IGNITE: Bringing Out the Best

“Leading with positive ethical values builds trust and brings out the best in people, which brings out the best in the organization, which leads to great results.” – Linda Fisher Thornton


[Photo: Gannett Glacier Fire Crew/AK]

Caught Between Right and Right

Photo credit: Center for Public Trust

You cannot talk about leadership without talking about ethics. According to Merriam-Webster, ethics is "the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation." If you read the definition closely, you see that ethics does not focus on "bad" but gives "good" equal billing. The right-versus-right ethical dilemma causes us to pause and look deep within self.

Rushworth Kidder, Institute of Global Ethics, who passed away earlier this year left a great leadership legacy. In this talk, Kidder delves into the right versus right dilemma that often cuts us to our very core.

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(This blog originally posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Thank you Mark Stanford (retired), Texas A&M Forest Service and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee, for referring this video.)

IGNITE: The Need for Ethical Leaders

The world needs good and ethical leaders who put their power to work on our behalf...and not for the gratification of their own egos! - Bill Treasurer & John Havlik

Good, Better, Best

(MasterTux/Pixabay)

To err is human, to forgive divine. - Alexander Pope

When I started at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise 18 years ago, I had a bit of an ego problem (maybe I still do). I had a resume filled with experiences that helped me land a permanent job with the wildland fire service after 15 seasons of temporary employment and a career as an educator. Along with the resume came for perfection and the need to please. My identity was tied closely to the work I produced. Find an error in the work I did and you take a hit at my character.

IGNITE: Obligations and Responsibilities

The freedom to do your own thing ends when you have obligations and responsibilities. - Lou Holtz

Do your part and share the word.

[Photo credit: State of Alaska, Pioneer Peak IHC]

IGNITE: Where Do You Stand?

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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http://www.fireleadership.gov/

IGNITE: Duty, Respect & Integrity

The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 64

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IGNITE: Ethics & Mission

Although some may judge that leading ethically compromises short-term gains, leading ethically allows us to accomplish more than our mission. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 64

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IGNITE: Ethical High Ground

Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. – Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 63

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Do You Have the Courage to Choose the Difficult Right?

"Leaders must both model courage and call forth courage from others." - Leadership Promises by John Maxwell

Choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong takes a lot of courage. However, research shows that "situational pressure leads to ethical fading." Good leaders must have the moral courage to do the right thing in challenging situations.

Here are a few excerpts from Leading in the Wildland Fire Service:

Fear
Fire leaders work to keep fear from being a barrier by understanding those fears that affect their team. Fear can destroy communication and, with it, trust and cohesion. In looking out for our people, we are mindful of their fears and vigilant in eliminating unnecessary fears. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, p. 48)

"Your life expands in proportion to your courage. Fear limits a leader." - John C. Maxwell

Moral Courage
Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and  choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. We avoid ethical dilemmas by direct team members to operate in ways that are consistent with our professional standards and by directing them only to actions they can achieve ethically.

When we make mistakes, we handle them in honorable and effective ways, fixing the immediate problem then searching for root causes. Leaders with moral courage look for causes, not scapegoats, learning and improving, looking for ways to turn weaknesses into strengths.

An outgrowth of strong character, moral courage enables us to build trust with our teams and gain respect from peers. Although some may judge that leading ethically compromises short-term gains, leading ethically allows us to accomplish more than our mission.

Because the consequences of ethical decisions can be great and those who make such decisions may be asked later to justify their conclusion, following a careful and thorough process is a wise approach in situations with ambiguous courses of action. The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision. (Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, pp. 63-64)

Beware: "Situational pressure leads to ethical fading."

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• Watch Brooke Deterline's TEDx video on creating ethical cultures in business. Commit to  retraining your brain through practice. 
• Become a pattern interrupter.
• Identify individual, team, and organizational patterns.
• Create your MAGIC PAUSE BUTTON.
• Develop your innate capacity for courage.

The Art of War

(Photo credit: iz quotes)

The Art of War
by Al Mozingo

Introduction
Over the years I've heard references to The Art of War several times. But, I never read the book. Recently I picked up a book called The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. Within the context of that book, he writes about The Art of War.

The book is divided into three segments: The Killing Sword, The Life-Giving Sword, and No Sword. Even though this book is about ancient times and about war, it may be applicable to us today. There are references that these apply to business, our everyday lives, and what we say and do. They apply to our interpersonal relations and how we behave and act.

The Art of War describes a conflict between good and evil; between life and death. The book describes how we can use our ability to create strategies to win. There are people who present good as bad and pretend to be righteous. We must be on the lookout to observe with utmost attention to discern what is right and wrong. People will be concern with their own interest and not acting in consideration of others. This causes problems, resentfulness, and angriness.

The Art of War is to give you knowledge, to have strategies to give life to many people by killing evil. The three scrolls (swords) convey this knowledge to strive for goodness--to do what is right.

The Killing Sword
The first lesson is the attainment of the way. To learn, to understand, and to articulate these principles learning is the gate.

Next, we must practice the art and study. To spontaneously conform to learning without consciously being aware of it is part of The Art of War. When you have succeeded in learning, it is a part of you, incorporated into your personality. This achievement is built on cultivating learning a practice.

In the Zen Arts, this learning has progressed into harmonizing your self-conscious knowledge into your unconscious. The inward attitude is called the will and what emanates outwardly is called mood. It is essential to control your mood by your will. If you're not mindful of this, the will can be drawn into by the mood. Then you're using your emotions.

To allow you to succeed and to gain victory you must control the mind. Get the other person to make the first move. This is the appropriate strategy to The Art of War. The methods of seeing what is happening is implementing a strategy and to induce the other person to tip their hand. This will allow you to gain victory by seeing what strategy they are using.

To gain the victory you need to keep your mind on the idea before you, This is done by developing single-minded concentration. This must be practice. This single-minded concentration will allow you to conceive, act and follow through to win.

Now concerning an attack. A hasty attack is a bad thing. To press aggressively is only after preparing yourself mentally and observing the situation. It is essential not to get flustered or you may loose. Observe your adversary's condition for resentfulness or anger. Be aware these things can cause you a problem.

One who thinks they know everything is inept. One who has attained realization and is upright is called "enlightened." The upright mind is called the mind of the Way. Attainment of the Way is important and will allow you to know much and to be adept.

"The First Sword" is a code word for seeing any incipient movement. You are to be observant and be able to perceive the impulses and actions of an adversary. To perceive this is called "one seeing." Perceiving with the eyes is called seeing something. To perceive with the mind is called observing something. You need to develop both.

The primary reason for "one to see," is to perceive what is happening, whether it exists and to understand the abilities and intentions of another. Seeing with the eyes is subordinate to seeing with the mine. The mind can see things far away, before the eyes can actually see it. The mind can help prepare you beforehand.

The Life-Giving Sword
People's abilities and intentions are manifested in many ways. You must be on the lookout for these to win. Do what is good; throw away what is bad. You should not be too quick or too slow. In a casual manner, do what is right. When you act to quickly, you will be flustered. When you act too slowly, you are timid.

"The First Principle" is a code word in marital arts. In the context of the Art of War, it means to keep a clear mind, pay close attention and make sure you don't get caught unprepared.

The face can tell intentions. The color of the face changes with feelings and moods. If the blood rises and the face turns red, the person may be angry. Keep watch. If their is a flow and a smile, this is good. Keep a watch for this. It is the energy in the body, and the body that tells a story. The principle is very relevant in dealing with people.

No Sword
When you have no sword and unarmed you can still prevail. You can take another sword away. This is the aim of the swordless, to win the fight with no sword. Attitude is the basic idea of swordlessness.

Zen monks are able to harmonize with the truth. Using the truth in what you say and do is very important. This allows one to have "great spiritual power." Working freely and independently, you can perceive the concealing of intentions, deceptions and actions of others. Always keep aware and see with your mind.

Mastery is what your trying to attain as a good fighter. You have great potential if you are attentive to everything. Your potential will mature and increase if you are watchful. To be attentive your mind must not linger. It is essential to practice an attitude of not dwelling on any one thing. You must be ready at all times. Always do what is right, keeping your mind on that which is needed (rightness).

Conclusion

The book is very complex and esoteric. We need to reflect upon our thinking on what is being said in its' pages. Our own enlightenment comes from reflection, training, truth, and doing what is right. Let us all affirm what is right and strive to do what is right.

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Reference:

The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, translated by Thomas Cleary, Shambhala Publications, Boston, MA 1993

About the Author:

Al Mozingo is well-versed in leadership training and a certified leadership development instructor. He teaches Basic and Advanced Leadership. See Mr. Mozingo’s website: www.firemanager.com.

Printed with permission from the author.

Goombahs

GOOMBAHS

by Jay C Stalnacker

Growing up living on the other side of the tracks, I often ventured across for a slap of reality as just a few miles away there sat an entire city of epic poverty, unemployment and crime. I believed the world was no bigger than a few square miles of rusted steel mills and ugly “company houses” surrounded by middle class subdivisions. It was a place where the mafia and crooked unions destroyed an entire community and left wounds that would never heal. It was so bad that for a few years Youngstown, Ohio was known as the “murder capitol of America.” The unrelenting crime and unscrupulous leadership of our community eventually left generations of immigrants with nothing more than empty rusting steel mills and cracked brick row houses.

By the time I was old enough to understand what a “Youngstown tuneup” was, most of the crime families had been arrested or moved operation to another city, leaving only a wake of destruction. Looking back, as young boys there were really only a few types of heroes we had to admire: professional boxers, football players and crime bosses. Goombah’s like “mo man” Harris and “Charlie the Crab” and legends like Franco Harris and Ray Boom Boom Mancini filled both our dreams and nightmares. Little did I know that both provided an unattainable or misplaced example of leadership, but it was all we had.

As I grew older I began to understand who the true heroes were. They were the common men and women who suffered through the intimidation, bribery and destruction of their community and then moved to the suburban neighborhoods to raise their children hoping that we would have a better future than they knew each of us would most likely face.

It’s a sad, overwhelming enlightenment watching an entire community self-implode. As wild-eyed teenagers we would climb to the roofs of the rusted buildings and walk the empty train tracks always wondering what happened and how it happened so quickly. I witnessed my grandfather fall from a proud paycheck earning crane operator in the steel mill to a humbled security guard at a community college making minimum wage. The union leaders had destroyed his future by embezzling his pension and sending jobs overseas with greedy demands. These leaders put their own needs and desires above many countless others and the end result would be generations of unemployment and poverty that still exist today.

I truly believe that in the beginning the “families” had the right idea but unfortunately the wrong intentions. They wanted to protect the immigrant workers from the steel tycoons and for a while everyone was prosperous. But eventually their greed, selfishness and ignorance turned a good idea into something terrible.

Like these goombahs who almost destroyed a culture of people, how often do we see leaders take the selfish approach as they look for any opportunity to gain more power and control at all cost. They fail to recognize their short-term gain will only result in long-term failure. It’s so very easy have a good intention turn into a disaster because the leader is really focused on his goals and not those of the larger purpose.

Often in public safety we see egos, attitudes and insecurities destroy an organization or compromise the success of a mission. It’s no different in the private corporate world or even on the sidelines of a children’s soccer game. Great leaders somehow see through the immediate gain and recognition then inspire us to follow them past the attainable and towards the unforeseeable future. As Jim finished his sermon today he talked about Jesus the warrior returning home to gather his army to celebrate victory. But he also reminded us that until that day we will be endlessly tempted with money, sex and other worldly distractions that someday just will not mean anything.

It’s hard to look into the unknown future and then back at your current struggles maintaining hope and faith. My experiences as incident commander or operations chief on emergency incidents constantly remind me of this. Many times you have to look ahead and past the obvious which is very difficult when chaos, death and destruction stare you in the eyes. During the flooding, I had to make difficult decisions that would stop rescue operations because of the danger to the rescuers. Losing rescuers would only create more chaos and trying to find the fine balance of saving innocent lives versus losing rescuers' lives was a constant struggle. Many in our profession walk in thinking they want to be a hero, but when the choice of sacrificing their life for another’s is presented it's not so simple. Often they get tunnel vision and lose understanding of the bigger picture ultimately causing more harm than good. More often they freeze in place unable to make the choice before it’s too late. These decisions haunt you as a leader; and only through understanding that there is a larger goal, can you come out the other end in one piece.

It’s much like raising children and disciplining them for something they don’t understand fully but yet you know it’s best. There is no easy answer and no simple explanation. We as leaders must have character and wisdom, and our followers must have courage and humbleness. I think a lot about how better to close this gap with Aspen, Kim, my staff, friends and family. How do I both lead with wisdom and follow with courage? I find what works best is to ask the right questions at the right time. How did we get here? What are we trying to do? What do we want it to look like when we are done? Great leaders constantly ask these three questions to continually evaluate their end state and verify their objectives. Next time you have a tough conversation with your child, a subordinate or spouse try to slow down and ask yourself these questions. I’m sure you can look back as you read this and think of an instance you should have paused and answered these questions before you moved forward. Thinking about these questions first, your conversations will flow seamlessly and confidently as a leader who has vision for something greater.

Spend some time slowing down, remember to ask yourself what it should and can look like when you're done, and I’m sure the result will be greater than your wildest dreams.

Jay C Stalnacker

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Jay Stalnacker is a regular blog contributor. Jay Stalnacker is the Fire Management Officer for the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. You can read more from Jay on his blog "The North Star Foundation." All expressions are those of the author.

Are You Ethically Challenged?

(Photo credit: University of Arkansas at Little Rock)

by Al Mozingo 

www.firemanager.com

Let me ask you a couple of questions about the title of this article. Do you have high ethical standards? Do you think about the ethical aspect of your decisions? Does your organization have a Values and Ethics Statement? Are you conforming to the Values and Ethics Statement? Is your ethical stance and that of your workplace compatible? These are just a couple of questions that you must ask yourself and answer in regards to ethics today.

In general, I believe that most people want to be considered honest, up front, and one that can be counted on. Are you a person that people go to, in regards to something that they believe may be unethical, for your person opinion? We all should strive to become a person with high moral principles. A person in which people want to deal with because we feel they are honest.

Over the years I have had people come to me for input about ethical issues. I believe in being honest and up front. Sometimes I can be too honest. You might ask, “How can you be too honest.” What I am saying is you don’t have to always answer questions that someone asks. I use to answer questions that would put someone in an unfavorable light, because I wanted to be honest, I wanted to tell the truth. I can tell you that from personal experience, it can be a big problem. There are times as a supervisor, you do not need to answer the question and divulge information that is not really beneficial.

I have also had times where people “Jump to Conclusions.” Do you ever do this? We need to guard against ourselves judging another by jumping to conclusions I have seen several instances where people believe they are so smart that they know exactly why a person did something. In the end, they were completely off base and could not be further from the truth. The habit of deciding why a person does something is a bad habit to form! Some people do not even know why they did something themselves.

If you are a person of high integrity: Do you show it by your actions of kindness and compassion? You should always try to communicate effectively with empathic listening and understanding. Show a little kindness and compassion to another person. Be considerate, show some flexibility with your thinking and have tolerance towards others.

By being a person who looks for a “Win-Win” you can focus on right thinking. Try to do what is right, “Do the Right Thing.” One mindset that can help you to this end is the “Golden Rule.” With the “Golden Rule” we treat others the way we would want to be treated. As a supervisor, I always try to be fair and impartial. Treat your people with respect, showing a caring attitude toward them.

As a leader people are always watching your actions. Do your actions match with what you say? Try to stay above and beyond reproach. I know it is almost an impossible task - but, try! Speaking up when you see an injustice is certainly something you should do. Focus on “The Right Thing.” As your standard on how you treat people, use “The Golden Rule.” Maintain a caring attitude when dealing with other people. To help with your own ethical decision making, to help you stay on the right ethical path, use the following two charts. Good Luck!

JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS 

1. Do you ever make assumptions about people?
2. Do you really know why someone does something?
3. Is assuming something about someone productive and positive?
4. When you assume something are you always 100% correct?
5. Can assumptions cause one to jump to conclusions?
6. Is jumping to conclusions constructive?
7. Is everyone motivated the same?
8. Do you really know what someone's motives are?
9. Do you ever judge why someone does something?
10. Can you really judge the intentions of another?
11. Are these judgments always 100% correct?
12. Do you ever state these judgments orally?
13. When criticizing someone do you know all the facts?
14. Is criticizing a person constructive or destructive?
15. Does everyone think the same or perceive things the same?
16. Why don't all people think the same or perceive things the same?
17. Do you ever draw premature conclusions?
18. Is the communication process perfect?
19. Have you ever been involved with miscommunication?
20. Have you ever had conflict because of miscommunication?

• We all need to strive for understanding and to be understood! 
• Please give someone the benefit of the doubt! 
• Exhibit a loving and caring attitude when dealing with people! 
• Ask yourself: Is your heart in the right place? 
• Do you realize that making assumptions, drawing premature conclusions, making judgements and jumping to conclusions can affect your leadership style?

"It is difficult to negotiate with those who do not share the same frame of reference." ~ Nelson Mandela

A COMPREHENSIVE ETHICAL DECISION MAKING MODEL 

1. Do you have all the facts?
2. Have you made any false assumptions?
3. How much time do you have to make the decision?
4. Have you considered the individual, organization, and the community?
5. Have you factored in any of your own values?
6. Are you striving to do the “Right Thing”?
7. Are you striving for a “Win-Win” outcome?
8. Are you consistent, treating everyone fair and impartial?
9. Develop options (choose the best and choose a second alternative plan)?
10. Consider pressure, cost, personal gain, limited resources, convenience, etc.
11. Consider the consequences.
12. Is your choice based on ethic decision making?
13. Implement the decision.
14. Evaluate the outcome (Are changes needed?).
15. If a change is needed, start with number one again.

Apply the Golden Rule:  Are you treating others, as you would want to be treated?

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Reprinted with the permission of the author. Al Mozingo is certified in Organizational Development and Leadership Training. If you would like to contact him, see his website.

What Defines Your Team?

Ethos n. The distinguishing charter, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group or institution. (Merriam-Webster)

Ethos defines how crew members embody the values of the mission-driven culture within the leadership environment. This ethos represents a professional code of conduct clarifying expectations for member behavior and forming the foundation for relationships. A team committed to exemplify these values stand the best chance of building synergy and successfully achieving their mission. Examples include:

• Service for the common good
• High trust state
• Pursuit of truth
• Form function defined by the end state
• Individual initiative
• Continuous improvement

What Defines Us as a Wildland Fire Service

The following values and principles define the wildland fire service:

Duty

• Be proficient in your job, both technically and as a leader. 
• Make sound and timely decisions. 
• Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, accomplished. 
• Develop your subordinates for the future. 

Respect

• Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being. 
• Keep your subordinates informed. 
• Build the team. 
• Employ your subordinates in accordance with their capabilities. 

Integrity

• Know yourself and seek improvement. 
• Seek responsibility and accept responsibility for your actions. 
• Set the example.

For the complete list and downloads visit our website.

An Example Within Our Organization

The following example was taken from the 2011 Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations:

Professional Ethics

IHCs acknowledge their responsibility to sponsor agencies and to the wildland fire community as a whole. IHCs subscribe to a Code of Ethics to guide them in their practice as wildland fire professionals. IHCs will:

• Perform only services they are qualified, trained, and equipped in which can be accomplished safely. Continue to educate themselves in order to improve their qualifications and performance. Give earnest effort and provide their best professional advice in the performance of their duties.
• Build their professional reputations based on the leadership values of duty, respect, integrity. Ensure the quality and cost effectiveness of our programs. Be accountable to host unit supervisors, incident management teams, other IHCs and to any hosting unit as a safe, productive and professional resource.
• Conduct themselves and their programs in accordance with the Standards for Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations, relevant Agency, State and Federal policies and all required operational and safety procedures.
• Ensure the civil rights of constituents and employees by treating every person with respect. Hazing, harassment of any kind, verbal abuse or physical abuse by any employee toward any other person will not be tolerated. Professional behavior will be exhibited at all times. 
• Endeavor to enhance public knowledge and promote understanding of the functions and achievements of the wildland fire community.

Benchmarking Another Organization

Wiss & Company, an East Coast accounting firm, created a clever way to present their ethos. 

(Photo credit: Wiss & Company)

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge

• Review the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles with your team.
• Identify the characteristics that define your group as individuals, as a team, and as members of your community.

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Thank you Shane Olpin, USFS Leadership Development Specialist and NWCG Leadership Subcommittee representative, for this blog submission. 

Grit and the Growth Mindset

(Photo credit: MyHeartYourHands.Org)

 “Grit is like living life like it’s a marathon not a sprint.” ~ Angela Lee Duckworth

In the TED Talks presentation “The Key to Success? Grit,” Angela Lee Duckworth shares her research on the concept of “grit” and how it affects performance in children. There are parallels to wildland firefighting.

Video Highlights:

• Students can learn if they work hard and long enough.
• Doing well in school and life depends on much more than our ability to learn quickly and easily.
• Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.
• Grit is usually unrelated or inversely related to measures of talent.
• Growth mindset: The belief that the ability to learn is not fixed—that it can change with your effort. (Dr. Carol Dweck, Stanford University)
• Failure should not be a permanent condition.

The Growth Mindset

For more Dr. Dweck's research on fixed versus growth mindsets, check out her YouTube interview with ParentMap.

Angela's Challenge:

"We need to take our best ideas or strongest intuitions, and we need to test them. We need to measure whether we have been successful, and we have to be willing to fail—to be wrong, to start over again with lessons learned." 

Resetting the Moral Compass

If you are a student of leadership and follow the experts, there is a lot of chatter regarding ethics and character. In many of the books I read or speeches I hear, there is a sense of urgency to address this leadership concern.

Dr. Rushworth Kidder, Institute of Global Ethics, shared his insights in a Washington Speakers Bureau presentation "Moral Courage: The Guts of a Tough Decision" prior to his death in March 2012. In this talk, he leaves us with a lot to think about regarding our future.

• A paradigm shift is occurring:
• Attention to ethics.
• Capacity for technology to be leverage our ethics in ways we have never seen before.
• Unethical impulses are not capable of producing global, immediate, and catastrophic effects.
• Leadership development for the next generation must focus on ethics and character.

How Far Would You Go?

(Photo credit: FanPop.com)



The sports world has been rocked by the continued release of information revolving the the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case at Penn State. The journey of discovery has been like peeling an onion--the further you peel, the stronger the story gets; the more you cry.

On July 12, 2012, Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan, LLP released their 267-page report: "Report of the Special Investigative Counsel Regarding the Actions of the Pennsylvania State University Related to the Child Sexual Abuse Committed by Gerald A. Sandusky." What seemed to have been a tightly held secret has developed into one where many knew of the abuse--from janitors to the coaching staff and top-level Penn State leaders.

As horrific and extensive in nature as the Penn State scandal may be, I believe every organization should take a moment to ponder this historic leadership failure. What can your organization learn from the findings and  recommendations found within the Freeh Report?

In closing, I ask wildland fire leaders to ponder and/or discuss the following questions:

• How far would you go to cover up something or someone or to protect your job or the organization?
• Despite your position in the organization, do you have the leadership fortitude to do what's right and expose a wrong--even if it means losing your job?
• As a senior leader in a crisis situation, do you have what it takes to expose a wrong doing that has occurred under your command?

Be sure to check out leadership expert John Baldoni's response in "What Leaders Can Learn from What Penn State Did Wrong" on the Forbes blog.

Mirror, Mirror...

(Source: http://www.benreed.net/)

Executive Order 12674: The Foundation for Ethical Behavior - "To ensure public confidence in the integrity of the Federal Government, Executive Order 12674 (as amended) forms the framework for the ethical behavior required and expected of all Federal employees."

News stories abound about huge missteps in leadership and unethical behavior by government employees: the GSA and Secret Service scandals and various other examples of misuse of public funds. Can you look at yourself and your organization in the mirror and say that you and those under your command could withstand an ethical review?

The remainder of this blog will address how culture may contribute to leadership failures, what Leading in the Wildland Fire Service has to say about accountability and ethics, and how can leaders avoid a fall from grace.

The Cultural Norm

Jena McGregor's inference from statements by Congressman Darrell Issa in The Washington Post article "Secret Service Scandal: An Indication of Broader Organization Problems?" is that "events like this are often the result of a pattern of behavior that is symptomatic of broader organizational problems." She refers to a loosening of standards that gives way to a circumstance that becomes a cultural norm within an organization--a when-in-Rome-do-as-the-Romans-do sort of mentality.

Leading in the Wildland Fire Service

Setting and Achieving Standards (page 40)

Leaders set standards as a means of clearly stating the leader's expectations as well as those of the organization. Standards define acceptable performance, and holding people accountable is contingent on clearly defined standards.

Fire leaders step up to the responsibility of establishing reasonable standards, and providing the resources necessary to achieve the standard. With standards in place, leaders help people develop technical and personal competency, enabling them to grow as individuals.

Peer Accountability (page 54)

Leaders create teams in which team members hold each other accountable. More than any system of reward and discipline, more than any policy, the fear of letting down respected teammates and peers represents the most effective means of accountability.

Peer accountability is an outgrowth of trust and commitment. We set the example by demonstrating that team members can hold us accountable, encouraging them to give use feedback on our own performance in meeting stated goals.

Moral Courage (page 63)

Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. We avoid ethical dilemmas by directing team members to operate in ways that are consistent with our professional standards and by directing them only to actions they can achieve ethically.

When we make mistakes, we handle them in honorable and effective ways, fixing the immediate problem then searching for root causes. Leaders with moral courage look for causes, not scapegoats, learning and improving, looking for ways to turn weaknesses into strengths.

An outgrowth of strong character, moral courage enables us to build trust with our teams and gain respect from peers. Although some may judge that leading ethically compromises short-term gains, leading ethically allows us to accomplish more than our mission.

Because the consequences of ethical decisions can be great and those who make such decisions may be asked later to justify their conclusion, following a careful and thorough process is a wise approach in situations with ambiguous courses of action. The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision.

Leadership: Avoiding a Fall from Grace

Check out this interview with Dr. Joyce Russell, Director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Leadership Challenge

• Evaluate yourself as an ethical leader. Are you walking the talk and acting appropriately?
• Evaluate your organization's cultural roots. Are you leading an ethical organization? Are people accountable for their actions and abiding by the standards?
• Foster the concept of peer accountability within your team and for yourself.

"Laying Down the Law"

"We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game. We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised." ~ Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner

Nothing rattles an organization more than scandal. Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner went to the airwaves recently to discuss his decisions to suspend New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and others for their support of a bounty system where players were paid to intentionally hurt other players.

Leadership expert John Baldoni wrote about Goodell's leadership in "NFL Commissioner Makes It Clear He's in Charge" in a recent story for CBSNews.com. Goodell may well be dealing with a culturally accepted practice and is making sure that those involved--especially management--are held accountable.With the league's reputation at stake, Goodell has taken some pretty dramatic changes in disciplinary action. His focus on management, a switch from disciplinary actions against individual players, may be the impetus for cultural change.

Whether or not you believe the bounty system is appropriate, Goodell deemed the practice unacceptable.  How do you rate Goodell's leadership? How would you handle a situation that showed vulnerability within your organization or corruptness of the wildland fire culture?

Wildland fire has seen its share of scandal--most recently with alleged misuse and abuse of federal funds. Now is the time to ensure that your organization is abiding by ethical practices and following the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles.
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For more information about John Baldoni, visit Baldoni Consulting, LLC.

Leaving a Leadership Legacy - Marshall, Courage

General George C. Marshall

General George C. Marshall believed that "only by embracing candor, selflessness, commitment, integrity and courage can a leader achieve the goals of effective leadership."

In George C. Marshall Foundation's "George C. Marshall: Legacy of Leadership: Chapter 6 - Courage" we see Marshall face one of his biggest leadership challenges: individuals accusing him of being a part of the communist revolution.



Morale Courage (Taken from Leading in the Wildland Fire Service, page 63.)

Wildland fire leaders demonstrate moral courage by adhering to high ethical standards and choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong. We avoid ethical dilemmas by directing team members to operate in ways that are consistent with our professional standards and by directing them only to actions they can achieve ethically.

When we make mistakes, we handle them in honorable and effective ways, fixing the immediate problem then searching for root causes, not scapegoats, learning and improving, looking for ways to turn weaknesses into strengths.

An outgrowth of strong character, moral courage enables us to build trust with our teams and gain respect from peers. Although some may judge that leading ethically compromises short-term gains, leading ethically allows us to accomplish more than our mission.

Because the consequences of ethical decisions can be great and those who make such decisions may be asked later to justify their conclusion, following a careful and thorough process is a wise approach in situations with ambiguous courses of action. The values of duty, respect, and integrity should weigh heavily in any ethical decision.