So You Dreamed Of Being a Leader?!
Whether you are an existing or aspiring leader it doesn't take long to realize that the celebrity of leadership is overrated. Moreso, there is no shortage of bad leaders running around making it harder for the good ones to get people's buy-in. Why is it that so many think leadership is about bossing people around and getting things done the way they want?
The reality of leadership is that it can be hard--really hard. Life is messy and people's problems at home--such as marriage, finances, substance abuse, or caring for our children-- can occupy our attention while at work. Also, oftentimes from a lack of sleep, stress, or having traumatic experiences we struggle to reconnect and be present with our families once we get home.
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Leading isn't just about training your people; it also involves a significant investment of time to help when problems arise. It's moments spent coaching and counseling. It's celebrating the good while not hiding from and dealing with the not so good.
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Yesterday's leadership training is not preparing people to face the challenges of today's fire service. It neglects relationships, empathy, and the power of caring about each other. We must teach leaders to focus less on themselves and strip away the vanity and ego of leadership. Our mission at Embrace The Resistance is to do just that: Create leaders with a heart for serving others.
It's time for the fire service to return to its roots by embracing the heart of a servant, humbling ourselves to our purpose, and loving each other--not just the lauded accolades of what we do. Today, and every day forth, our actions must seek to reclaim our mission and our brotherhood from the grasp of those who only see the opportunity of celebrity, instead of service.
Are you in?
#LeadersWanted
About Us
Raising the Bar for Leadership Training
Benjamin Martin has over sixteen years in public safety and currently serves as a Captain with a large metro fire department in Virginia.
He is an international speaker on a variety of leadership topics including emotional intelligence, communication, industrial psychology, and organizational culture. His presentations explore the science and health of leadership tactics in order to allow departments to operate more efficiently, with higher morale and personnel buy-in.
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His leadership articles have appeared in publications including Fire Engineering, FireRescue, Fire Department Training Network (FDTN), International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), FirefighterToolbox, and FirefighterWife. He is the founder of EmbraceTheResistance.com which features leadership training for existing and aspiring leaders. You can email him at BMartin@EmbraceTheResistance.com.
