Posts Tagged ‘fireofficer’
Discipline is Not a Curse Word
Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the United States entry into World War II, the United States Army conducted large scale maneuvers in Louisiana in September of 1941. Major General Leslie McNair had an instrumental role in this exercise. In his book Crusade in Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote,…
Read MoreComplacency, a Psychological Obstacle
Prior to the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s involvement in World War II, there was a general feeling in our country that the war in Europe and Asia was not an American problem. This attitude was also prevalent with many members of the U.S. military. In Dwight D. Eisenhower’s book,…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 4
I have written this series based on my observations of fan behavior when the Colorado Rockies played a home game in Denver. What is the reason behind many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies? What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 3
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 2
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? In his book, Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar H. Schein wrote,…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 1
Imagine that you play for a professional baseball team and you are in your home stadium. You made it to the big leagues and are excited to play for your team in front of thousands of fans at home. As you take to the field you notice something disturbing. There are more fans wearing hats,…
Read MoreMemorial Day: Remembering the Cost of Freedom
Two dates have carried deep meaning in my life—November 10, the birth of the United States Marine Corps, and November 11, once known as Armistice Day and now recognized as Veterans Day. As a veteran of both the Air Force and Marine Corps, those days are personal. But Memorial Day reaches even deeper—it is about…
Read MorePart 3: From “Deserve” to Serve
In the last two blogs, you have met Andy Arrogant. An egotistical individual with no fire service experience, yet when asked where he saw himself in five years, he responded, “I see myself as the fire chief of this department.” Clearly this individual suffered from a common medical malady: cranium rectosis (head up his rear-end).…
Read MorePart 2: The Two Faces of “Deserve”
Last week I wrote about Andy Arrogant. In the interview process I described, Andy had no fire service experience yet arrogantly presented himself as being not only qualified to be a fire chief in five years, but deserving of that rank. In and of itself, the word deserve isn’t the problem, it’s how we use…
Read MorePart 1: The Danger of “Andy Arrogant”
A young man wearing a suit swaggered into the room, introduced himself, and sat down before the interview panel I was sitting on. He had no fire service experience, yet he spoke like a seasoned veteran who had battled fires for decades. Some may call that confidence, but I will call that attitude for what…
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