Leadership is Dangerous!!
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” It’s a line many of us remember from the Mission Impossible movie (1996 for younger audiences) and television shows (1966 to 1973 for the more mature among us). Of course we all know the character NEVER refused to turn down an assignment. The premise behind the situation is that the accepter of the assignment was walking into a situation that very likely would prove to be injurious (if not deadly). Unlike the dangers involved in a being “double-not spy,” the dangers associated with being the leader can be murderous to a career.
Many of us remember riding tailboard (yes, I’m old enough to have done it) or backwards griping and grousing about the “idiot in charge” and how you would do it if you were in charge. The solutions seemed so clear and easy when your viewpoint is on the micro-level. Its only when you begin to take on more responsibility that the challenges of leading become clearer. As an entry-level firefighter you are in position that is safe to say and do pretty much what you want. It’s only with the attainment of higher rank that you begin to understand the dangers of being out front and having the things you say and do open to criticism.
For those individuals who have completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy you will remember a book written by Heifetz and Linsky entitled “Leadership on the Line.” In the book the authors bring out some very salient points that drive home the dangers of leadership and being a leader. When watching someone in a leadership position, it’s not unusual to believe what they are doing is easy. Often times a quality leader makes the job look easier, and if he is, in fact, doing the job effectively those around him won’t see the challenges he faced. When firefighters look at a lieutenant they often only see someone sitting at a computer (supposedly playing solitaire) or an officer simply telling a firefighter what hose to pull. Quite often someone will see the chief coming into the office at 9 a.m. and thinking “must be nice to have banker’s hours.” The reality is that most people never see that lieutenant dealing with a poorly performing crewmember, or the fire chief getting the proverbial “pound of flesh” removed ounce by ounce by the city or county council, mayor, town or municipal administrator, or one of a number of city, town, or county elected officials.
Being a leader often times places someone in difficult situations that are not fun. Leaders are often times directly involved on conflict. Let me make this point exceptionally clear, conflict is not a bad thing, but the reality is that conflict is never fun and enjoyable. Whenever conflict occurs there are often people who view the exchange from the standpoint of winning and losing. This causes most people to shy away from conflict and try to take the path of least resistance. Being a leader often requires you to deliver bad news or to take positions that are unpopular.
As many of us reflect about our careers, we can probably come up with the memory of a specific supervisor who tried to be everyone’s friend, and getting that individual to take a stand on an issue was similar to nailing Jell-O to the wall. In their book, Heifetz and Linsky point out “the hope of leadership lies in the capacity to deliver disturbing news and raise difficult questions in a way that people can absorb, prodding them to take up the message rather than ignore it or kill the messenger.” (p.12)
Being a leader requires nerves of steel, strength of spirit, and an ability to not only see the vision but actually take a firm stand for things that are unpopular. Being a leader often requires you to deliver a message that others may find disturbing to their “natural order of operation.” They know how things should be done. Poorly performing employees don’t like to hear that their performance is sub-standard. When they hear this the reaction is typically one of anger and hatred. They will do whatever it takes to get back at you for your observation of them. Imagine the danger if this poor performer is a twenty year veteran that has been allowed to perform this way by all of the previous leaders in the department. Just think of the damage this individual can do to you because of his position as a “senior” member in the department. However, the gold nugget here is that in communicating that bad news you have a chance to make the team (organization) better in the long run. Chances are that everyone in the organization knew how bad this individual was, but nobody would deal with the problem.
As a leader who isn’t afraid to break a few eggs? You will be respected by those around you for standing firm and making the hard decisions. Unfortunately, they may not come to your defense, but they will respect you. The dangers of leadership are very real. The decisions you make can often times be unpopular and may in fact make enemies of some people. The challenge comes in recognizing the landmines and understanding how to navigate the minefield without getting yourself killed (or fired)!
