I was riding my bicycle to town the other day past a familiar church signboard, and another message caught my attention. It said: “Those who shine from within do not need a spotlight.”
I started thinking about those who always seek attention for themselves — why they do it, what effect this behavior has on the larger group, and how this applies to the fire service.
On one level, fire service culture is the opposite of self-serving attention seeking. There was an unwritten rule on my department that if you got your picture in the newspaper, you had to buy ice cream for the station.
It was a joke, but it reinforced the understanding that on emergency scenes, individual achievement did not matter. It was all about the team.
That rule did not mean that we lacked people who sometimes enjoyed being the center of attention. Being the focal point often manifested in positive ways: these people were the best storytellers or the most skilled instructors.
Glory hounds
But there is a difference between being comfortable in the spotlight and needing that attention. Those who are needful of attention as a way of bolstering their identities will do whatever it takes to get that attention. If they cannot get it through positive means such as personal achievement, they will do it in other ways.
There are many unhealthy ways leaders may demand the spotlight all the time. They may hoard information, so nothing can happen without their direct involvement.
They may engage in malicious gossip or play one person against another on the crew. They may grandstand on emergency calls, ultimately making selfish or even dangerous decisions.
Then there are those firefighters and officers who shine from within. They are confident but never arrogant. They know their strengths and limitations. They readily offer help and are not afraid to ask for it either.
They don’t take themselves too seriously. They accept mistakes as learning opportunities for themselves and others. They are loyal and honest. They value all their teammates, and they let those people know it. They act as mentors.
Having a firefighter like this on your crew may seem like a stroke of luck, but in fact, every company officer has the power to cultivate and encourage these qualities among crew members.
3 steps
The most critical step is leading by example. Company officers must do an honest self-assessment. Do you always need the spotlight? Do you reward this kind of attention-seeking behavior in others?
If company officers are serious about developing firefighters who shine from within, they must do three things.
First, they must build skills and knowledge through training and experience. Everyone on the crew must have equal access to this kind of training and development, not just those who have already proven themselves or who are more well-liked.
Second, company officers must foster confidence among their crew members to apply skills and knowledge. Officers have to truly delegate and let people do the jobs they are prepared to do. They cannot micromanage or grab control back out of fear.
Third, they must be generous about recognition and credit. Some fire officers still have the attitude that there is no need to recognize good work, since good work is what is expected on the job. These officers see their role as only pointing out and correcting mistakes.
Such an approach undermines confidence and initiative. And it really does not work with younger firefighters who grew up in a world of nearly constant feedback.
The need for constant attention and affirmation is ultimately a sign of insecurity. The most competent and confident leaders don’t need that kind of reinforcement, and instead focus their energy on building confidence and mastery among all those who work with them. They shine from within.
Everyone knows who these good leaders are. And everyone wants to work with them.
