When fire service leaders self-serve and forget their roots, the fallout reaches far beyond the station walls

Amnesia is a chronic condition many fire service leaders suffer from, but it frequently goes undiagnosed. Often, symptoms become heightened as the individual progresses through the ranks. Signs that members of your management team could be suffering from leadership amnesia may include:

• Forgetting where they came from
• Overlooking the golden rule
• Choosing the easy way for themselves over the good for the order
• Avoiding feedback/constructive criticism
• The belief that more power equates to more knowledge

We all want to be treated kindly and with respect. The fire service is a calling, not just a job, and the stakes are more real than 99% of the other professions out there. When our leaders forget where they came from and make selfish decisions, the ripple effects can impact that generation’s morale and mental health…..