A Look at Culture

“Culture is an emergent phenomenon produced by structures, practices, leadership behavior, incentives, symbols, rituals, and processes. All those levers have to be pulled to have any chance of success. However, one driver of culture change is more important than the others. Culture change fails when the most visible symbols of it fail to change. Those key symbols are almost always the top leader’s behavior, which speaks much louder than anything they might say.” - Paul Gibbons, “The Science of Successful Organizational Change”

What is Corporate Culture?
Let's take a look at corporate culture by watching "It's All About Culture - What is Corporate Culture."

Thoughts to Ponder

• What is the personality of your organization?
• What are your culture's norms of behavior?
• Does your culture feel right?
• Does your culture bind your time together?
• Is your culture influenced by your leaders?
• Do you fit within your culture?
• Do you know what type of culture you work within?

Over the last two decades, leaders in the wildland fire service have become well acquainted with the concept of a high reliability organization (HRO). According to Karl E. Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe, an HRO is “as organization that operates continuously under trying conditions and has fewer than its share of major incidents. HROs following these principles:

Challenge #44 - The Art of Leadership
Social connections are good for our mental health.

Self-Care Challenge:

• In your journal, write a one-sentence statement of what you want your social life to be like.
• Make a plan to take positive steps in that direction.

[Source: "The Self-Care Prescription" by Robyn Gobin, Ph.D.]

#artofleadership

Challenge #42: The Art of Leadership

Challenge #42: The Art of Leadership

Self-leadership and awareness is vital for leadership success.

• Do something kind for yourself daily.
• Record your daily personal acts of kindness in your journal.

#artofleadership

Challenge #41: The Art of Leadership

Challenge #41 - The Art of Leadership

Leaders are communicators.

Visit the Wildland Fire Leadership Development self-development plan website.

• Review the information found within the tool.
• Practice preparing leader's intent.
• Practice giving briefings and debriefings.

2017 "Leading Authentically" Campaign

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program Mission

“Promote cultural change in the workforce and to emphasize the vital importance of leadership concepts in the wildland fire service by providing educational and leadership development opportunities.”

LEADING AUTHENTICALLY

The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program recognizes learning, cutting-edge concepts, and tools as a fundamental process in becoming and remaining leaders. Leaders are focused on continual improvement; they seek out and assimilate best practices that improve themselves and their organizations.

South Puget Sound Shows How to Lead by Following

A few weeks ago, we announced the winners of the 2015 IGNITE - From the Field for the Field Contest award winners. Thanks goes out to all those who participated.

Over the next couple of months, we will share leadership nuggets from the submissions. Even though we share them, we HIGHLY recommend you read review the application packets for yourself. After all, they are FROM THE FIELD FOR THE FIELD!

First Place Winners

Washington Department of Natural Resources

- South Puget Sound Region -

LEADING THE CHANGE

Within our organizations – particularly in governmental organizations – change is often dictated by something well outside our control and we are tasked with implementing the change. Instead of being a blind follower and doing something that someone else told you to do, become an active follower in your organization who is the transition point in the chain and become the one to lead the change. This way of thinking is best summed up in the following passage by Sergeant First Class Michael T. Woodward, in the US Army journal Infantry:

Effective leadership requires followers who are more than Pavlovian reactors to their leaders’ influences. When followers actively contribute, are aware of their function, and take personal pride in the art of followership, then the joint purpose of leadership and followership – higher levels of mission accomplishment – is achieved effectively.

This mindset on change is not limited to or unique to our program, nor is it something that can only be implemented when you “have the time.” By all measures, Washington State had its worst fire season on record in 2015 (over one million acres burned to date). The above examples are what we have been able to implement throughout an extraordinary fire season and we have at least half a dozen ideas so far that we plan to implement for 2016. All these examples stemmed from a change outside of our control where we saw an opportunity to implement an idea and help guide the change. While the ideas hatched and pursued may be different, the mindset can be used effectively in any group – an engine module, a Hotshot crew, a fire district, and even at a state or federal agency level. The only limitation is your willingness to accept and promote the mindset. This is when followership is leadership; where the synergy between the two produces greatness and the opportunity to Lead the Change.

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Listed below are some of the activities SPS wants to share with you. Click here to download SPS's packet with more details about how they implemented their leadership development.

FOLLOWERS AND LEADERS OF PEOPLE

South Puget Initial Attack

Changed the crews' mindsets as mop-up specialists to initial attack resources. 

A-Team Pro Tip
Captured learning opportunities and shared them immediately with the engine crews via text message.

Teambuilding Day

One full day committed entirely to building cohesion among all crews. This one-day catalyst sets the tone for the season. 

A-Team Leadership Award
The fire foresters established a leadership award for exemplary performance. Selection must be a unanimous decision and may not be awarded annually.

LEADER OF LEADERS

Leadership Library

Started a leadership library with books received from the 2014 IGNITE contest. Region staff added books and videos to create an ever-growing selection. 

Fire Training Academy and the L-280 Roadshow

Volunteered to teach L-280 courses at the fire training academy as well in other regions. Exposed non-fire program staff to leadership. 

Hose Drills - Seasonal vs. Permanent

Broke down barriers between season and permanent personnel and built team cohesion through proficiency drills. 

Shared Ideas on Leadership

Shared leadership ideas and exercises between non-fire workgroups and fire workgroups. 

LEADERS OF ORGANIZATIONS

Our success to date has driven us to push our ideas up the chain to the top of our agency and to the leadership of our cooperating partners. The fire districts that we share wildland protection with are impacted the most by this, so we’ve paid particular attention to their needs and made conscious efforts to develop ideas with them.

Annual Refresher Module - Leadership Greatness and Apollo 13

Developed a leadership module for our annual refresher that was built around David Marquet’s “Greatness” speech/video and the “Houston, we have a problem” scene in Apollo 13.

Fire Open House

Established an open house for all fire districts within our region to meet face-to-face with our cooperating partners in a controlled setting. Doing so gave us a significant advantage this fire season when we were able to recognize and make a connection with our counterparts as we arrived on scene of rapidly expanding incidents.

Cooperating Agency Initial Attack AARs

Expanded AARs to involve cooperating agencies.

Developing Training Opportunities

Recognized areas of need and took the initiative to address them, including wildland awareness training for structural firefighters.

Followership is Leadership: DREAM

Invest in you! You can live your DREAM!



‪#‎followershipisleadership‬ ‪#‎followership‬

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Begin the challenge today by downloading the 2015 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge: Followership is Leadership Reference Guide.

From the Field for the Field Contest Winners

The WLFDP is proud to announce the winners of the 2014 IGNITE the Spark for Leadership - From the Field for the Field Contest.  The following teams are to be recognized on jobs well-done! Congratulations for IGNITING the Spark for Leadership.

• First Place: Ruby Mountain IHC
• Runner Up: Carson City BLM Fire and Aviation 
• Honorable Mention: South Puget Sound Region, Washington State Department of Natural Resources
• Honorable Mention: Uinta Wasatch Cache - South Zone, US Forest Service 

Each group will receive a set of books for their leadership library.

In the near future, application packages will posted on the WFLDP website.

Followership is Leadership - 2015 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge

As we prepared to ring in the new year, the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP) we challenge our followers to take the 2015 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge. This year's theme is Followership to Leadership. 

New in 2015 is a change from an inwardly-focused campaign to an interdisciplinary challenge. Looking beyond self, the wildland fire service is challenging those within its sphere of influence to join our movement to IGNITE the Spark for Leadership—wherever we may live and work.

Visit the WFLDP website to download your copy of the 2015 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge—Followership to Leadership Reference Guide. 

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Mission: The mission of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program is “to promote cultural change in the workforce and to emphasize the vital importance of leadership concepts in the wildland fire service by providing educational and leadership development opportunities.” The challenge provides potential local or self-directed leadership development resources focused on a central theme with the intent of strengthening the wildland fire service and the community as a whole.

Theme: The theme for the 2015 challenge is Followership to Leadership. The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program recognizes “followership” as the first level of leadership. Leaders cannot lead without good followers. Good followers provide a foundation upon which better leaders of people, leaders of leaders, and leaders of organizations is built.

Task: Provide an opportunity for personnel at the local level—whether collectively or through self-development—to focus leadership development activities relating to the national challenge theme: Followership is Leadership.

Purpose:

• To foster a cohesive effort to promote leadership development across disciplines.
• To provide a template that can be used to encourage leadership development at the local unit level.
• To provide a mechanism to collect innovative leadership development efforts and share across disciplines.

End State: Creation of a culture that willingly shares innovative leadership development efforts in order to maintain superior interdisciplinary leadership.

Dates of Challenge: Any time between January 1, 2015, and November 30, 2015.

Length of Challenge: Determined locally to meet the goals and the objectives of the local unit or team.

Audience: The target audience is all wildland fire personnel—line-going and support; however, we encourage other disciplines to IGNITE the Spark for Leadership and take the challenge.

Implementation: The challenge is flexible. Local units or teams may use or adapt any or all materials contained within this document or develop a program or activity spotlighting the challenge theme. Challenge coordinators are encouraged to think outside the confines of the template and develop a program that meets local and individual needs. Innovation should fuel your challenge delivery: workshops or tailgate sessions, to kick off staff meetings, as a team activity or self-directed, etc.

Measuring Success:

• Local: Local unit leaders and managers will determine what “success” looks like and how participation will be recognized by those involved. 
• National: A committee formed by the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee will recognize one unit’s contribution to the challenge through the IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest. (See complete details below.)

Recognizing Local Unit Participation:

• A sample certificate is available at the end of this document to acknowledge students of fire participating in the leadership challenge at the local level.

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest – From the Field for the Field

Throughout the nation, leaders are building teams and developing their people using tools they have found or developed themselves. Imagine if our leaders and their subordinates shared their experiences and successes with each other. Consider the possibility of going to a website and having a ready-made palette of leadership development tools from which to choose—items from the field for the field.

Using the spirit of healthy competition, the IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest is intended to be one of the mechanisms used to collect innovative leadership development efforts to be shared across disciplines.

The IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest is an optional component of the Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge and limited to entities with a tie to the wildland fire service. Items to submit:

• Required: 
• Written summary not to exceed ten (10) pages. (See “Judging” section for what to address.)

• Recommended:
• Supplementary materials not to exceed thirty (30) pages or pieces. May include, but is not limited to, photos, videos, and materials used.
• Optional (but highly encouraged and can be done with coordination of the NWCG Leadership Committee Logistics Coordinator):
• Promote your leadership challenge through social media networks such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Provide a social media journal (can be very simple) and URLs for your pages.

Send your challenge documentation to:

• Mail: NWCG Leadership Subcommittee
  Attention: Pam McDonald
  3833 South Development Avenue
  Boise, ID 83705

• Electronically: [email protected]

Judging

All entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Local unit information:
• Name of participating unit/team
• Point of contact (POC) name
• POC contact information (telephone, physical address, and e-mail)
• Number of individuals participating—include percentage of personnel involved
• Brief description of challenge activities
• Innovation
• Creativity
• Apparent tie-in to the WFLDP values and principles 
• Comprehensiveness of challenge (several elements used versus one or two and focus on challenge)
• Inclusiveness (all personnel considered target audience)
• Level of participation by target audience
• Interdisciplinary impact

Winner Recognition
The NWCG Leadership Subcommittee will determine how award winner(s) will be recognized (e.g., plaque, trophy) on a yearly basis. Winner(s) and those recognized for honorable mention will also be featured on and through various media sites and publications.

Entry Deadline
November 30, 2015

IGNITING the Spark for Leadership – A Look at our 2013 Winner

(Boulder County Sheriff's Office Special Operations personnel during survival training. Photo credit: BCSO)

"This year-long effort encouraged our organization to take leadership development to the next level and has provided a consistent and cohesive message of followership and leadership through the entire organization.” ~ Jay Stalnacker, Fire Management Officer

Jay Stalnacker, Fire Management Officer for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), took a risk when he brought his wildland fire team together with other Special Operations personnel from the Boulder County Sheriff’s office. Inspired by the 2013 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign – Leading with Courage, 75 individuals from wildland fire management, SWAT, and search and rescue embarked on an 11-month leadership development effort.

In December 2013, the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee selected BSCO as the winners of the IGNITE the Spark for Leadership – From the Field for the Field Contest. BSCO's innovative approach, incorporation of various components of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program, and sphere of influence is to be commended.

BSCO Fire Management is to be commended for having the courage to create an interdisciplinary approach where leaders and followers shared their skill sets across disciplines.

Leadership Program Summary*
(taken from BCSO’s contest application)

During 2013, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations began a journey of leadership development. Special Operations includes units from Wildland Fire Management, SWAT and Search and Rescue. Most involved are paid full time professional but the group does include numerous volunteer members.

Among many primary law enforcement responsibilities, the Sheriff’s Office in all Colorado counties maintains statutory responsibility for all wildland fire, mountain search and rescue and special law enforcement operations. As the Fire Management Officer (FMO), I encourage our organization to look at the “Leading with Courage” campaign for a guide to develop our internal special operations leadership development program.

(Facilitation of video-based discussion groups on leadership concepts. Photo credit: BCSO)

The program combined numerous leadership principles and was presented in classrooms, in the field and via video facilitated learning. Over the course of 11-months 75 special operations members completed the three part series of leadership development.

In late March of 2013, the first training began in the remote mountains of Colorado. The group snow machined and hiked to cabins at about 12,000’. We began the 36-hour training with an evening facilitated video discussion on followership using the movie “Band of Brothers” as examples of followership principles. Then we broke into small groups, using “Human Synergistics” teambuilding survival simulations (http://bit.ly/1dS4vSs) to demonstrate teambuilding through followership. Lastly, we had a guest speaker discuss values and the effect on teams. The next morning, the small groups worked through a series of survival challenges, competing for the best time.

(Wildland firefighters, SWAT and SAR teammates build "emergency shelters" in timed competition. Photo credit: BCSO)

The second training began in June; again, we headed to a remote mountain location. We invited Larimer County SWAT to join our SWAT team and fire management Staff to complete the second leadership developmental training. This 36-hour training was to focus on operational readiness and mission planning.

This training began with a short lecture on how leaders develop goals, objectives and strategy. We then divided into small groups, using STEX principles, we used sand tables and “glass house” simulations to build and develop a plan for a simulated mission that would be part of the next day’s training. The purpose was to demonstrate the advantages of simulations, readiness and ultimately, pre-planning, to ensure for a successful outcome. This was the first time law enforcement was exposed to STEX learning and Fire Staff facilitated the training, sharing wildland fire planning principles with law enforcement. The training concluded with an 8-hour mission, including small team open field navigation, off-highway vehicle training and simulated combat assault of an illegal marijuana grow operation.

(Wildland firefighters prepare to enter the "live fire" shoot house for an introduction to urban combat. Photo credit: BCSO)

The last 36-hour training was held in October of 2013 at the Fort Carson Army training center. This training focused on leadership problem identification, prioritization and delegation. Using video from the movie “Blackhawk Down,” I facilitated small group discussion of these leadership qualities. The team then headed into the open field environment, competing in a simulated and live fire “combat shooting challenge,” testing their teams ability to prioritize and delegate.

This year-long training combining not only wildland firefighters but also members of other elite special operations groups has not only further developed existing leaders but also enhanced followership throughout our organization. Many single phases of the training have been found so valuable, we have been asked to present this to nonoperational groups such as administrative staff. This year-long effort encouraged our organization to take leadership development to the next level and has provided a consistent and cohesive message of followership and leadership through the entire organization.

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BCSO resources will be available on the WFLDP website at a future date.

We will be sharing with you more about our winner, the runner-up, and other examples of leadership in action in a new feature we call "From the Field for the Field Fridays." We want to showcase our leadership development successes and share ideas and best practices throughout the wildland fire service and beyond.

Summer 2013 Readers are Leaders Challenge - A Captain's Duty



(Photo credit: Filmofilia.com)

The WFLDP has issued a reading challenge for Richard Phillips’ and Stephen Talty’s, "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" which chronicles Captain Phillips’ leadership under fire during the hijacking of his cargo ship the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates in 2009. The intent is to read and discuss the book throughout the summer and fall. As a capstone to the discussion, readers will be encouraged to venture into the Leadership in Cinema realm and watch and discuss Paul Greengrass’ "Captain Phillips" scheduled for release in October 2013.

 

(Photo credit: CaptainPhillipsMovie.com)

Reading Schedule

• July discussion - Chapters 1-5 (pages 1-83)
• August discussion - Chapters 6-11 (pages 84-159) •
• September discussion - Chapters 12-15 (pages 160-230)
• October discussion - Chapters 16-19 (pages 231-304)
• November 2013 discussion - comparing the movie " Captain Phillips " to "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" 

A reading room has been set up in MyFireCommunity.net for discussions.

WOW is Here!

What is Women of Wildfire?

WOW is a collaborative movement led by women within the wildland fire service to create a network showcasing female leadership, sharing resources and success stories, providing a system of support and mentoring, and furthering the mission of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP).

The Inspirations Behind WOW

Pam McDonald, Logistics Coordinator for the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee and visionary for the 2013 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Leading with Courage, wanted to create an example of what individuals and units could do to support the campaign as well as submit as an idea for the "IGNITE the Spark for Leadership - From the Field for the Field" contest.* Riding the social media buzz around the Public Broadcast System's spotlight initiative on women Makers, Pam initiated a test pilot feature via the WFLDP's Facebook page which received little attention.

In the spirit of the campaign theme, Pam got up the courage to ask the coordinator of Women of Wildfire (WOW) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) if she could adopt the name for a leadership initiative and build upon the success of local efforts of creating a network of women who have walked together every September since 2006 in the  St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration. Kris King, NIFC WOW Coordinator, agreed and the plans were set in motion to launch the initiative once Jenn Smith, NIFC External Affairs and NWCG Leadership Subcommittee Communication, developed an identity for the initiative through a logo. With that, WOW was born.

Foundational Principles of the WOW Initiative

As well as the WFLDP Values and Principles, WOW follows "The Five Practices and Ten Commitments of Leadership" developed in The Leadership Challenge by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.

(Photo: The Leadership Challenge)

The Five Practices:

• Model the Way
• Inspire a Shared Vision
• Challenge the Process
• Enable Others to Act
• Encourage the Heart

The Ten Commitments:

1. Find your voice by clarifying your personal values.
2. Set the example by aligning actions with shared values.
3. Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities.
4. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.
5. Search for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow, and improve.
6. Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakes.
7. Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust.
8. Strengthen others by sharing power and discretion.
9. Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence.
10. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community. 

What Now?

Every movement starts with an individual who has an idea and grows from there. WOW will become what the women of the wildland fire service want it to be. The sky is the limit to what those empowered can do and create. In the weeks and months ahead, women (and men) from around the globe will come together to create a grassroots effort to build a network supporting the WFLDP as well as promote female leadership development and collaboration. Here are some ideas to start an individual or local movement:

• Share the news about WOW with those within your sphere of influence.
• Help promote the 2013 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign by sharing the Reference Guide by sharing to your fire leaders.
• Create a local unit Women of Wildfire support network and inspire a shared vision and enable others to act.
• Read Kouzes' and Posner's The Leadership Challenge.
• Use the "Women of Wildfire" forum at the top of the WFLDP Facebook page to share your stories and begin to network.
• Contact Pam McDonald, NWCG Leadership Subcommittee Logistics Coordinator, at [email protected] or 208-387-5318 for more information.
• Dream!

A Look at the 2013 Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Leading with Courage

Campaign Task:

Provide an opportunity for wildland fire service personnel to focus leadership development activities on a nationally-sponsored, centrally-themed leadership campaign and recognize local leadership participation efforts.

Campaign Purpose:

To foster a cohesive effort to promote leadership across the wildland fire service.

To provide a template that can be used to encourage leadership development at the local level.

To provide a mechanism to collect leadership best practices and share throughout the wildland fire service.

Campaign End State:

Creation of a wildland fire service culture that willingly shares leadership best practices in order to maintain superior service-wide leadership.
 _____________________________
* WOW is exempt from contest consideration.

Building Dikes of Courage

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership today!

Ready to Launch!

After nearly a year of work and consultation with the field, the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee (LSC) is prepared to launch a nationwide wildland fire leadership campaign. The 2013 campaign, Leading with Courage, runs between January 1 and November 30 with members of the wildland fire community working together to focus on a central leadership theme and begin the process of sharing leadership success stories and resources.

The success of the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program continues to be support from the field. Therefore, all those familiar with the IGNITE the Spark for Leadership initiative are asked to be the hands and feet of the effort and spread the news of this effort like wildfire. What do you say readers? Can we do this? Can we create a movement that makes a difference in the program and the development of our fire leaders? Can you take what those who came before you created to the next level and beyond? What will your legacy be?

Campaign Intent

Task: Provide an opportunity for wildland fire service personnel to focus leadership development activities on a nationally-sponsored, centrally-themed leadership campaign and recognize local leadership participation efforts.

Purpose:

• To foster a cohesive effort to promote leadership across the wildland fire service.
• To provide a template that can be used to encourage leadership development at the local level.
• To provide a mechanism to collect leadership best practices and share throughout the wildland fire service.

End State: Creation of a wildland fire service culture that willingly shares leadership best practices in order to maintain superior service-wide leadership.

2013 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign - Leading with Courage Reference Guide

The campaign is flexible. Local units and crews may use or adapt any or all materials contained within the Leading with Courage Reference Guide  or develop a program or activity spotlighting the campaign theme and the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles. Campaign coordinators are encouraged to think outside the confines of the template and develop a program that meets local and individual needs.

IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest – From the Field for the Field

Throughout the nation, wildland fire leaders are building teams and developing their people using tools they have found or developed themselves. Imagine if our leaders and their subordinates shared their experiences and successes with each other. Consider the possibility of going to the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program website and having a ready-made palette of leadership development tools—items from the field for the field—from which to choose.

Using the spirit of healthy competition among wildland fire crews and personnel, the “IGNITE the Spark for Leadership Contest” is intended to be one of the mechanisms used to collect leadership best practices to be shared throughout the wildland fire service.