Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
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Wildland Fire Leadership is blog where students of fire and leadership come together to discuss, debate and exchange leadership development concepts, experience, and thoughts with an intent to promote cultural change in the workforce and strengthen the wildland fire service and the communities they serve.
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
1M ago
(Zacharie Grossen - Own work)
Author: Pam McDonald, BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development
I recently listened to Wondery's Against The Odds podcast "K2: The Savage Mountain" about one of the worst climbing disasters of modern times. In 2008, 11 people died and 3 were injured attempting to reach the summit. "Summit fever" leads to one in five climbers losing their life on the summit. Knowing when enough is enough may very well be a successful operation. The very same should be said about wildland fire suppression operations. Every wildland firefighter sho ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
2M ago
(Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0
<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Author: Pam McDonald, BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development
Do you follow the Chinese new year and their zodiac animals?
I was born in the year of the snake and formed in the womb during the year of the wood dragon. As I begin the glide to retirement, 2024 is the year of the wood dragon; I will retire in the year of the snake. Coincidence? Not really, the calendar is on a 12-year cycle. I will be eligible to retire on my fifth cycle of the Chines ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
2M ago
(Photo Credit: Leadership Freak)
Author: Pam McDonald, BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development
If you are a member of the wildland fire service, you are aware of after action reviews. Good leaders conduct them after every operation, but do you conduct personal reflections? Practicing the art of self-reflection on a regular/daily basis is a valuable exercise. I
Why is self-reflection important to personal growth?
In "Self-Reflection: How To Make The Most From Every Experience," Adam Sicinski shares the following benefits:
Learn from your failures ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
2M ago
Photo Credit: Arron Bartz
Author: Christopher Ayer, Corona De Tucson Fire Department
Personally, December through about February is the hardest part of the year. It’s cold, dark, and there is rain, probably snow, in other places (not so much in Region 3)—not the most ideal burn conditions for new starts or IA responses. My fix for the problem is watching fire videos on YouTube, namely WFSTAR and documentaries. If the video contains wildfire content, there is a good chance I’ve seen it by February. There are a couple of new documentaries about the origins of the smokejumpers and ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
3M ago
("Character matters; leadership descends from character" by Aaron Gustafson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.)
Only a leader with strong character and a strong sense of security can feel so certain of the blamelessness of his heart that he invites the scrutiny of his peers. C. S. Lewis calls this quality, "Leaders with chests." Lewis likened the properly ordered soul to the human body: the head (reason) must rule the belly (the sensual appetites) through the chest (character and spirit). The chest is the indispensable liaison between reason and the appetites. Without a ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
4M ago
Challenge #52: Effective leaders put knowledge into practice.
Congratulations! You have spent a year learning about servant leadership.
If you are willing to serve, obtain a copy of The Servant Leadership Journal – An 18 Week Journey to Transform You and Your Organization.
Dig deeper on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
4M ago
A moral person operates out of love—love of self and others. – James Sipe and Don Frick, Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership
[Photo: Ben Strahan/El Dorado IHC ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
4M ago
Challenge #51 – Servant-Leaders share their power.
Watch WFSTAR’s “Command and Control.”
How does this command-and-control model distribute power?
Dig deeper on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
4M ago
A person’s true wealth lies not in material possessions but in the depth of their kindness and compassion. – George Raveling, coach
[Photo: Northern California District BLM ..read more
Wildland Fire Leadership Blog
4M ago
No one knows less about humility than he who is truly humble. – Martin Luther quote from "Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership" by Sipes and Frick
[Photo: San Carlos Agency/BIA ..read more