LEADERSHIP
By Jeff Birchfield
Part Two
In our last article on leadership in the fire service , we discussed its definition while focusing on the leader and the importance of setting an example , expectations and accountability . In part two of this series , we will focus on followers and their significance to us as leaders .
One of my favorite quotes when it comes to leadership is by Dennis A . Peer , who says : “ One measure of leadership is the caliber of people who choose to follow you .” I like this quote because I believe if you have no followers , then what are you doing as a leader ?
Who are you leading ? Your existence as a leader is to have followers , and this is a key reminder to pause for a moment and look back to ensure those folks are right behind you on your journey .
If you ever look up how to become an effective leader , or take a course on the subject , you will likely find discussions or courses focusing on leadership styles , and how to be an effective leader , etc . I believe that we all can become more effective if we focus on embracing the followers and make things about them . You must be able to put yourself in their shoes , and first learn to be a follower if you ever want to lead .
One of the most useful tools I use while lecturing on this subject is a video of a lone dancer at an outdoor concert . Narrated by Derek Sivers and titled “ Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy ,” I first saw it while watching some videos from TED conferences , and afterwards I realized it made sense and was very applicable , whether to leading firefighters or to endeavors in the private sector . The video starts off with a young man who is dancing by himself and looking somewhat ridiculous . He is drawing attention from the crowd , with people laughing and talking about what he is doing . Things change once another person joins in , and we see the original lone dancer , now a leader , as he embraces the first follower as an equal . The first follower publicly shows everyone else how to follow . ( Now remember , it often takes guts to fill this role , and as such being the first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership .) Once this person gets the hang of the dance moves , he now waves his buddies over , and as they join in , you see the lone dancer starting a movement . The crowd now sees the followers , and this is where each new dancer emulates the followers and not the leader . As the video progresses , more people continue to jump in and dance because it is no longer risky for them as they won ’ t stand out and won ’ t be ridiculed . They are now part of the crowd .
As I watch this video , I can picture certain crews within this organization where the same dynamic occurs . Have you ever seen a shift where the captain was technically in charge , but the rest of the crew followed the informal leader such as the engineer or salty firefighter ? That informal leader is the team member truly running the shift . The captain should seek out this informal leader , take advantage of the situation and nurture this member as the first follower — since as we ’ ve seen , that ’ s who builds momentum toward team building . It is here where Mr . Sivers explains how the first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader , or in another meaning , if the leader is the flint , the first follower is the spark that really makes the fire .
In closing , I would like to thank Derek Sivers for his excellent explanation on leadership and followers . You can find it on YouTube . I would also like to close by reinforcing the point that if you ’ re a leader , it ’ s never about you , it ’ s about your followers .
Summer 2016 • FIREWIRE 7