1. Fire Service Leadership: A View for the Practicing Professional
Harry R. Carter, Ph.D., CFO, MIFireE
Municipal Fire Protection Consultant

2. My Role In This Course
Speak of what a leader is, what they should do, and how they should act
Share some reasons with you as to why we need leaders in our organizations
Discuss some basic leadership styles and theories with you

3. My Role In This Course Share some modern leadership principles
Share some thoughts with you on the care and maintenance of your personal moral compass
Offer some suggestions on how to be a better leader

4. My Role In This Course
To discuss the concept of leadership in the fire service
Help you to become a better fire service leader
Help you train others to be better leaders

5. What Is Leadership?
The ability to get something done by someone else, because they want to do it.
Favreau

6. Why Do We Need Leaders?
Chaos usually exists in the absence of guidance or direction
Someone has to be in charge
Someone has to be responsible for accomplishing the mission

7. Why Do We Need Leaders?
There is a need for coordination within and among organizational elements
Left to their own devices people might not do anything

8. Let’s Take a Moment to Think About Leadership
Think about the best leader you ever worked for…
Why did you like them?
Why did you want to work for them?

9. Let’s Take a Moment to Think About Leadership
Think about the worst leader you ever worked for…
Why did you dislike them?
Why did you want to avoid having to work for them?

10. Leadership Types
Charismatic
Situational ®
Contingency

11. Leadership Types
Citizen
Servant
Transformational
Transactional

12. Charismatic Leadership
Strength of leader
Leader supports group
Leader enables group
Examples: Jesus, Ghandi, Hitler, Jim Jones

13. Charismatic Leadership
Has a Vision
Energizes group
Enables group success

14. Situational Leadership ®
Leaders must understand what followers are willing to do
Followers must be able to do what leader expects of them
Leaders must keep troops informed at all times
Hersey and Blanchard

15. Contingency Leadership
Leader-member relationship
Task structure of the organization
Leader’s position power

16. Contingency Leadership
Leader empowers team to achieve necessary tasks for mission completion
Finding the proper fit between your problems and possible solutions

17. Citizen Leadership
Leaders evolve from within the system to assume leadership roles
Leader accepts role reluctantly
Elected/selected to exercise wisdom and restraint in their actions

18. Servant Leadership “The Golden Rule”
Enthusiastic
Vulnerable
Accepting of others
Present for others
Useful to others
James Autry

19. Transformational Leadership
Leaders work to assess interests of people in the organization
Needs and goals of the organization must meet needs and goals of the members of the organization

20. Transformational Leadership
Leaders work to bind together the interests of both leaders and followers in the organization
Needs and goals of the organization will be reached through the combined strength and efforts of all in the organization

21. Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders are constantly working to craft the tasks to the troops
These leaders provide employee-centered support for their people

22. Transactional Leadership
A series of transactions between leader and followers in group
Employees who do well are praised and rewarded by leader who knows what they want
Those who do not are punished

23. Transactional Leadership
Leader relies upon organizational power
These leaders give orders
Leader matches task to the troops
Employees do the work
Employees to not create the manner in which the work is done

24. The Rabble Hypothesis
People are basically animalistic in their hunt for the fruits of civilization.
There is a need for leaders to keep people in line, to allow them to work toward common goals.

25. Theory X and Theory Y
Theory X – You must constantly watch over people to be sure they are not avoiding work.
Theory Y – People want to work, but it is the guidance of a caring, concerned leader that allows them to work more efficiently.
MacGregor

26. Leadership Styles
Autocratic
Laissez-faire
Paternalistic
Democratic

27. Autocratic I am the boss! You are not the boss!
You will do what I tell you, when I tell you!

28. Laissez-faire You can do what you want to do
You can do it when you want to do it
I am really one of the gang
I know you will do a good job, so have at it

29. Paternalistic I am your parent I know what’s best for you
Trust me and I will take care of you

30. Democratic Maximum group participation Maximum delegation of authority
People will think more and better if you encourage them to
You gain their respect through your trust of their efforts

31. The New Leader One day you are one of the gang
The next day you are the leader
We are not training our people for the leadership roles the are assuming in our fire departments

32. Where Might You Look For Help?
Local library
Fire academies
Community college
Read on your own
Departmental mentoring program

33. Leadership Principles
Be technically proficient
Know yourself
Seek self improvement

34. Leadership Principles
Know your people
Always look out for their welfare
Keep your folks informed

35. Leadership Principles
Set the example
Be sure to explain each task
Be sure that people understand what you have said

36. Leadership Principles
Provide just enough supervision
Do not smother your people
Do not let them run amuck
Support and guide the troops

37. Leadership Principles
Train as a team
Support the individual
Nurture the group
Come to know them as individual human beings

38. Leadership Principles
Make sound decisions
Make decisions at the proper time
Cultivate responsibility among your people

39. Leadership Principles
Know the capabilities of your individual team members
Operate within those levels of competency
Seek responsibility and take command

40. Leadership Traits High level of self-confidence
A passion for what they do
They are effective public speakers

41. Leadership Traits Effective writers Good listeners
Wide range of knowledge
They have a vision
They actively share that vision

42. Your Personal Leadership Compass
Integrity
Courage
Honesty
Pride

43. Your Personal Leadership Compass
Faith
Determination
Forcefulness
Good Judgement

44. Your Personal Leadership Compass
Tact
Decisiveness
Persistence
Initiative

45. Your Personal Leadership Compass
High principles
Take responsibility
Good personal bearing

46. Your Personal Leadership Compass
Loyalty
Dependable
Reliable

47. Your Personal Leadership Compass
Unselfish
Self-disciplined
Thirst for knowledge
Servant of the troops

48. Special Skills of a Leader
Forward thinker
Good innovator
A constant flow of ideas

49. “No army can withstand the strength of an idea whose time has come.”
Victor Hugo

50. “The time has come to make leadership a true priority in the fire service.”
Harry Carter