A Different Kind of ROI: In the fire service, a small group of people are doing most of the work

REALITY CHECK
A Different Kind of ROI
In the fire service, a small group of people are doing most of the work
By Scott Cook

I was visiting with a friend the other day who is also the head honcho of a volunteer soccer association. He commented on how many children are in the association, the families with multiple children, and the relationship of parent participation (griping and fussing not withstanding) to children ratio.

As a rule, the parents are required to volunteer in some way in support the organization (coach, car pools, fundraisers, you get the idea). But my friend was finding out that not all of them participated equally.

It’s his first gig leading an organization, and he didn’t know of the unwritten 10/90 Rule of Organizational Inefficiency (ROI): 10% of the people do 90% of the work; and 90% of the people complain about the job that the 10% are doing.

I’ve been in volunteer firehouses where a majority of the crew does just enough to look like they’re doing their station duties or participating in the day’s training drill. Or, they’ll race through these activities, doing a slacker job, just so they can watch a rerun of last night’s game.

I’ve watched organizations fall apart because a few guys have to step up and do the job while the rest of the crew sits back listening to the lead slacker boast, “Things are going to be different when I’m in charge.”

The same holds true for career organizations as well, so don’t think you guys are getting off so easy!

See those 10%-ers doing the work? Those are the guys who are making the fire service better. They’re the guys sitting around wondering, “What if?” They’re the guys that made the job easier for the next generation: full PPE, thermal imaging, advances in SCBA, equipment design, RIT techniques … the list goes on. Put simply, firefighting techniques and equipment are better and safer today because of the 10%-ers.

Now, the 90%-ers like to whine about not getting sweet assignments like serving on the new truck committee. Think about that for a minute. If the department leadership cannot depend on a 90%-er to do simple day-to-day things without complaint, why would they trust one to excel in anything else?

Pay closer attention to the people you work or volunteer with next time you’re all together in one spot. Chances are, if you’re not on a run, you’ll be able to observe the 10/90 rule in action.

If you don’t see the 10/90 rule in action, one of two things is going on:
1. Your organization is a well oiled machine. Everyone gives 100% to everything they do. And that’s to be commended. Not many organizations out there like that.
2. You’re in the 90% that does little to nothing and you’re in complete denial about it.

So, which one is it?

Scott Cook is the former chief of the Granbury (Texas) Volunteer Fire Department and a fire service instructor. He’s also a member of FireRescue’s editorial board.

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Comment by Mosleh A. Al-Thobaiti on December 19, 2010 at 7:34am: I though you guys in the West are doing better than us here in the Middle East.
We have those complainers and we have the doers. However, I can’t say 10/90 I think we have more that 30% of our people are doing an excellent job and we are working with remaining to improve their performance. Honestly I’ve attended several training shops in the US and I found most of the attendees are very active and up to any challenge during the training sessions.
I think as managements we need to look for motivation factors to help our people do what they are supposed to do.
Thank you,
Mosleh

Comment by Gregory Cox on December 16, 2010 at 4:30pm: The Tale of Nobody and Everybody

Once upon a time, there were four people: Everybody, Somebody, Nobody, and Anybody.

When there was an important job to be done, Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

When Nobody did it, Everybody got angry because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that nobody would do it.

So it ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done in the first place.

Comment by John K. Johnson on December 16, 2010 at 12:08pm: First, of all I want to give Thanks to you Scott for posting this, second, for those of you who are having these such issues please print this off and post it in your fire stations, third I am one of those 10% that gives a 110% everyday when I go to work or come home to my family. I am in a career department where I have been told that I am to ADVANCED for this department. I am a H.O.T. Instructor for Firehouse Expo (Baltimore), a Level II Fire Instructor where I work for FOUR different Community Colleges teaching FFI, FFII, & Technical Rescue. I will not let them STEAL my THUNDER and should not either. Remember one thing when you do something to better yourself and the department sees it and then another person starts doing it, don't look for the credit just give Thanks to "GOD" that someone else is paying forward. Be Fire Safe
Quote of the Day
"It is better to open your eyes and say you don't understand, than to close your eyes and say don't believe"

Comment by matt k on December 16, 2010 at 8:51am: Being a volunteer isn't easy if you are doing your job you get to where you ignore the people who don't work. At my organization I work hard when I'm there and get railed on when I miss stuff do to work obligations. Volunteer fire hobbies don't pay the bills. On a fire ground the critics are the first to ask me what do we do. Taking notes and paying attention during training helps. Keep a positive outlook and being a volunteer can be fun take it to serious and you will not last. That goes for any volunteer organization. I don't follow the 10/90 rule at my station most of the guys do their part at fundraisers it is usually the same people doing most of the work on a fire ground the fundraisers crew are not the ones I depend on. It all balances out in the end.

Comment by roy yoder on December 15, 2010 at 9:58pm: there is also another 90 to 10 rule that goes with this. 10 % of your life you can't control. the out come of the other 90% is decided by your reaction to the first 10% you can't control. stay positive and stay safe but always strive to be in the 10%. it will seem lonely.

Comment by Spartacus on December 15, 2010 at 6:02pm: There's a flip side to that.
How about situation when a small, tight group of ass-kissers is running everything -- not doing the WORK, mind you, just giving shit to those who do? And they drive out or force out anyone who shows any professionalism -- say, by doing some training?
How do you fix THAT?

Comment by Scott Sharp on December 13, 2010 at 9:18pm: I'm printing it out and passing it out at my fire company meeting tomoro nite. Hopefully, it will open a few of the 90%ers eyes.

Comment by Tiger Schmittendorf on December 13, 2010 at 10:09am: Nice job Scott -

Unfortunately, those 90%ers also will probably never see this article either.

While the 10%ers are giving 110%, the 90%ers are giving 10%. It's a formula for the demise of the fire service.

They're the same people who want the 10%ers to base their decisions on "Well, I heard..." rather than concrete research or even relatively factual information.

This is great stuff that I will be addressing in a future Fire-Rescue article on leadership absenteeism.

Stay safe. Train often.