Although I am not an officer, I have introduced and promoted a number of policies and procedures in our department. This unofficial authority developed because I learned my department’s decision making process, inserted myself into it as opportunities permitted, and worked hard to contribute to the success of those endeavors, whether the specific goals were lofty or mundane. The key to developing, practicing, and improving leadership abilities is seeking out such opportunities, and making the best of them.
Firefighters, and even junior officers, often feel powerless to initiate change, especially after a failed attempt. I have been a member of fire and emergency service organizations where the chief (or commissioner, board, president) had “ultimate” authority to make or change rules or policy, and strictly exercised that prerogative. Yet even in those jurisdictions, ample opportunities abounded to introduce, promote, and institute a new idea, process, or policy.
Changing your department for the better is often easier from the bottom, regardless of whether the chain of command is also the decision tree. Appointed leaders are under a great deal of scrutiny–lower ranking officers from members both below and above them in the chain of command, and senior officers from both inside and outside the organization. They might therefore be hesitant to impose new processes or policies unless outside circumstances force them to do so–a new regulatory mandate, for instance, or an incident that highlights a shortfall in current procedures. Just maintaining the status quo is difficult enough for some officers.
As a member of the rank and file, you, on the other hand, are often free to putter around with different ideas and processes, largely because you are often ignored as you do so. As long as you don’t obviously rock the boat (be careful not to damage anything or anger anybody), you can usually go on experimenting, discussing, and “what-if”-ing to your heart’s content (or at least to the limit of your fellow crew members’ patience). Only when you come up with a specific proposal for the department leadership to consider will you truly need to be ready to respond to the difficult questions and criticisms. By then, you will have worked out a lot of the bugs in your street level trials.
When contemplating involvement as a change agent or leader, it is crucial to first understand the individual organization’s culture. Those who embrace change (in fact, rather than merely in words) will have many ongoing projects designed for finding, testing, and implementing improvements. These include standing research and development committees or divisions, or merely teams put together to attack a specific problem. My current department operates in this way; joining the change process merely required me to volunteer for one or another such groups.
More rigid organizations often lack such a mechanism for promoting change. In fact, the culture could be such that any suggestion of change is treated as grounds for dismissal, at least as far as the initial reaction of management goes. Even in these places, though, there are ways to start the change infection. Knowinghowto suggest a modification of current practices can improve the odds of a favorable result.
首先,指出所有的器官nization could be doing better it is usually frowned upon. Instead, successful change is more likely if you choose a problem that has already been identified–ideally, one that even the chief complains about. Suggest an alternative approach, preferably one that has been successfully implemented in a similar organization or community elsewhere. The source of these inspirations might be your own experience, fire journal articles, or research using textbooks, the Internet, or discussions with members of other fire departments. Finding a potential solution that might apply to your department’s situation is the goal.
Finally, spend some time creating buy-in on any proposed solution from other department members. This cooperation can be fostered by sharing fire journal articles or other material on the subject; engaging crew members in trying different procedures, even in a timed format (contest!); and actively seeking, and incorporating, input (some of the best ideas come from the most unlikely sources).
火、档次e trade shows and conferences provide opportunities to see and hear about a wide variety of innovations. The exhibits and classes offered can lead to both self-improvement and a broader view of the fire service. Going with a group of your fellow department members often allows critical mass of attitude change to begin, which can then be transferred to the department at large. The excitement such experiences incite is important to keep alive after attendees return home, and scheduling presentations of the top five or 10 new ideas discovered can be a great way to do so.
When all is said and done, the real way to become a great leader is to be a great follower: go to meetings; volunteer to serve on committees; contribute; be faithful to the plan ultimately agreed upon by the majority (even if you argued for a different approach); then, start the process over again.
Mark Cotter joined the fire service more than 30 years ago, and is currently a volunteer firefighter/EMT-B with the Salisbury (MD) Fire Department. Previously, he served with departments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as an EMT-paramedic, emergency services consultant, and fire chief. You can reach him atfromthejumpseat@comcast.net.
