Ten years ago, the greatest barrier to a fulfilling life for me was me. Nine times out of ten I was my own worst enemy. I literally hosted a version of Custer's Last Stand in my own mind over a dozen times a day. Planning, strategy, attack, fear of the unknown and ultimately defeat; I lost before the ingenuity was ever initiated. The impact on my professional life was debilitating. It wasn't until I stopped worrying about worst case scenario and started focusing on the qualities of servant leadership that I found a professional purpose and meaningful voyage. As I contemplate the value and lessons of my professional journey it has sparked a level of respect for quality leadership. Most particularly respect for those leaders who don't even know they are leaders. I know your mind immediately populates one or two who have impacted your ride.
The fire service is full of leaders. But what makes those servant leaders stand out and impart a following of disciples. And more importantly; are leaders born or can they be created?
I recently sat and watched a well-known "leader" in the fire service speak to a group of young and eager followers. They sat in awe soaking up his every word. I could see the star struck disciples shaking their heads with reverence, respect, and admiration. I listened closely as the "leader" shared his gospel. It was filled with examples of poor team dynamics, no clear purpose, power versus servant messaging. His audience sat gulping the forbidden fruit. My heart was sad as the future leaders walked away with nothingness to fine tune their own leadership qualities. How many more would consume the punch?
The day and night continue to unfold and interactions with dozens of friends from the fire service surround me. I begin to annotate the qualities of leadership I find that earn my respect. Below is the list I wrote on the evening of my awakening:
- There is a clear sense of mission and a total disregard for Chief versus Indian. These leaders are so humble they roll up their sleeves and battle daily with and for the Indians. These leaders don't take credit for their success publically. They give the credit to those in the trenches. They sit back at the end of a long day in the comfort of their own home, a nice stiff drink in hand and silently toast to their blessings in just being a part of the team.
- They are lifelong students. They have an all-in attitude and that includes soaking up knowledge at every turn. Their minds are sponges and they crave any opportunity to be more educated. In turn, they support education. They aren't fearful of an Indian being smarter than they are.... oh contra', they hope that they are! They surround themselves with team members who are smarter; for the mission is most important, not their own ego. Without trying, they cultivate a community of leaders.
- They are focused on the greater good! Every decision is artfully crafted to support the goals and objectives of the organization they serve. They aren't distracted by forbidden fruit or a robust ego!
So, the question remains, are we able to "teach" someone to be a leader or do we simply hope those who are born with the talents wander into our organization? Millennials make up over 50% of the workforce (those born after 1980). They are innovative, natural networkers, inclusive and action oriented. Perhaps they lack patience, but they crave knowledge. With opportunity and an investment in professional development, education, and egoless tutelage we can certainly cultivate leaders.
The fire service is challenged with an evolving adaption to community needs. We are experiencing new roles and serving as change agents in our leadership responsibilities. We are exploring methodologies that have not been conventional and looking outside our tool box for adaptive mechanisms to deal with a dynamic environment. It is because of these evolving changes that we must invest our time and energy into developing exceptional leaders.
As our current fire service leaders explore contributing to the success of the next generation, I encourage you to LISTEN MORE....AND TALK LESS. I encourage you to provide opportunity instead of seeking your own. And I hope you'll consider deferring the accolades to your Indians, celebrating your own success by paying it forward to creating the next generation of leaders in the fire service.