Empowerment is the process of enabling or authorizing an individual to think, behave, take action, control work and decision making in autonomous ways. It is the state of feeling self-empowered to take control of one’s own destiny. As a leader do you have an empowerment Attitude? The sum of every leader’s actions is the “environment” […]

As I reflect back over the years in my career there is one lesson I remember that resinates from my mentors, “If you put the organization first, then your wants and ambitions will soon follow. But it is always about the orgainization first, your suborindates second and you are last.” Well I have to often […]

For so long now I have struggled with the issue that I hear so often as I converse with firefighters and fire officers from across the nation. That concept or issue is a profound struggle between the leadership and the troops of organizations. As it is frequently described is that we are working profoundly against […]

We the Fire Service… We the Fire Service have a debt of gratitude. One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. I know that as a fire service member I have a large debt of gratitude to many people who have paved the way for me and others like […]

It has been said that we influence a number of people in our lifetime. Your circle of influence depends upon you as individuals and the area you may be in. It could depend upon the organization, rank structure, personal boldness or even other peoples’ willingness to be influenced. So with so many dimensions why is […]

Communication always seems to be a root topic when it comes to leadership.  Whether it is lack of communications, no communications, over communicating or having tough communications the situation exists that communications is a critical factor.  When you are mentoring an individual you periodically need to have very forward and frank conversations with the individual […]

History’s greatest achievements have been made by individuals who excelled only slightly over the masses of other individuals in their respective fields. I am reminded of this when you look at athletes. Most have significant levels of talent. The same is true for the fire service. Most of our personnel have strong predicated skills, abilities […]

History’s greatest achievements have been made by individuals who excelled only slightly over the masses of other individuals in their respective fields. I am reminded of this when you look at athletes. Most have significant levels of talent. The same is true for the fire service. Most of our personnel have strong predicated skills, abilities […]

  Across the world I bet if you sat around the table on the tailboard of an apparatus or at any conference you would hear some folks that are talking about how “Boogered up” their department is. So what do you do when your department is “Boogered up”? The important component is to look in […]