The one thing I hated while working as a company officer on the Relief Squad was the involuntary holdovers the next morning. Because the department was short paramedic-firefighters, I would often be moving my gear from the right front officer’s seat to the left bucket of the engine company at 6:30 am, forced to work 4 to 12 hours of overtime as an engine medic. It was on one of those occasions when I heard this statement over the apparatus headset from a senior apparatus operator to a new and clueless Lieutenant. A vivid example of what servant-leadership is NOT.
I was covering for a C shift captain on vacation. This rural station has a large first due that was mostly agricultural, with a growing encroachment of huge mansions on 15-acre estates. No hydrants. The tiny fire station was built in the 1930’s with an expansion of the apparatus garage in the 1950’s.
The 22-year-old pumper was the last purchase by the volunteer fire department before the VFD turned their assets over to the municipality. A custom 1250 gpm pump/750 gallon water tank rig narrow and short enough to fit into the fire station. For years the municipality was debating about buying another rig specifically for this station or expanding the apparatus bay. There were community, political and fiscal issues delaying this decision.
Apparatus Operator Tex
“Tex,” the D shift apparatus operator, was a legend. A Vietnam-era Marine, Tex spent 15 years at our busiest fire station. He was quiet, fearless, powerful and was always developing tools or techniques to better do the job. A serious accident at his farm required extensive orthopedic rehabilitation. He passed the physical agility performance assessment to get back to work, but then he applied to transfer out of the big house to a slower one.
When he got to this rural station the pumper was in poor shape. Over the past three years, Tex repaired and improved the pumper. Everything worked on the rig, often better than new. Tex replaced broken items with new-old-stock replacement parts he found through nationwide searches. He worked with the station captain and the Apparatus Chief to get safety upgrades, including the headphone system. He located a lightly-used hydraulic rescue tool system and got a community group to donate it to the station. This was a critical addition as the nearest heavy rescue company was 20-30 minutes away.
Lieutenant Clueless
On paper, Clueless looked good. He started as a volunteer in the system. Got a bachelor’s degree in political science and graduated recruit school three-and-a-half years ago. Worked in a moderately busy engine-truck-ambulance house as a firefighter and obtained a Fire Science certificate from the community college. Scored at the top of the eligible list on his first promotional exam. Started at this fire station as a brand-new lieutenant one month ago.
The relationship between Tex and Clueless immediately started to go downhill. After Tex introduced himself, Clueless said: “I guess you were not smart enough to pass the Lieutenant’s exam.”
Tuesday Checks
Tuesday mornings are scheduled for in-depth apparatus and equipment maintenance. Every single device is inspected, cleaned and operated. All of the spare equipment, like SCBA units, are tested. The department schedules two hours for this activity (8 am to 10 am). With Tex, it would often be 8 am to noon.
This Tuesday check was halted by Clueless at 8:20 am as he had scheduled a school visit at 8:45 am. There was a hustle to get into Class B uniforms and a rush out of the fire station to make the appointment. While driving to the school Clueless was telling Tex he was spending too much time taking care of the pumper. “If you had not made this antique look so good the department would have replaced it years ago.” All of us on the rig were listening to this conversation over the apparatus headsets. Tex, who was silent during Clueless’s demeaning banter finally spoke up … “The trees are on your side, Lieutenant.” He said nothing more.
The battle for fire station dominance – exclusion versus inclusion
It appears Clueless is trying to out-alpha Tex through demeaning statements and derogatory comments as part of his effort to control the hour-to-hour fire company activities at the fire station. It is an unprofessional and amateur zero-sum game effort.
A zero-sum game means that a gain for one requires a loss by another. This is an example of exclusion leadership. The winner takes all and the loser is shut-out and not part of the team. The loser has no access to information or resources.
Servant-leadership is inclusive.
Individuals feel included when the team places a high value on both the unique characteristics and knowledge each team member brings and a high value on each team member’s belonging. This conceptualization of inclusion is removed from perceptions of competence indicating that both low and high performing employees have the ability to feel included.
Six signature traits of an inclusive leader
Deloitte Consulting has identified 6 signature traits and 15 elements of inclusive leadership that “… enables leaders to operate more effectively within diverse markets, better connect with diverse customers, access a more diverse spectrum of ideas, and enable diverse individuals in the workforce to reach their full potential.
These six traits and fifteen elements are not a meaningless or aspirational laundry list. As our interviews and formal 180-degree assessment of leaders and peers/followers revealed, they are very tangible and developable.” (Bourke and Dillen)
{The names and identifying descriptions of individuals and fire station have been altered to protect the innocent and clueless.}
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Bourke, Juliet, and Dillen, Bernadette. (2016 April 14) The six signature traits of inclusive leadership: Thriving in a diverse new world. Deloitte Insights. Accessed August 12, 2018, from https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/topics/talent/six-signature-traits-of-inclusive-leadership.html
A very academic book on this concept is:
Boitano, Aldo; Dutra, Raul Lagomarsino; Shockman, H. Eric. editors (2017) Breaking the Zero-Sum Game: Transforming Societies through Inclusive Leadership. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited. ISBN: 978-1-78743-237-6 (Epub)