Most employees feel frustrated, concerned, upset, or discouraged at some point during their work day. Why? Because they disagree with the boss, don’t support the suggestion of a colleague, or otherwise possess different views from the vocal majority. And yet almost none of these employees share their opinions in a way that gets results. They either clam up because they figure it’s politically unwise to disagree with the majority or the authority, or hold their differing opinions inside until they eventually blow a gasket. That is, they toggle from silence to violence. Neither method gets an idea out into the open where it can be made part of the collective view—and neither method helps improve working conditions or relationships.

Why do we routinely toggle from silence to violence? We go to silence because we dread crucial conversations. These are interactions where stakes are high, opinions differ, and emotions run strong.  We fear them because our past experience has taught us that if we’re both emotional and honest, bad things are likely to happen. So we go to silence. Better to let someone else speak his or her mind then risk our own reputation...

What image in your mind do you have of a leader? It was very clear what leadership looked like when George Washington was leading troops across the Delaware River. He was standing upright leaning into progress with eyes on the objective, one knee up braced for action, but with a sense of calmness. An early image of fire service leadership looks very much the same; recall Currier and Ives prints. All of them have scenes of action, a bent knee, and eyes on the objective, leaning into the task. In every multi company scene there is, a commander, bugle in hand, majestically pointing the way. These images indicate what fire service is very good at, coordination, where others see chaos. That coordination is that what is critical to our safety, the safety of the citizens we serve, and the quick solutions to progressing problems.

Today the image portrayed of fire service leadership is often from television; a chief officer with a white helmet, grey hair, and deep creases of character in his face, with a presence of calm competence. He is usually behind the main characters not part of the action but playing a role we all know the importance of.