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

The conflict challenge: Why do so many firefighters struggle with crew conflict?
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Firefighters are naturally good problem-solvers but notoriously conflict-averse
Why fire service TV shows matter: Reflecting diversity, authenticity and professionalism
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TV can help to tell the story of the fire service as it really is – and as it could be
Live to remote: 5 ways to make the training transition
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Maintaining skill sets through regular training is more important than ever, even if it is through online platforms
Superintendent Eriks Gabliks discusses the future of the National Fire Academy
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Beyond updating the EFO program, Gabliks seeks to increase outreach and communication between the NFA and its partners communities
Ending harassment in the fire service is everyone’s responsibility
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Harassment is a systemic issue, meaning it’s not simply an isolated issue between two people
Uncertainty begets anxiety: How unknown outcomes amplify firefighter stress
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Training is a great way to give firefighters some agency over their work lives, ultimately helping reduce anxiety
East Troublesome Fire: ‘15 years of experience in 1 night’
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Colorado firefighters reflect on late-season wildfire that posed the ultimate challenge for the state’s limited resources
The seatbelt paradox: Unbelted firefighters are still dying every year
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Firefighters know better than most the value of seatbelts, so why do some still fail to buckle up?
Not the guy: Social media falsely convicts retired firefighter of officer assault
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An Illinois man with no connection to the Capitol riot quickly found himself the subject of accusations and threats, all thanks to the social media rumor mill
Why the media singles out wrongdoing by firefighters, EMTs
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Do the right thing because it is right, but also do the right thing because your job, supported by the currency of public trust, depends on it
Time-traveling to remember your pre-COVID-19 priorities
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Don’t let the current crisis destroy your previously identified individual goals and departmental priorities
Mastering ‘verbal judo’: How firefighters can employ de-escalation techniques
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Learn 7 escalation phrases to avoid, plus alternative phrases to help defuse confrontational moments with patients or bystanders
‘A weakness is a strength carried to an extreme’: A lesson for fire chiefs
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No one wants their strengths to work against them, but they can have that impact if applied in excess
Fire service data: How to employ 2 kinds of data for effective problem-solving
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Gathering data for inspection and data for learning must be seen as a positive tool rather than as a way of potentially punishing someone
False alarms and fraternities: The importance of solving problems upstream
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With their nuisance call assumptions found to be incorrect, officers take a new approach to solve the problem
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