Leadership

The past few days or maybe the last couple of weeks have found me doing some stuff that leaders supposedly don't do.  Yet I find that the really good leaders both in the fire service and outside it are in fact the ones who do these things.  I just go back from the funeral home for a visitation for the mother of one of our firefighters.  Her daughter has been a member of our department for almost three years, and if I do say so myself, our hiring her was won of the smarter things we have done.  Anyway, I would not have know her if she had not joined our department, but because I do now know her, and since I represent the department in so many ways, I felt that both as a friend and also as the chief I needed to take the time and go. Know that at least two other members of the department will stop by, but no sure of the rest.  I think that this is a part of leadership that isn't seen by most people when they think of leaders.  This morning in church, the pastor talked about leadership, in regards to the church.  I looked over his outline last night and we had talked in board meeting about it in regards to a direction that some of us feel the church should talk. So it did not come as any sort of a surprise to me.  But he shared that leaders have a responsibility to do what is best for those who follow.  In the fire service so often I have seen people who strive for leadership, with the sole intent to do things the way THEY want, and not necessarily what is best for the department as a whole.  I had this discussion some time back with a couple of my officers in regard to radio talk groups.  While they wanted one thing, and what they wanted was a good thing, I know that for the most part, it would be beyond the grasp of the many body of firefighters.  I would have  loved to do what they wanted, but reason told me to do what was best for the department as a whole, not what I would have like to see.  Leadership is also I think a position of servant hood.  For some time now, our station has needed a good cleaning.  I have asked my deputy to come up with some kind of a cleaning schedule that involves everyone.  I think I asked him about 18 months ago, and still nothing.  I just let it go, figuring he would get it done, but this weekend finally realized that to him it wasn't a problem.  He had no plans to take care of it, and I think he was hoping, in fact he almost said as much that we needed a fire call, so that Carol, one of our more faithful, caring, and not one to have idol hands, got to the station, and went on standby, so that she would clean the place.  Anyway that hasn't happened, so this weekend, I hired out of my own money, and for other reasons as well, a young lady from our church, who needed the money, and also needed someone to show they cared to clean the station.  She worked two hours on Saturday, never took a break, and got done what I thought would take three hours in two. Already had a couple comments later that day that the station looked a lot better and cleaner.  It was worth the money, in more ways than one.  But still need to remind the deputy that a schedule is needed.  Though I have thought of hiring her for a once a month visit to keep the place looking good.  I think too often some chiefs think it is all about them, when I really should be all about everyone else but you.  I think part of this stems from the fact that we as leaders need to see the biggest possible picture and to see how all of the parts come together.  In the department, and to some degree at church I see that and have that responsibility, in my everyday job, no so much.  But that said, I do try and follow and trust the leadership that is over me.  To me, the key word is trust.   Later this week I have a fire district board meeting and will have the hearing for our suspended firefighter.  Not sure how that will go, but need to get the packets of information to the board members tomorrow so they will have it to look over.  Not looking forward to that at all.  Think I will take my wife out for a flurry tonight.  Besides, I feel the need of a chocolate malt.