Silly Distinctions
About 15 years ago, what I call the "human factor movement" began in the wildland fire service. Since then, firefighters have changed in wondrous ways. I still marvel when I hear young firefighters talk about their influence, recognition-primed decision-making or unit cohesion. The pace of change truly has accelerated over the last eight years, as the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program has grown and matured.
| Related Articles | ||
|
I can remember providing supervision and leadership training to fire folk back in the day. Pretty basic supervision concepts were news, and the subject of leadership was cutting edge for most people there. Today, average firefighters understand high-end, human factors concepts. Many have become true students of leadership and the sciences that help us better understand the people who fight fire — the people they aspire to either lead or follow. Even better, there's plenty of evidence that they are practicing what they have learned. For example, my recent evaluation of the L-380 Fireline Leadership course found that it is succeeding — both participants and their supervisors see desired leadership behavior and performance showing up in the workplace.
This turn of events is different from when I was a hotshot back in the Bronze Age. Back then, you could have asked what the leader's intent was, but on many crews, once the boss stopped laughing, screaming or hitting you, the answer would have been, "My intent is for you to put your head down and dig!" Today, if people aren't feeling some sense of their leader's intent, the superintendent is going to have to deal with some unhappy boys and girls. Back then, this was a typical after-action review: "Be watered and lunched and lined out for breakfast by 0600. Oh, and take a shower; I can smell you from here." Today, as a common practice, the AAR provides considerable organizational learning throughout the wildland fire service. For years, we trained people beyond the peak of the stress curve, not realizing that we were keeping them from learning. But now it is pretty clear that, when it comes to the human factor, the average firefighter is far more sophisticated than before.
Despite this fantastic progress, I've noticed a troubling trend. Let's call it the Balkanization of human factors approaches — people creating separation between useful tools that should peacefully coexist, even complement and enhance one another. Don't get me wrong. I know everyone means well, but people get so passionate about their favorite solution that they sometimes promote that solution to the detriment of other useful tools, even when it doesn't make sense.
For example, I've been told, "We won't drink the HRO Kool-Aid" because:
"We're into the risk management and human error work of James Reason."
"I'm into disaster theory or normal accident theory."
"We're focused on creating a just culture."
"I attended the L-380 training."
Although these are just examples, I actually have heard people make these arguments and others in different combinations. I've always responded the same way: "Huh?" These arguments are like saying, "I don't eat pizza because I like beer" or "I don't have a hammer because I use screwdrivers." I want the whole meal, and I want to have all the tools in my toolbox. More importantly, none of these concepts excludes the other; in fact, they often complement one another and contribute to a comprehensive leadership philosophy.
We all want to find tools to help firefighters. We want to get those tools into people's heads and hands, as well as into widespread use. However, sometimes our desire to make a difference — as well as our passion for the approaches we think will work — gets the best of us.
When that happens, we make silly distinctions and sometimes lose sight of two important facts. First, we're all on the same team. We all want the same result, and people with different ideas are not the enemy. Second, the broad range of human factors and leadership concepts to which firefighters have been exposed share huge patches of common ground with human and organizational behavior. If we take the time to look, we will find that they often fit together in powerful ways. We need to see where they connect, where they complement each other, how we can use them together, and most importantly, how they combine into a well-rounded philosophy of human factors and leadership. My thoughts? Let's put all the tools in our toolbox.
Mike DeGrosky is chief executive officer of the Guidance Group, a consulting organization specializing in the human and organizational aspects of the fire service. He also serves as an adjunct instructor in leadership studies at Fort Hays State University. His interests include leadership, strategy, and bringing the concepts of learning organizations and high-reliability organizing alive in fire organizations. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. focused on organizational leadership. He can be reached at info@guidancegroup.org.
Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus
