WHY NOT, WHO CARES: A Leadership Concept
Let see how this one goes. This is an article I have been trying to work on for quite some time as it is hard to describe and tough conceptually.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to provide our members with the resources they need to be successful. This is our sole responsibility. When deciding on ideas, proposals, or requests, many times we struggle to justify how we are making decisions, or our personal emotions quickly take over and provide the answer. When approached with a request or idea, there are two questions each leader needs to ask themselves. Why Not? Who Cares?
This leadership approach will allow each leader to understand the best possible answer to the member’s requests while also providing a reason why if the answer is no. We should always strive to encourage, empower and inspire our members by allowing them to express themselves and have creative solutions to problems. When we say no repeatedly, it begins to instill a culture of no, which leads to a lack of innovation and creative ideas and thus a lack of motivation, inspiration, and performance. This exudes a lack of trust.
When approached with an idea, each leader needs to ask themselves, Why Not? Why can’t the task or project be done? Does it affect how we respond, affect our equipment in a negative way, does it cost a lot of money? What is the reason? By asking this question, it begins to expose the justification of the decision. If the answer is no, that is completely fine because someone must have oversight and cannot turn the organization into a free-for-all; just have legitimate justification to maintain the trust between the two parties. Also, be sure to include all parties who maybe affected by the request.
Secondly, “who cares” and why do they care? If the leader says yes to the idea, project, or change, who is it going to be affect and why do they care? If the decision is going to have major implications, who are they from? If the decisions are made based on emotions or self-centered decisions because they don’t like it, those are faulty judgments. Egotistical and self-centered behaviors are what negates innovation and morale within organizations.
There are going to be times when NO is not only necessary but required. Firefighters have some outlandish request which are not always feasible. There is a lot to consider for officers and decision-makers in the organization. Budgets are always tights and sometimes, things are not worth the cost. Balance is key. We cannot always say yes, but it shouldn’t always be no either. We need to weigh the cost of improved morale over the other considerations as well. Things that may seem small to you may be significant to others and if we can get a win by allowing simple requests to be approved, it’s a no brainer.
I will share a story of a simple request which had a positive impact on the crews. We have all seen street signs on fire apparatus from New York and the east coast to California and the west coast. These signs let the neighborhood know their fire station is there for them to protect and serve the town or neighborhood they represent. It’s a sense of pride and ownership, investing in the community. The request went in with zero cost to the organization. The consensus among the men was this was going to be denied and why even try. When the request came back approved, the crews found a small win and a sense of pride in the new addition to the apparatus. Subsequently, more and more requests started coming in. Not large things, but projects which could make a difference in the station appearance, apparatus functionality, and even safety issues. These small requests can have significant meaning to the station or crews. Let the firefighters express themselves ina creative way and find passion. As colleague often says, “fly the colors”, which means represent your community and show you are there for them.
I am not suggesting we let people run crazy with their own ideas and turning the organization into anarchy, but we should strive for empowerment, creativity, and innovation. You will be surprised by what firefighters will come up with for ideas to be better and show pride in what they do.
So, If you are struggling with a decision, ask yourself, “Why Not and Who Cares?
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