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Linda Willing

Leading the Team

Linda Willing is a retired career fire officer and currently works with emergency services agencies and other organizations on issues of leadership development, decision-making and diversity management. She was an adjunct instructor and curriculum advisor with the National Fire Academy for over 20 years. Willing is the author of On the Line: Women Firefighters Tell Their Stories and was co-founder of Women in the Fire Service. Willing has a bachelor’s degree in American studies, a master’s degree in organization development and is a certified mediator. She is a member of the FireRescue1/Fire Chief Editorial Advisory Board. Connect with Willing via email.

LATEST ARTICLES
Without knowing the root cause of the behavior problem, fixing it is sheer luck
As with EMS or hazmat training, fire chiefs must approach diversity training with a long-term view
Here are three steps to train firefighters to be comfortable in the spotlight and not need to be in it
Building the best future for the fire department requires concrete processes; here are 10 things every chief can do toward that end
Underlying animosity between the departments harms both and those we’re sworn to protect; here’s how to bring the sides together
When crime drops, cops are doing their jobs; when fires drop, firefighters are lazy — here’s how to overcome that perception
Life comes down to the small things, and seemingly small, off-handed comments to the public can undermine their trust and support
Fire departments are easy targets for criticism; fire chiefs need to know how, when, why and if to respond
They come off as village idiots, screaming and raging at firefighters; in reality they are simply ignorant … of what we do
True leadership is remembering who you are all the time — not just when making a formal presentation or commanding an emergency scene