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 through her company, RealWorld Training and Consulting. She is also an adjunct instructor and curriculum advisor with the National Fire Academy. Willing is the author of On the Line: Women Firefighters Tell Their Stories. 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.

Full list of Linda Willing results

Manage the crazy – it’s what firefighters do
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With training and experience, firefighters have a huge advantage in dealing with strange and difficult situations
Getting things done: There’s more than 1 way
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From the ABCDE Method to “mind maps,” various tools can help you achieve your personal and professional goals
Real organizational change begins with endings
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For people to be able to see themselves in the future, they must first be willing to let go of the past
Telling the other story: Why our successes often go unshared
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Agreement with vaccine mandates is one example of the many stories we don’t hear about – because it’s not as gripping as the protests
How to help firefighter families
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Understand the seven sources of frustration among firefighter families, plus three simple ways to mitigate common stressors
Don’t laugh: How firefighters can manage inappropriate jokes at the firehouse
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Firefighters have a lot of fun around the station, but what happens when a joke crosses the line?
The 1-on-1 connection: Informal conversations are critical to recruitment efforts
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A positive experience with a firefighter is sometimes all it takes to motivate someone to consider a new vocation
Developing firefighter grit requires deliberate practice and stretch goals
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Grit – an attitude of determination to never give up – is a key predictor of long-term success
Leadership against all odds: Every officer should know the story of Ernest Shackleton
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Shackleton’s guidance and perseverance under unimaginable conditions can be emulated by all fire officers
How firefighters unintentionally violate HIPAA and similar policies
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Confidentiality as a professional standard is the goal, but firefighters may not realize how simple it is to cross the line
The power of optimism: How firefighters can grow this essential trait
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Optimism is less a personality trait and more a strategy for how to deal with outside events – and strategies can be learned
A quiet revolution: How can we apply ABLE to the fire service?
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Knowing how to intervene when a firefighter is going off the rails could save their career and protect the department’s reputation
The science of making positive change: Simple steps for big change
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Think big and act small, time it right using “commitment devices,” and focus on positive reinforcement and social norms
Albuquerque Fire’s new behavioral health director has long ties to the fire service
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Maia Dalton-Theodore will focus on collaboration, plus safe, confidential and customized services, to serve the city’s firefighters
Diversity training: How fire departments can do it better
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Key reasons diversity training misses the mark – and steps to make it worth the time
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