via O2X
I started in the fire service in 2001, months before 9/11. At the time, I was volunteering and wasn’t sure this was the path I wanted to proceed on. The one thing that helped guide that decision to continue being a firefighter was the leadership that I was exposed to. The fire chief at the time was big on structure and allowing individuals to be the best they could be in the position they were in. I eventually went on to become a career firefighter. Seven years later, and there I was, faced again with another great leader to learn from. Now some people may ask: What constitutes greatness? In my view, it’s those who allow individuals to be who they are in their roles (sounds familiar). Once my captain trusted you, he trusted you. There was never a doubt in his mind—if you said you cleared a room, the room was cleared. He never doubted that if I did a 360. I always told myself that when I got into a leadership position, my method of leading would be to give others the tools they need to proficiently do their jobs.
Empowerment is a trait I believe all leaders should have. The firefighter must buy into the idea that he or she is a part of a team, and that should be displayed through team-building exercises and other types of improvement training. What does it look like when the leader empowers the individuals within the fire service? It involves promoting the idea of seeking training outside of their agency empowers firefighters to take advantage of exposing themselves to a variety of training methods that may not be taught at their respective agencies. In such instances, they surround themselves with like-minded people who may yet have different perspectives on the craft. In the process, team-building skills are acquired while learning different types of training. This type of empowerment builds a cohesive unit among the rest of the team once the firefighter has returned, as members can then share what they learned from the training they received outside of their agency.
Another method of building a cohesive team without the leader implementing it pertains to relationships outside of a work environment. When crews work out together “off” duty, this builds the type of cohesion that is needed within the firehouse. This base of trust then transitions to the fireground, which is the natural effect of indirectly allowing the firefighters to build bonds, and such bonds can then strengthen your leadership overall.
Gaining trust in any relationship is difficult, and that’s no different in the fire service. However, trust in the fire service is more serious than other careers. We could spend page after page explaining how to obtain trust, but, in short, I have found that when it is time to decide, you need to be firm with the decision and never give the idea that you are unsure. There is nothing more detrimental than having the people you lead feel not confident or comfortable when it comes to you as a leader and your decision-making process. Mistakes will be made, but the only way to gain their trust is to make that decision.
Another method that works when it comes to cultivating trust among your firefighters is to be able to physically perform a task that you ask them to do, especially in the training environment. I witnessed a lieutenant in the training division look on YouTube to figure out how to tie a halyard on the extension ladder while the recruits were watching it, as well. Trust was truly lost and broken that day. When in the training environment, it is paramount that the information you convey as a leader is accurate, but to validate that trust you must be able to demonstrate the very thing that you’re speaking on. This builds trust with your physical capabilities as a leader, and there is no better way than to lead by example.
In my book, leaders should truly go above and beyond to demonstrate, cultivate, teach, and mentor their firefighters to be better at their craft. Indeed, you should want the firefighter to be better than you are. Hats off to all my leaders out there, because as the saying goes: Leaders lead!
Alima Mims is an O2X instructor with 23 years in the fire service. Alima is currently the fire chief for the City of Swainsboro, Georgia. He is an adjunct instructor with the Georgia Fire Academy teaching interior search and rescue and structural fire control. He is also a FEMA NIMS Instructor and a certified Smoke Diver in three states.
O2X Human Performance provides comprehensive, science-backed programs to hundreds of public safety departments, federal agencies, and the military. O2X works with clients to elevate culture, improve mental and physical wellbeing, support healthy lifestyles, and reduce healthcare costs associated with injuries and illnesses. Driven by results and cutting-edge research, O2X programs are designed and delivered by a team of Special Operations veterans, high-level athletes, and hundreds of leading experts in their respective fields of human performance.
