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November 10th and November 11th. What is their significance to the United States? November 10th, 1775 The United States Marine Corps was formed 249 years ago on November 10, 1775, at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original building no longer exists but a plaque marks the location where Tun Tavern once stood. Much has…
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“Regardless of the profession or situation, earning trust is paramount in leadership.”1 On September 4, 2024, the Denver Post published an article titled, Years of Misconduct, Inside CBI’s Inquiry into a DNA Analyst. The story is about Yvonne “Missy” Woods who was a DNA scientist for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Woods had gained a…
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Do you have a monstrous alligator lurking in the waters of your Fire Department? The organizational monster Halloween is this week and there are organizational monsters and alligators roaming through the fire departments of the world. We can also include other organizations such as business, non-profits, and various government entities (elected, appointed, and hired employees).…
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Although the words leadership and management are used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two, and understanding that difference has an impact on organizational morale. Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps said, “Leadership is the sum of those qualities of intellect, human understanding, and moral character that enables…
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Not too long ago I saw a comment on LinkedIn that said, “The worst thing a person can do is leave their career development to the mercy of the employer. I have seen it.” This made me think of the many ways an individual’s career development may be hindered by an organization, whether intentional or…
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The titles of my last two blogs were, Are You Goal Oriented or Growth Oriented. You may have a plan for development, but is it diluted and weak? The fuel spill Throughout my career as a firefighter, I responded to a wide variety of incidents, including fuel spills ranging from small puddles to gasoline flowing…
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Tomorrow is October 1st and the start of the final quarter of 2024. Are you reaping the harvest? I’m not referring to a harvest of pumpkins, corn, apples, or other fruits and vegetables. I am writing about the personal harvest. What have you done to personally grow and develop yourself over the last nine months?…
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Last week in Part I, we looked at the question, is there a difference between being goal oriented and growth oriented? In that blog post I described two types of people: the Certificate Collector and the Balanced Firefighter. Part I also described the bricks and the mortar. The bricks are certifications, but what is the…
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Is there a difference between being goal oriented and growth oriented? I believe there is and I believe there is an answer to this question without throwing out one or the other. The goal-oriented person All of us need to have goals in life: personal and professional. However, there are people who are so goal…
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The photo shows a fire department ladder truck at the scene of a small fire. Notice the size of the two hoses. The larger yellow hose is 5” diameter and supplies the pump with water from the fire hydrant. The small green attack hose is 1¾” diameter and the water flowing through this hose extinguishes…
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