Fire Officer as a Transformational Leader

The senior fire officer has a complex role as a supervisor and manager. As a manager, the senior fire officer develops or implements a strategy to accomplish a goal or mission. This occurs by managing junior fire officers who are directly supervising work teams performing task-level activities. The fire service may also expect the senior fire officer to directly supervise a small group of firefighters engaged in task-level activities.

An example would be a fire station with an engine company and a truck company. The engine company is supervised by a Lieutenant (junior fire officer) and the truck company is supervised by a Captain (senior fire officer). Both officers directly supervise a team of firefighters assigned to their company. The Captain will have additional managerial and administrative responsibilities both on the emergency incident scene and at the fire station.

The senior fire officer is a working manager, overseeing multiple crews that are operating in a hazardous, life-threatening and dynamic environment. During these events, the senior fire officer is monitoring the progress in meeting the strategic goal of these task-level activities, prepared to change tasks or strategy.

The fire service is a decentralized organization, with fire stations spread through the community operating under a hierarchical command system. Fire companies, command staff, and specialized resources respond from all corners of the community and assemble to handle an emergency incident. Once the incident is mitigated, the responders disassemble into their individual teams and leave. Administrative work groups or task forces are created to resolve an organizational problem or handle a temporary need. These activities create unique managerial leadership needs that are similar to military operations with small group teams that work.

To ensure every Marine has the ability and the authority to make important decisions in the
 midst of chaos, or in the absence of specific orders, Marines operate according to the philosophy of “Commander’s Intent.” This means that when a subordinate leader is in a situation where there needs be an immediate decision, the subordinate leader has the bias for action that allows that person to make the decision that best supports the commander’s desired end state.

Transformational Leadership

As described by leadership theorist Peter G. Northouse, transformational leadership is a process in which a person engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower. Transformational leadership changes and transforms people because it aids leaders in understanding individual emotions, values, and ethics, establishing standards, and achieving long-term goals.

It also includes assessing the follower’s motives, satisfying their needs, and treating them as full human beings, not simply workers. When incorporating charismatic and visionary leadership, transformational leadership involves an exceptional form of influence that moves followers to accomplish more than what is usually expected of them. Each of the components of transformational leadership helps build follower commitment in different ways

Idealized influence: Leaders who behave consistently with the values they espouse can more easily build commitment to a group or organization’s values, goals, or standards of behavior. A charismatic relationship cultivates trust, respect, admiration, and commitment to the leader and the future of the organization.

Inspirational Motivation: The major characteristics of inspirational motivation include optimistically and enthusiastically articulating a clear and appealing view of the future while expressing confidence, encouraging teamwork and inspiring high standards of performance. Leaders use inspirational motivation to build emotional commitment to a mission or goal.

Intellectual Stimulation: In order to raise followers’ awareness of problems as well as develop their capability to solve such problems, transformational leaders foster a climate that favors critical examination of commonly-held notions, beliefs, and the status quo. Leaders use intellectual stimulation to get followers to reexamine assumptions, seek different perspectives, and encourage nontraditional thinking.

Individualized Consideration: A transformational leader applies individual considerations by listening to each follower’s needs and concerns, expressing words of thanks or praise as a means of motivation, making public recognition of achievements and initiatives, and undertaking individualized career counseling and mentoring.

Transformational leaders treat others as individuals with different needs, abilities, and aspirations and get them to appreciate the benefits of diversity. They also help others develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities. As a result, followers began to value personal learning and development and may appreciate the breadth of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated when collaborating with a diverse team.

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Northhouse, Peter G. (2018) Leadership: Theory and Practice, 8th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE publications. ISBN-13: 978-8925598635

Featured image from the Reading Eagle.