Loyalty in the Fire Service
Category: Fire
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. And today I’m talking to anyone in a leadership position in the fire service.
General George Patton once said, “There is a great deal of talk about loyalty from the bottom to the top. Loyalty from the top down is even more necessary and much less prevalent.”
You cannot expect loyalty without demonstrating loyalty.
If you don’t believe this is also true for the fire service, you are sadly mistaken. Unfortunately, not all fire service leaders realize the need to be loyal to their members. Some officers strut around barking orders. Others live in their offices, never bothering to get their hands dirty with the daily work of the fire station.
We’ve probably all known chiefs who put their career first and the well-being of the members second. Or how about chief officers who sit all comfy in their vehicles while their firefighters are out working in bitter cold or blistering heat? Get outside and be there with them! It’s called leading from the front for a reason.
Many of these “career-first” types expect undying loyalty from their subordinates, but what do they give in return? How about failing to keep a promise? After that kind of betrayal, is anyone on the team going to make an extra effort or bring something to the leader’s attention?
When officers don’t have their firefighters’ backs, the entire team suffers. Here’s a thought, folks: Don’t use your subordinates as scapegoats for your own shortcomings or failures. Never do anything that leaves your firefighters feeling exploited, cheated, or treated shabbily. You depend on them, and they depend on you. Anything less will create or contribute to organizational dysfunction.
Remember: You cannot expect loyalty without demonstrating loyalty.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.
