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The Transition to Chief: Still Friends?
• Impact: If you've been promoted to chief, or are friends with someone who has ... how have your inter-departmental relationships changed? Post your thoughts....
By Cindy Devone-Pacheco, FireRescue magazine
Fire-Rescue International offers a lengthy list of classes and workshops, but one in particular caught my eye. As an editor for FireRescue magazine, I’m constantly looking for interesting, innovative, timely, practical information that applies to our readers, many of whom are company officers. So when I saw the title of one class in particular in the education listings, “But They’re My Friends: Transitioning to Company Officer to Chief Officer,” I couldn’t resist taking the class and finding out what the class had to offer.
Taught by Phil Davis, retired fire chief and principal for Davis Health and Safety Associates, the class was more of a discussion than a monotonous lecture. Attendees were welcome to chime in, respond to questions, admit their fire service tattoos, etc.
Davis’ overall message was that in order to make the leap from company officer to chief, and still maintain your friendships and relationships, it’s imperative to make relationships a priority. After all, the fire service is more about customer service than firefighting.
Davis displayed many one-liners and tidbits of wisdom on the available screen, such as “Kindness is free,” and “You can give as much respect in your lifetime as you want to.” But when you got past those frequently displayed notes, the class was very informative and obviously got people thinking.
Davis first defined the difference between company officers and chief officers. Company officers follow rules, SOPs, policies, etc. Chiefs have more leeway, more latitude, when making decisions. In fact, chief decisions are often not based on SOPs and more based on the chief’s ability to discern whether decisions are moral, ethical and/or legal. In other words, would your mother approve of your actions/decisions if she saw you doing them on TV?
But there was no doubt in the class that maintaining friendships after promoting to chief was a challenge. Your friends, who then become your subordinates, know you better than anyone else, therefore they might expect you to favor them, or they might be upset if you try to lead them.
One major obstacle of becoming a successful chief, but still maintaining your friendships: credibility or office tattoos. If you were the company’s “class clown” and you become a chief, can you get past your youth? Can you shed your tattoos? Can you lead your friends (now your subordinates) even though they know and still hold onto your tattoos?
To get past them, you must work very hard. You must be able to prove yourself as a chief, both in your level of integrity and your level of leadership. If a friend challenges your leadership, you must have the strength to stand up to them and stand up for yourself, while still allowing your relationship to exist.
If you’re thinking about promoting to the chief position, ask yourself the following questions regarding dealing with friends:
1) Can you get past your youth?
2) Will you be able to hold your friends accountable?
3) Will you be able to mentor them?
4) Will you be comfortable holding a radio and not a hoseline?
5) Are you politically astute?
Remember: The four most important words in any organization: What do you think? This means that you, as a leader, must engage your subordinates and seek out and value their input.
If you do become a chief, ask yourself:
1) Can you discipline your friends?
2) Can you keep organizational information confidential?
3) Can you own other people’s actions?
4) Can you stop the buck at your level? Meaning, do you have a backbone?
5) Can you solve problems?
Important: Once you’re the chief, you’re always the chief, whether you’re on duty or off.
Davis closed the session by reminding people that perception is all that matters. What people see is what people remember and judge you by. He noted that social media is an avenue by which people get instant customer feedback, which means that if you do something that your mother wouldn’t be happy to see you doing on TV, it’ll be broadcast on YouTube before it hits local news stations.
So to maintain your friendships after you’re promoted, remember to maintain your relationships, communicate with your department, but also embody what it means to be a chief. If you can lead with dignity and confidence, your friends will (or should) be proud of you and happy to follow your lead.
By Cindy Devone-Pacheco, FireRescue magazine
Fire-Rescue International offers a lengthy list of classes and workshops, but one in particular caught my eye. As an editor for FireRescue magazine, I’m constantly looking for interesting, innovative, timely, practical information that applies to our readers, many of whom are company officers. So when I saw the title of one class in particular in the education listings, “But They’re My Friends: Transitioning to Company Officer to Chief Officer,” I couldn’t resist taking the class and finding out what the class had to offer.
Taught by Phil Davis, retired fire chief and principal for Davis Health and Safety Associates, the class was more of a discussion than a monotonous lecture. Attendees were welcome to chime in, respond to questions, admit their fire service tattoos, etc.
Davis’ overall message was that in order to make the leap from company officer to chief, and still maintain your friendships and relationships, it’s imperative to make relationships a priority. After all, the fire service is more about customer service than firefighting.
Davis displayed many one-liners and tidbits of wisdom on the available screen, such as “Kindness is free,” and “You can give as much respect in your lifetime as you want to.” But when you got past those frequently displayed notes, the class was very informative and obviously got people thinking.
Davis first defined the difference between company officers and chief officers. Company officers follow rules, SOPs, policies, etc. Chiefs have more leeway, more latitude, when making decisions. In fact, chief decisions are often not based on SOPs and more based on the chief’s ability to discern whether decisions are moral, ethical and/or legal. In other words, would your mother approve of your actions/decisions if she saw you doing them on TV?
But there was no doubt in the class that maintaining friendships after promoting to chief was a challenge. Your friends, who then become your subordinates, know you better than anyone else, therefore they might expect you to favor them, or they might be upset if you try to lead them.
One major obstacle of becoming a successful chief, but still maintaining your friendships: credibility or office tattoos. If you were the company’s “class clown” and you become a chief, can you get past your youth? Can you shed your tattoos? Can you lead your friends (now your subordinates) even though they know and still hold onto your tattoos?
To get past them, you must work very hard. You must be able to prove yourself as a chief, both in your level of integrity and your level of leadership. If a friend challenges your leadership, you must have the strength to stand up to them and stand up for yourself, while still allowing your relationship to exist.
If you’re thinking about promoting to the chief position, ask yourself the following questions regarding dealing with friends:
1) Can you get past your youth?
2) Will you be able to hold your friends accountable?
3) Will you be able to mentor them?
4) Will you be comfortable holding a radio and not a hoseline?
5) Are you politically astute?
Remember: The four most important words in any organization: What do you think? This means that you, as a leader, must engage your subordinates and seek out and value their input.
If you do become a chief, ask yourself:
1) Can you discipline your friends?
2) Can you keep organizational information confidential?
3) Can you own other people’s actions?
4) Can you stop the buck at your level? Meaning, do you have a backbone?
5) Can you solve problems?
Important: Once you’re the chief, you’re always the chief, whether you’re on duty or off.
Davis closed the session by reminding people that perception is all that matters. What people see is what people remember and judge you by. He noted that social media is an avenue by which people get instant customer feedback, which means that if you do something that your mother wouldn’t be happy to see you doing on TV, it’ll be broadcast on YouTube before it hits local news stations.
So to maintain your friendships after you’re promoted, remember to maintain your relationships, communicate with your department, but also embody what it means to be a chief. If you can lead with dignity and confidence, your friends will (or should) be proud of you and happy to follow your lead.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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My dept. has definatly faced this same challenge. We had the same chief for over 30 years. He was an older guy that had been on the dept. a long time! He had absolutly no problem telling people what to do and was never worried about making friends. So basically... he was a good chief lol.
Two years ago, he decided to retire and the current asst. cheif tells everyone right away that he does not want the position. That opened the floor for some younger guys to get in. Sure enough... one did. The new chief was only 28 years old... a real good guy who was very smart on the fireground but still had some of those tattoos from his youth.
The bigger problem was him now being chief and all of his friends still being lieutenants and ff's. He never wanted to give orders, they never wanted to take orders, every magjor dept. decision ended up in a fight. Well... two years later things have definatly improved but every once and awhile, they revert back to their youth and are back at it.
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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Chief, good stuff! I was promoted to Chief after 12 years with my Department and from Asst Chief. I struggled for a time recognizing that I was now in charge over my friends. Soon though I came to realize that more importantly my job was to earn their respect and continue their friendship. Once I came to the realization of who I was and what my responsibility was their support and respect made all the difference in the world. They still support me and I continue to earn the respect and friendship of each and every member of the Department. No doubt I may not always make them all happy and at times my decisions arnt going to satisfy everyone either. I have to a place after 18 years as Chief to realize also that I am mentoring and befriending many of my young firefighters. I take great pleasure in seeing these young people learn, grow and mature within our organization. Thanks for sharing this information on this subject. Thanks for the reminder of who we are.
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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A wise Chief once said to me " I'm not here to make friends... I'm here to get a job done and leave the Department a better place than when I found it."
Each step up through the ranks takes you a little farther away from the line. Once you get promoted, in the eyes of the firefighters, you have become one of "them"...
I have this thing I call the "funnel/plunger" theory.
The bugle that represents the fire officer's rank has two purposes.
A fire officer has to cram a lot of information into his head (the funnel) and has to deal with the crap that comes with the position (the plunger)
Lieutenants have one funnel/plunger, as they deal with the info and crap on the company level.
Captains have two funnel/plungers, for they need more info and deal with the crap that the LTs cant handle as well as their own company level crap.
Deputy Chiefs have three of them that magically turn to gold, for they deal with more information and crap on a much higher level... from the LTs, Captains as well as their own.
Assistant Chiefs have 4 for the same reason.
Chiefs have 5 gold funnel/plungers, for they also deal with the politicians, who have the uncanny ability to spew endless amounts of crap at the FD.
One thing that many Chiefs forget.. where they came from.
When the rubber hits the road, who is going to be behind you as you lead?
It's not the politicians for damn sure.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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I was chief for 14 years, until I stepped down to run for trustee.
I have not lost any friends as a result.
In fact; I have made many new friends.
As long as your friends understand that you have a public persona and a private persona and not to cross that line, there won't be any problems.
If the parameters of the friendship are well established, then someone getting a promotion should have no bearing on it.
Anyone wishing to take advantage of the circumstances are not friends, but acquaintances.
And I would have no problem telling an acquaintance where to get off.
Friends are happy for each other's success and remain supportive when things don't go well.
TCSS.
Art
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Very good point, Art... very good point.
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Permalink Reply by Rogelio De La Cruz on
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I was a Fire Chief before retiring. I agree with most of what you said. You still have to take a step back and look at whole picture. The issue is always going to be what is best for the client, (the tax payer). I promoted from the line and my view changed, as did my relationships with my co-workers (friends). I had to decline certain invitations to socialing or at least limit the time spent with friends. Respect is earned and sometimes distancing yourself from other is the ticket. I made sure to keep abreast of everyone of the guys life, kids, likes and dislikes. Keep in touch with the line, but do not cross it.
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