Teamwork

I took the above photo during a half-day fishing trip that departed from Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. The sun was rising, the fishing poles were ready, and the lines were not tangled up. In less than a month, 2025 will be the rising new year. What will the next twelve months look like for each…

The product label reads, Liquid Leadership: Guaranteed to Fix All Your Leadership Needs! Do you desire more responsibility on the job or a promotion to the next level in your organization? But you are not sure that your leadership skills measure up and you do not know how to fix the problem. Well…I have the…

The Marine Corps leadership traits define endurance as, “The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship.”1 Think about the following scenarios: These scenarios and others demand both mental and physical stamina to successfully perform the various tasks that confront firefighters. Leaders set the example of endurance. Are…

In the photo above, firefighters are walking through smoke. The smoke is acrid, it stings the eyes and makes them water. Prolonged exposure may produce a headache from the carbon monoxide contained in the smoke. Visibility becomes difficult and more so when the smoke becomes thicker. There are times when career development may feel like…

This week, Thanksgiving is on November 28th. Who and for what are you thankful? Although Christmas 2021 has passed, the memories have not. Two weeks prior, my mother-in-law became gravely ill and the Sunday afternoon before December 25th an ambulance transported her to the hospital. Given the draconian and illegal Covid restrictions, my wife could…

My November 7th blog asked the question, are you trustworthy? I wrote about Yvonne “Missy” Woods, a former employee of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) who simply put, destroyed the trust people and the organization had in her. Steven Covey said, “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective…

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…

“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…

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).…

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…