By Timothy E. Sendelbach
See American Military University in Product Connect
Published Monday, July 2, 2012
There's an age-old debate about whether good leaders are made, or born. In this interview with FireRescue editor-in-chief Tim Sendelbach, Los Angeles County Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Metro comes down squarely on the side that leaders are made, not born. "Leadership is a learned and practiced skill, but we tend to talk about it philsophically," he says. "We need to give firefighters tools and practical information for how to develop leadership abilities." Chief Metro shares what he believes are the three fundamentals of good fire service leadership--character, competency and connection--as well as some of the traits that contribute to good leadership. Finally, he talks about how the fire service delivery model is changing, and why such changes only underscore the need for company officers to develop superior leadership skills.
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Timothy E. Sendelbach
Timothy E. Sendelbach is the editor-in-chief of FireRescue magazine. He currently serves as an assistant chief in Southern Nevada. Sendelbach is the president and founder of TES Training & Education Services, a group of fire instructors dedicated to providing progressive, high-impact, high-energy training for fire and emergency services providers throughout the United States and Canada. He was president of the International Society of Fire Services Instructors (ISFSI) from 2003 to 2008. Sendelbach has a master's degree in leadership from Bellevue University, a bachelor's degree in fire administration and arson, and an associate's degree in emergency medical care from Eastern Kentucky University. Read Full Bio
