The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), in addition to fire department accreditation, offers individual credentialing through their Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC). Have you considered becoming credentialed? Have you considered a review of your professional credentials? https://cpse.org/credentialing/
There are a couple of things I am confident about in leadership. I am convinced that leadership has to exist at all levels, not just the top. I believe that leaders should stay focused on continuing their personal education and credentialing, because the people they lead are always changing. I’m also convinced that the essence of leadership varies based on who needs to be led to do what? The great advantage to the system of credentialing within the CPC is that it has credentials appropriate to the job. Whether a Chief Officer, Fire Officer, Training, Investigations, or EMS, there is a credential for you if you lead.
There aren’t any secret formulas for leadership. You have to develop the necessary traits, and apply them to the “who needs to be led where” formula”. One of the smartest things I’ve read on leadership came from General Norman Schwarzkopf, and that was; “Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy”. Leaders have to have characteristics such as trust, honor, dependability, or strong and genuine values. They must all lead by example. If you want to be an example, what better example could you give than to allow a peer assessment of your skills in the form of credentialing?
The terms leader and boss are not interchangeable. You do not have to be a boss to be a leader, nor does being a boss make you a leader. Abraham Lincoln said “nearly all men can stand the test of adversity, but if you really want to test a man’s character, give him power”. Leaders are servants. Leaders have a genuine interest in the views of others. Things such as humility, courage (moral and personal), caring, integrity, and perseverance are the type things people recognize in the person they want to follow. A leader is mentally tough, because no one can lead without being criticized, and leadership requires tough decisions. Leaders are mentors. They recognize that perhaps the best way to grow future leaders is to mentor folks by showing them good leadership characteristics. Leaders also gain wisdom from mentoring, and never quit learning. Leaders walk the talk. Are you credentialed?
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