Transitioning from a task or tactical role on the line to a strategic administrative role can be like walking into a foreign land and not speaking the language. One day, you’re commanding a multi-alarm structure fire, followed by unfiltered camaraderie at the firehouse kitchen table and an incredible meal. The next, you’re alone in an office, being commanded by an overwhelming Outlook calendar, reminding yourself to eat and wondering how you can get it all done — or if you are even competent enough.
We spend our entire careers training to handle emergencies at both the task and tactical levels. Our teams operate quickly and efficiently, guided by policies, procedures and linear algorithms — laser-focused on the single challenge at hand. While “on the line,” we have position qualification task books, job-specific certifications and can watch and model the actions of others. We might even experience different positions in an acting or out-of-class capacity.
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When the role shifts from the firehouse to an often-elusive leadership position at headquarters, the processes, systems and relationships change, leaving you feeling like a fish out of water. Responding to emergencies may still be in the job description, but it is unfortunately not where most of the time is dedicated. It’s not that the job is harder; it’s just different and can be a challenging transition that is underappreciated in the fire service.
What they don’t teach you
Very few of us who grew up in the job were trained in political acumen, project management, long-range strategy or how to simultaneously lead multiple diverse teams with varying priorities, work schedules and personalities that must somehow be in service to one another. Simply working in a sterile office on a 40-hour schedule with all its nuances and politics is jarring enough and can feel like a full-scale lifestyle change.
The shift schedule, relationships and nature of our previous work experiences have shaped our identities. They can also shape the way we perceive the world around us, as well as how we lead people and make decisions. Unfortunately, the same approach we’ve known and experienced doesn’t always translate to automatic success in these new roles.
I previously wrote about the importance of fire service leaders being comfortable operating in the gray and embracing nuance. In this article, I’m doubling down on that idea. Strategic-level leadership is far from clear, and policies or procedures rarely provide the answers. The challenges tend to come in multiples and present with heightened intensity and emotion.
In our business, decisions involve far more than processes and metrics. They involve people and relationships, and often those people are friends we’ve grown up with in the stations. There is also significant ambiguity that can be frustrating and even paralyzing at times, especially when we are accustomed to being instant problem solvers.
There is hope, though! The skills can be developed, just as we learned to stretch a line or conduct a search. The approach may just need to be adjusted.
First, win the day-to-day
Humans make thousands of decisions every day. As fire service leaders, many of our decisions carry greater consequences than those of someone working a typical 9-to-5 job. However, it’s often the seemingly insignificant actions (or inactions) that can have a significant impact in the long run.
Discernment with timing, anticipation and the significance of situations doesn’t happen immediately. The way we communicate, both verbally and in writing, also matters. We often envision success as being determined by a leader’s ability to solve large-scale, complex public problems. However, it is frequently the day-to-day human nuances that trip us up, such as:
- Maintaining an accurate and continuous pulse of the teams, their members and the relationships between them
- Determining how to respond to requests and inquiries, who to include in the response and the tone to use
- Knowing when a response is warranted, but would be better if delayed
- Having the self-awareness to know when to listen but not fix
Staying on top of these routine day-to-day interactions shouldn’t be overlooked and must be given priority and allotted time throughout the day.
Rigid black-and-white leaders often struggle with integrating subtle aspects of the job and must develop the skill of discernment in day-to-day situations. We need to enhance our ability to recognize and appreciate the nuances. You will never gain buy-in for the visible strategic challenges and decision-making if you don’t tend to the day-to-day priorities.
Next, eat the elephant
When it comes to those consequential strategic challenges, we can’t approach them with the same level of intensity and passion as we do a structure fire. That can be a challenge, as it’s the only way we’ve been trained, and it’s often how the team, which still operates in the task and tactical realm, expects the work to get done. Actionable solutions seemingly never arrive fast enough. This mismatch can create tension when progress is not apparent or tangible. Strategy requires patience and perspective, which isn’t natural for emergency responders.
Sometimes, slowing down to gain the necessary perspective can initially increase ambiguity and make our challenges feel even more overwhelming. Let’s face it: Clarity doesn’t instantly appear when asking more questions and involving more people. When the right systems and people are acknowledged, and the right questions are asked, decisions may initially feel more overwhelming, but remaining patient and engaged will help us discern the signal in all the noise.
The key is to stay the course and not let the overwhelm lead to paralysis or unrealistic expectations for clarity or perfection before engaging. Action truly is the best antidote for ambiguity and complexity. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase; just take the first step.”
When it comes time to decide or guide the team through the process, I pose a set of questions to myself and the team to enhance discernment, manage ambiguity and maintain focus. The questions are on a loop, constantly repeating:
- If we had a magic wand, what does the desired result look like?
- How does this support our mission?
- Are the right people involved?
- Who should be made aware, and how will it be communicated?
- Is there history or precedent to consider?
- What is the impact, positive and negative?
- Are biases or groupthink clouding our perception?
- Are we asking the right questions?
- Are there alternatives?
- Do we need to rethink our approach?
5 major lessons learned … so far
Administrative roles in the fire service are challenging to prepare for, and they extend beyond the firefighter. The new schedule, responsibilities and culture shifts can be jarring for the member’s entire family — it certainly was for mine. As someone still very green in my new administrative “lifestyle,” a handful of my learned lessons, even some seemingly simple ones, continue to emerge:
- Understand your role and its influence. Others may see your new role differently than you do, which can make the transition feel like you have something to prove. Focus on the actual expectations of the role and resist the urge to “people please.” When you lead with integrity, consistency, and with the team’s best interests in mind, you create an environment where individuals feel supported and valued.
- Strive to be a generalist rather than a specialist. Our environments are too complex and fast-paced for anyone to be an expert in every area. Instead, aim for engagement and a broad understanding across many domains. Know who the right people and processes are to bring together. As our individual capacities are stretched and expectations continue to rise, it becomes essential to understand and leverage systems and technology, using them to your advantage rather than trying to outsmart or outwork them.
- Relationships and teams are key. Decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. Most are done as a team, even if it is just one voice communicating it. Success comes from knowing who to include in the process based on the situation. In his book “Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them,” Admiral William McRaven says you should find your council of colonels. Have those trusted advisors who will tell you what you need to hear, rather than what they think you want to hear.
- Take a pause; slow down to speed up. This can be challenging for those of us who grew up responding to 911 emergencies. Timing is crucial in strategy and must be prioritized. We can gain a great deal of perspective by resisting the immediate emotional response for a more informed understanding. Sleep on it, take a walk, or even better, confide in someone who has already been down that road.
- Stay flexible and expect chaos. We are always just one major incident or personnel issue away from the entire week’s schedule being blown up. This is when our emergency response training and experience come in clutch. Expect it, control the controllable and adapt.
These were just a few of the lessons I’ve learned during my transition to headquarters.
Seeing the job from a new perspective
I miss the excitement and camaraderie of shift work and the privilege of delivering frontline response to the community. That’s the heart of the job and why many of us got into it in the first place. However, being entrusted with the responsibility to support and guide this critical work and the selfless people who do it is a worthy challenge. Although it may be unfamiliar terrain, we can achieve success with the right mindset and willingness to grow and adapt.
