“I will never forget where I came from.” “I will be different!” “I am going to get out of the office and stay connected with the membership.” “No one will ever accuse me of being out of touch!”
We hear these statements from both well-intentioned new leaders and tenured leaders transitioning to new positions. Many of us have made these grand declarations only to then see the sentiments shift to statements like, “I wish I weren’t so busy so I could get out and connect more.”
While we can all be more intentional with our calendars, the interests competing for our time and energy can be overwhelming and often exceed our control. This does not mean, however, that connection within our teams is any less of a priority or that our excuses matter. Now more than ever, we need leaders who prioritize connection, as the act of being connected can instill a sense of confidence, trust and alignment with the mission among our members.
Disconnected chiefs abound
According to FireRescue1’s What Firefighters Want in 2024 survey results, only 17% of respondents strongly agreed that their fire chief stays connected to the line personnel, with another 22% generally agreeing. The largest percentage of respondents (26.75%) strongly disagreed that their chief stays connected, with an additional 19% generally disagreeing on this point. Another 14% were neutral on this question.
Some may argue that fire service leaders should remain focused on the hard skills, like budgets, political maneuvering or strategic decision-making. Hard skills are indeed a priority, but hard skill preparation and effectiveness, especially when operating in ambiguous environments without the aid of policy or prior experience, is directly influenced by the existing culture.
Broaden the view
We often misunderstand how connection is built and maintained. It is not just about the words being spoken or the frequency of handshakes. In “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups,” author Daniel Coyle argues that words are just words, even noise. Words alone are not communication. According to Coyle, group performance is contingent on behavior that communicates whether the group feels safe and connected. Connection does not require that everyone be friends or always in agreement. It doesn’t even require we know one another. It is, however, built on mutual respect, trust and shared interest.
In a time where human connection and interpersonal relationships are becoming more inauthentic, our fire service leaders must invest in our people and play the long game. Blind loyalty is a thing of the past. Our members want to be part of something bigger, and we need to give them an active role in the department before we lose them. New generations coming into the fire service are not impressed by our years of service alone. However, those years and experiences are too valuable not to share with them, and if done properly, will earn their respect and followership. Help them see the person behind those years of experience and how we value the mission and value them.
How to enhance connection and trust
Humans are social animals that require connection. Maslow may have been the first to articulate it in 1943 with his “Hierarchy of Needs,” but it has been in our biology from the beginning. Even the hardened chain of command-rooted fire service leader should still care about basic human nature and performance motivation. People at all levels in our organizations just want to feel valued and understood. With this in mind, use the following recommendations to enhance connection and build trust:
1. Be self-aware and check your ego
First things first, it is not all about us as leaders – we really aren’t that important. Ego can be a healthy motivater, but we have all seen what it can do when not tempered or when fueling a narcissist. New leaders often feel an obligation to deliver dissertations in memos or monopolize conversations to talk about themselves in a savior-like way. It’s like they forgot all the times they heard the “new sheriff in town” speech from others. We should take a moment to reflect on how our younger selves would have liked to hear the message we are about to deliver.
It is imperative to give clear direction and expectations, but show some humility in the process. Prioritize listening and understand that expectations work both ways. If new to the organization, shift, battalion, crew, etc., acknowledge the history and the people who have been there grinding and keeping it on the rails before you came along. Those we are leading may not always share our level of understanding or enthusiasm but are all equally important to the team’s success – and we need them all.
2. Be human
It’s not always what you say but how you say it. We should be prepared and anticipate challenges, push back, questions, etc. This displays confidence and puts others at ease. However, be human and be open to changing your mind. Humans want to follow other humans. Being comfortable and relatable builds connection. We can still be prepared without being rigid or scripted.
Be thoughtful with your words and anticipate how they will be received while also respecting your team enough to be direct when warranted. If a decision has already been made, we should not pretend as if the item is still up for debate and waste their time. Instead, listen to them and demonstrate understanding, but then get out in front and confidently deliver the decision with the reasons behind it. Leaders must make difficult decisions, and our teams understand this. People may not like the decision, but taking the time to look them in the eye and articulate the “why” shows respect.
3. Create shared purpose and demonstrate trust
Find opportunities to make people a part of the process. It is easy to blame leadership for all our issues when we are not given the information or allowed to participate. Give people some skin in the game and allow them to grow into an informal leadership role. Ask for their opinion and listen. Encourage involvement in internal and external committees, specialty teams, and stretch assignments. As a company officer, it can be as simple as encouraging and supporting a younger firefighter to teach a drill or attend a class. The impact of telling someone you see potential in them can be immense. We have talented people coming into our organizations who we will lose if we don’t allow them to demonstrate their value.
Many complain about the lack of formal leadership development programs within fire service organizations. We should be just as concerned about our practice of hoarding opportunities and an inability to leverage informal leadership opportunities. Working naturally alongside people with a shared purpose builds trust and understanding – it’s ultimately mentorship.
4. Close the loop
There may be no greater opportunity for success or failure in building trust and connection than follow-through with the promises we make. Whether it’s the company officer conducting a planned training evolution for their crew or the chief of department completing a promised long-term strategic initiative to get staffing relief, failure to execute destroys trust. Follow-through proves to others they are heard and supported.
With that said, none of us set out to under-deliver on our promises, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. When this happens, over-communicate with the group rather than going silent or deflecting. This is not a time to make excuses or be self-deprecating. It may cost some leadership capital, but it matters more to the members that you’re honest and serve as an advocate.
Bigger than we think
The What Firefighters Want in 2024 survey results also revealed that the majority of respondents believe that their chief exhibits competence in the position. As also noted in the survey, an alarming number of people within the fire service are considering leaving their current organization or the fire service completely, with many stating poor leadership (or components of leadership) as a reason why. What does this tell us? Members aren’t leaving because they feel their leadership is incompetent; they are leaving because they don’t feel valued, which is rooted in connection. As the saying goes, “most people quit bad bosses, not jobs.”
Without developing our human skills and appreciating the importance of connection with those at the tip of the spear, we will continue to feed the disconnect that has led to many of our modern-day fire service issues, like recruitment and retention, succession management and mission drift.
In, “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy),” Admiral William McRaven addresses the misunderstanding of morale. Morale goes beyond making people feel good; it’s all about making people feel valued.
He writes: “It is about the rank and file having the resources they need to do their job. It is about the troops believing that their leader is listening to their concerns.” In the fire service, we prepare people to operate in chaotic and hostile environments. Build connection by giving them the resources and support they need, and then trust them to go out and deliver.
