagine you're someone's mentor as well (whether you know it or not).

Thanks for writing!

Permalink Reply by Julie Simmons on March 12, 2008 at 10:30am

That's a great philosophy. I'm going to post it on our bulletin board at the office...everyone can learn from that quote. Thank you for sharing!


Julie