What Firefighters Can Teach Business Executives

What can firefighters teach executives? Well, they can teach about things many business executives wouldn't know unless they were in the service, a fist responder or someone who put themselves in difficult situations to help others. Because firefighters regularly their lives at risk, often without financial support (volunteer and underpaid) to help a greater purpose, they have a track record of developing high functioning teams to best fulfill their missions and reduce risk. They can also teach about essential concepts such as managing stress/EI, taking care of one's physicaal health for peak performance, resolute belief in something greater, and they know who they are serving (stakeholders).

A couple of thoughts came to mind after reading the report below on the skills needed by firefighters. There may be a few things executives can learn to round out their knowledge. There are those who build and those who protect and there is knowledge to be gained from both.

A Number of Things Firefighters can Teach Executives:

-Firefighters work in high stress situations and learn to manage stress while still functioning at their best. Managers who foster their emotional intelligence can better handle stress and work with others consistently.

-Firefighters must create teams and function as a single unit. Executive teams should have focus and work together around those goals. Practice makes perfect.

-Firefighters must stay in good health to work at an optimum. Executives know the body and brain work together so they exercise when it is needed. You can't neglect one if you hope it won't impact the other.

-Fiefighters believe in what they are doing, are internally motivated, stay on task until the fire is out. Hiring people who believe in their work, are committed to finishing the project, and show up everyday is important. Motivated internally driven employees are diamonds.

-Firefighters must be supported by a community and rely on that community for information and performance. Managers should understand their social resources and who they serve. They must learn to manage their organizational environment and serve their stakeholders well. 

Not everything can be learned in a book. Yes, a lot can but not everything. Sometimes having some real life exposure the chaos of challenging situations like firefighting, military, service, first responding, public safety, etc. can help fully develop people. If you haven't seen tough situations and found ways through them it is difficult to know where your essential strengths lay when you must rely on them. Boardroom battles and battling a blaze may be different but you will learn persistence and resilience (i.e. the grit entrepreneurs and students need). Despite challenging situations you can learn overcome.

According to this study, personality, behavior, physical condition, and psychological characteristics can affect firefighter resilience. Organizational and management style also impact performance.  Factors Impacting Firefighter Resilience

*If you want to donate to a great volunteer fire department that supports a large area then message me to the right and I will point you in the right direction. The department is tax deductible so companies with giving funds may consider. I'm always looking for grants and resources because the equiptment needs are expensive. Feel free to contribute!