Tomorrow is our annual open house and recruitment day.  Wednesday I got done work early so I went to our local hardware store and rented a carpet shampooer. While shampooing the carpets in the meeting room some of our newer members stopped by to see what I was doing. They left and I carried on. Today I went down to the fire house to do some cleaning and found the bathrooms were cleaned, the trucks had been cleaned inside and windows washed. I also found a note that went like this. Lt. Sinesi, the other night when we stopped in we were impressed by your dedication on coming down and cleaning and not calling for a work detail; that 6 of use came down last night and cleaned the restrooms washed the windows and cleaned up the trucks. We will be here Sunday around 10 or so to move the trucks out and wash the bay floors down. Thank-you for your leadership by example. Signed your crew.

I can tell you all I belong to a great department and I have a great crew. Officers let me challenge you here to lead by example and not by just barking orders. You will be surprised by the respect you will get from the crew and how much smoother things will run; not only around the fire house but also on a scene.