Hired guns, ax men, snipers, and sharp-shooters. We’ve all heard the names they’ve been called, those people hired from outside the organization, usually for management positions. In fire departments, it is a particularly volatile subject. The grapevine rumor that goes around, almost without exception, is that the outsider has been hired to “lay down the law.” Is there any truth to this type of fire station hype? And whether or not there is, can you successfully hire someone from outside the organization as a battalion chief or shift chief?
In the fire service, the practice of hiring from outside the organization is still relatively new. It has been commonplace for the positions of chief or assistant/deputy chief. For the position of battalion chief or shift chief, however, it is still considered a radical management decision, because this person must walk the fine line between management and shift personnel of which, in truth, he is still an integral part. When the rest of the administration goes home at 5 p.m., the chief of the shift has to stay and be able to communicate and function with his crew.
THE SHIFT CHIEF’S FUNCTIONS
The shift chief, typically, has the inherent task of deciding what action to take with an employee in a professional or personal matter. In other words, he has to decide where the buck stops. More often than not, if the shift chief is worth his salt, the buck should stop at his office. After all, he is the one who gives the nod to the fire chief for his employees’ promotions or the thumbs up/down for disciplinary actions. He is also the one who has to decide what to do when the employee confronts him with a personal crisis in the middle of the night, say a sick baby at home, an accident with the rescue truck, or some other can’t-wait crisis. The shift chief makes the decisions on who will or won’t go into fires or other hazardous atmospheres; staffing; and who steps up into higher positions (acting out of title) when the driver, lieutenant, or captain is out for a day. He is responsible for these and numerous other operational decisions.
He should also act as a mentor or an advisor to his personnel for educational or professional matters and, more often than not, personal matters as well. Can a person hired from outside an organization, especially in a fraternity such as the fire service, really expect to come in, forge the relationships he must forge to have a handle on his shift, and get on with the tasks at hand? My own experience says yes, it can be done. But it depends as much on the individual as any other element. It also depends on the groundwork upper-level management has laid prior to filling these positions.
Let me say this: It is a tough row to hoe. To come into an organization from another organization is one of the most difficult challenges a fire officer can accept. Typically, you take an upper-level chief’s job after spending the bulk of your career with a singular organization. You’ve done your time; perhaps you’re retiring or looking for new challenges. If it does not work out, you put in a couple of years, pad the bank account or pension with a few extra bucks, and move on.
But if you’re going to take over or establish the position of shift chief, you are probably in mid-career and cannot afford for it not to work out. And, again, because hiring a shift chief from outside is such a relatively new concept, there are very few resources one may look to for guidance. Therefore, in an attempt to help others wade through this rather challenging transition, I have listed some suggestions and cautions that may help the person considering or already in the position and the organization’s management team who may be considering placing an outsider in the position of shift commander.
- Have justification. First, ask yourself why you want to do this. Perhaps you have a new department you have to fill from top to bottom. If that is the case, of course you have to hire from outside; there’s no one to promote. But if you have an established department and decide to hire from outside, you should have some solid reasons. In my case, the department was adding an EMS division with full transport capabilities and all related services. Management was looking for persons with established service records from organizations that offered more varied services.
IF YOU ARE A CHIEF CONSIDERING HIRING SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE
The chief also has to decide whether he will allow inside officers to compete for the position as well. Again, if you decide to open it up to inside as well as outside people, you must have a good reason for looking outside in the first place. Do you not have enough qualified personnel to sit for the testing of the position? If there are not enough qualified people in your organization, you need to ask yourself why. Did they not know the position was going to be opening? Did they know but fail to prepare themselves? Did you allow them time to try to prepare for the position? Has the position been through several evolutions already and failed, or did it not meet your goals? Finally, whether or not you allow inside people to compete for the position, you will be met with great resentment and resistance. You should know that ahead of time and prepare yourself for it. Most of the inside people will harbor the feeling that they have been betrayed by their chief and are being infiltrated from the outside. Once you have made the decision to hire from outside, you must be unwavering in your conviction and must lay some solid groundwork before these people come in.
- Lay the groundwork. This type of decision is not made over-night. It usually takes at least a year or two to get the funding and commission approval (at which time you may also be doing the justification mentioned above). During this time you should be keeping your inside people informed. Tell them that the position will become available and that if they intend to compete for it they must prepare themselves through education or committee work, practice assessment centers, or whatever requirements will be placed on the position. If they are still not ready when the position becomes available, they will have no one to blame but themselves. Laying the groundwork also works hand in hand with justifying going outside in the first place. If you are, say, adding an EMS division and you want people who have an emergency medical background, you need to let the insiders know that. That way, they can obtain their paramedic licensing or whatever requirement you’ve placed on the position. If they do not make the attempt, again, they can’t blame the chief.
- Be firm with your convictions. If you do go outside for these positions, you need to tell your insiders that this is your decision, and you must stick by it. You must convince them that the reason you made this decision is that you are looking for the best people to fill the positions and, now that these professionals have been brought in, they must learn to work with them. Let them know that discipline for not working with these people will be quick and severe.
Explain also that these people may not have “grown up” with your organization but they have experienced hard knocks at other organizations, no less and no more than your own. They should be established professionals who obtained the position through hard work and perseverance. They are coming in to do a job for the municipality/county for which you work. They are not “head-hunting ax men” or “hired guns.” (Above all, you must alleviate this fear so your personnel aren’t constantly paranoid about losing their own jobs.) These people have shown a dedication to the fire service, or they would not have gotten as far as they have.
As chief, you must back up your decision and the people you’ve brought in, or it will never work. Believe me, the people you bring in from outside will be looking to you for direction and support; no one else will be even talking to them for awhile. They will be resented for taking promotions away from inside personnel. They will be questioned and challenged on every move they make. Look for extra grievances on every little item. If the new outsider tries to increase training, disapprove leaves, limit sick time, or make any number of hard-line decisions, he will be hit with “past policy” grievances, almost daily. As chief, it is incumbent on you to back up your new shift chief’s decisions. You brought him in for a reason. Now, you must stick by your decision.
- Try to make it a positive experience. If you are bringing in outside managers, make sure you find the best people you can. Look for well-rounded individuals who have made a significant contribution to the fire service. Now, there aren’t that many Brunacinis, Brennans, or Brannigans out there, but there are numerous individuals who have made some difference within their organizations, and a good resume should reflect that. If someone has been in this field for, say, 10 to 15 years, they should have met some educational goals and have had a variety of experiences dealing with the many issues we face in the fire service today-i.e., diversity, harassment, drug usage, haz-mat or mass-casualty incidents, EMS and fire command mitigation, labor-management negotiations, technical rescue knowledge or experience, administrative matters, publishing, teaching or public speaking, personnel and citizen counseling, and future planning. These people are going to have to lead your organization into the future, so make sure you choose them carefully, not only for your own good but for that of your personnel as well. Believe me, the experience or lack of experience in some of the abovementioned categories will show. If the personnel who work for these new managers don’t respect them, they will not grant them the authority they need to do their job.
- Give them what they need. In many organizations, management team members are the last to benefit from any cost-of-living raises and the first to lose their long-range incentives, such as longevity or educational incentives. Give them a salary commensurate, percentagewise, with yours. Make their earnings a brass ring that other personnel will continue to reach for. If they are getting paid less than your line officers, due to longevity, overtime, or other pay incentives, then they will not be respected by the personnel who serve under them. They will look like egotistical fools who sacrificed better living conditions for themselves and their families just to get a title. Keep in mind that these people left jobs, probably somewhere in mid-career. They have taken a big chance on your organization, so you must make that gamble worthwhile for them. If you don’t, in addition to making the position look “title-only,” you may lose these people to other, better paying organizations.
If these outsiders leave before they’ve accomplished the goals you brought them in to achieve, you, the chief who brought them in, would look very foolish. Additionally, if they do leave, who is going to pick up where they left off? Your line officers may not want the job once they’ve been passed over for the position. And again, some of the insiders may not want the position if they find that by going into management, they lose their incentive pay. If the people you brought in from the outside fail, word will get back to the city managers or commission for whom you work, and you will lose a lot of credibility.
Give your new shift chiefs all of your administrative and operational policies. Make sure they have the most current standard operating guidelines (SOGs), protocols, personnel manuals, and a copy of the bargaining unit’s contract. Without these items, your new shift chief cannot make valid decisions. Go over the department’s short- and long-term goals, and make sure they are understood. You want to go forward with a team concept, and no team can make progress if it doesn’t know the game plan.
- Be strong, personally and professionally. A great number of famous leaders will spout, “You never get anywhere without taking chances or accepting challenges.” This is well and good on paper or for those who’ve already made their mark and are looking back, but they’ve never had to last out a 24-hour shift with a bunch of fire rescue personnel who don’t want you, the outsider, in their happy home. The first thing you will find on entering a new organization is an extreme amount of animosity. Some will feel that you’ve taken away not only their position but also their future. The rest of the shift will try to show solidarity to these individuals, even if they find that they like you. There is a great amount of peer pressure within the fire service to be brothers to each other. However, this camaraderie applies only to the members of the organization. You will always be an outsider, even if you last 20 years in the organization. There will always be one member on your shift who harbors resentment for your coming in, even if he was not affected by your taking the position.
IF YOU ARE AN OUTSIDER CONSIDERING COMING INTO AN ORGANIZATION
You must learn to overcome this animosity. It will not be easy. But you can do it if you stick by your convictions. You must show confidence and establish a command presence. You may not make all the right decisions all the time, but you had better be in the ballpark and able to justify your decisions. The only way you can be successful is by knowing your job. If you don’t, it will show, and the sharks will be on you in a minute, as they should be. I know of few other jobs that carry the responsibility of a command or shift officer.
A good idea is to keep a copy of the bargaining unit contract, all operational/administrative policies, SOGs, and medical protocols right next to your desk. Keep up with periodicals and trade journals. If you know your job or where to find answers, it will show, and your people will begin to come around. They will want to learn from you and, if you’re smart, you will begin to mentor these people.
Try to maintain a professional distance, separating your management responsibilities from your desire to make new friends-but not to the extent that your personnel begin to think of you as an aloof robot without compassion or empathy. They need to know you’ve been where they are and know what problems they face out there in the streets each day. Furthermore, if you have an opportunity to share your knowledge or experience as a mentor, do so. Often, the only way to do that is by opening up a little.
You must be personally strong. Your family may be supportive when you’re not on shift, but believe me when I say a 24-hour shift can seem an incredibly long period of time when there is discord among your coworkers. In addition to that, you may not have your former support group. The people you used to work with may resent you for leaving. It sounds petty, but in the fire service, again, there is a familial working relationship. When you leave to go to another fire department, your former “family” may feel that you left them “just for a title,” and you may find yourself very isolated. That may not be important to some individuals, but most people want to belong to a group. You will begin to belong to your new department sooner or later; in the meantime, the old adage “It’s lonely at the top” has never been more accurate.
- Be fair and consistent. You will undoubtedly find people among your personnel whom you like and dislike. That is the nature of people. However, as a shift chief, you no longer have the luxury of expressing this. You have to be as fair in your treatment of your “bad boys” as you do your “shining stars.” Likewise, when one of your bad boys pushes the limits and you have to come down on him, you’d better do the same to your shining star if he pushes the limits as well. If you don’t, it will show, and you will be labeled as “playing favorites.” This could get you into some hot water, so it’s best to be consistent across the board. If there are educational opportunities, make sure all members are aware of them, and try to ensure they are made available to everyone (as budgets allow). Give equal step-up time to all eligible personnel. Remember, you are from the outside, and people are looking for you to make a mistake. Playing favorites is a mistake. It will catch up with you sooner or later. That being said, keep in mind that no matter how fair and consistent you are, there will always be people in the group who will perceive you as playing favorites, usually right after you solve a personnel dispute that does not go their way. Such are life and people. None of us perceive ourselves as villains, but sometimes others do. Don’t hold grudges.
- Be aware this is a different department. You are now at a different department. There will be some things that might need to be changed, but there will also be many things that you cannot and maybe should not change. Everything was not perfect at your former department, and it will not be here either. Don’t try to make your new department exactly like your former one. If you do, you may help build in problems that existed in your former department. Try to take what was good about your former department and blend it with what is good in your new department. Hopefully, you’ll be able to create an operational environment that takes the best of both worlds and will benefit all.
- Give of yourself, but be cautious. As I’ve stated previously, you have a responsibility to your position, and you cannot compromise this by becoming too close to your personnel. Sometimes people take advantage of that closeness. People have a natural tendency to exploit things you think you’ve told them in confidence. You cannot afford to let this happen if you’re a manager from the outside. Remember, as management, you do not have the luxury of a union body to fight for your job. If you compromise your position, you are only a phone call away from the unemployment line. Be careful of what you say, as it may be perceived as something else. It is easy to become relaxed around fire rescue personnel, but always be cautious of any terms that may come back to haunt you. Be aware of all harassment policies. Be cautious of jokes that are of a sexual or ethnic nature. Establish a zero tolerance policy for jokes or other conversations in the department that might be construed as sexual or racial in nature.
On the other hand, you need to take a few hours of each shift to spend “off the record” time with your crew. You will undoubtedly be busier than you ever imagined, but you have to spend time with the people who are actually out there doing the job. You have to develop a connection, which may take up several hours of your day. If you set yourself up in the unapproachable ivory tower and your position is ever challenged, it would be easier to oust the person who has not at least tried to establish a relationship with his personnel. Listen to individuals who approach you just to talk. Often, it is an attempt to begin a more personal relationship, or the individual may have a problem that only you can help remedy. Try not to give too much personal advice. Often, people are just looking for someone to listen to them. You, as an unbiased entity, are being given that opportunity. Never pass along a confidence an individual has shared with you. There is no quicker way to destroy credibility than to betray a confidence. If you follow this advice, you will find yourself sooner or later eating with the shift members, running a good ship, having a few laughs, and generally feeling more at home.
A PERSONAL NOTE
If you are considering making such a move, think long and hard about it. There is a great deal of satisfaction in obtaining the higher-ranking position, and it is very gratifying to be in a place where your input can make a difference, where you can help make the policies that will enable a department to run more efficiently. You will be fulfilling your professional goals, and isn’t that what we all hope to accomplish?
However, if you are considering this type of move, be cautious. Look at all the pension and benefits options. You are making this move for your family as well as yourself. There are other personal consequences as well, such as the loss of your fire department support group. No one can put a price on that. As an example, my son was born right after I came to my new organization. Watching him grow is a joyous experience I would like to have shared with my former work colleagues, but now, except for the occasional phone call, I don’t get the opportunity most people have to share those personal experiences during my working hours. A move like this is not for the faint of heart or the social butterfly. As I said previously, the workload is tremendous, and the benefits are likely less than those enjoyed while in a labor position. That is the conundrum of a management position. But, the opportunities for challenges are fulfilling. For example, it would have been years, if ever, before I would have gotten into the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program at my former department. I have learned an incredible amount of information that I would not have had access to in my former position. Finally, I have had opportunities to meet and befriend a whole new group of people, some of whom have impacted my life tremendously already. It has been a unique learning experience and has allowed me to grow professionally and personally in a way that would not have been possible simply by attending classes.
PATRICK KENDRICK is a battalion chief with Tamarac (FL) Fire Rescue. He previously served for 14 years at the West Palm Beach (FL) Fire Department. He is enrolled in the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and has been published on fire service-related and other topics in fire service publications and the general press.
