By Kelly McGowan
In the fire service today, it is not uncommon to find many young firefighters in “senior” or “leadership” roles and positions within our departments. It is also not uncommon to find an experienced driver and company officer overseeing a firefighter many years younger than they are. You can throw a dart at almost any place on a map and find a department that will complain about the generational gap. Bridging the generational gap is not as challenging as we think. From a large department chief to a small department rookie, everyone plays a vital part in bridging the gap.
Times have changed and so have people. Old strategies do not work on newer generations. Society has evolved into an era of equity and inclusion, and many of the “back in the day” tactics to affect change are no longer acceptable. Technological advancements have slowed older generations where the young generations thrive. Culture has changed and will continue to change; it is up to us to decide the standard that we uphold in our fire service.
One of my favorite examples of the generation gap at work is the chainsaw. Many experienced members get upset when the new person does not understand the chainsaw completely (starting, operation, maintenance, care). This skill was something older generations often learned as youngsters, while today’s new firefighters are far less likely to have that experience. On the other hand, with the advances in technology the newer generations are excelling with technologies that can leave their elders scratching their heads. So how do we bring together these two groups into a functioning team?
Leading in a multi-generational department
How do we lead the change to bridge the gap? The key to the answer is found in the word “lead.” It takes a leader to bring change. Many values go into what makes a good leader: accountability, respect, transparency, motivation, consistency, communication, and trust. Notice in this list rank is not a factor; anyone can be a leader.
Accountability, or the lack of, is the biggest factor effecting fire service culture and it begins with us. We let the fear of HR and policies control our decision making on what and how we hold others accountable. Accountability conversations are hard, but necessary.
The two Es are the first two essential elements in any effort to improve accountability. The first is ego. We must check ourselves first and check ourselves often. When our egos are in check then we can move to the E of expectations. It is impossible to hold someone accountable if they do not know what is expected of them. Having clear expectations will lead to an easier accountability conversation.
Creating accountability
Once again, accountability begins with each of us. We must set expectations and goals for ourselves first and foremost.
People in positions of rank, especially new officers, must set expectations early with their crews/subordinates.
And remember, everyone is in position to be a leader when it comes to accountability, regardless of rank. So, set expectations for your bosses, and hold them accountable.
Expectations and goals are very similar in this regard. You set a goal for yourself and your team, setting the expectations is what leads you to accomplish your goals. Goals and expectations are the strategies and tactics of accountability. Accountability is not making smart remarks or putting others down, especially in front of others to gain clout or seem like the person with the ‘I don’t care’ attitude. Remember how egos affect our culture, check yourself.
Once egos are set aside and expectations are set, we can begin holding each other accountable and holding each other to a higher standard. When someone fails to meet expectations, how we handle it can widen the gap or bridge it. If we let failure go without addressing it, we’re only creating a bigger issue down the road. Today’s difficult accountability discussion that’s avoided becomes tomorrow’s heated discussion. That leads into the next leadership value, respect.
When having an accountability conversation, we must enter it with a respectful manner and tone. Firefighters by nature have alpha personalities. Alphas feel the need to be in control; these conversations may seem like an attack and make them feel out of control.
Maintain a level head and keep respect in the middle of the conversation to keep a level ground. Do not sugar coat anything to avoid the topic, be clear and be transparent. In all aspects of the job good leaders from the bottom to the top are transparent. We must be transparent in expectations and accountability. Transparency assures there is no gray area.
The key to notice here is that all of this is done with no reference to age. Expectations and goals are not tied to an individual, but rather to the job, which makes the blind to age differences.
Motivating others
One of the most important roles we as leaders have is being the motivator. Getting ourselves and others motivated to meet expectations and goals is key in achieving our mission. Motivation is a lot simpler than some may think. Everyone is motivated by something that influences and drives them. As leaders it is our job to channel what that something is and use it.
This is why it is important that you know your people. This is where the “brotherhood” comes into play. Once we find the “why” of a person, we can pair it with the already established expectations and goals that each person has set for themselves. When this does not work a conversation must be had about consequences.
Consequences are not necessarily discipline or a write-up. Consequences are the practical problems that emerge when expectations aren’t met. For example, if you fail to get fuel you will run out. The inaction of not getting fuel leads to a vehicle not working. When motivating others be respectful. The fun part about motivation is others give you the tools to motivate them, by setting expectations and holding others accountable we can motivate them. This is why it is important to have each person establish their own goals and expectations, use it as fuel to motivate.
Open communication
Create an environment of open communication. You can’t have strong collaboration without effective communication. To positively channel generational diversity in the workplace, you need to create an environment where each member of your team has a forum to be heard and feels confident that their input will be respected, even if the team chooses an alternative direction.
You can foster open communication by being transparent and encouraging your employees to provide their insights, ideas and feedback, both positive and negative. When faced with negative feedback, make sure that you set the example by listening without interruption while your employees share their perspectives.
Your employees have different ways of thinking and behaving. By sharing how each of your team members think, you can help them better understand each other’s preferences and appreciate the unique perspectives they bring to the table, no matter their age. At any point something is unclear take the time to clear the room of any doubt and confusion and remember body language has the biggest effect on a conversation.
With the advances in technology different generations communicate better in various types of communication, such as, email, text, phone call. These are all useful, but some conversations are best to be held face to face since we cannot determine tone through a written message.
Creating trust
One of the most important aspects of the job is trust. We must trust each other to make sure we make it back at the end of shift.
A few easy steps to build trust are to do what you say you will do. Be approachable and show support for your team members, even when they make mistakes. And, admit to your own mistakes.Tthis goes back to holding yourself accountable and checking your ego.
Work hard to win over people by being respectful of their ideas and perspectives. Ensure that your words and actions match, not just some of the time, but all the time. Do hard things and lead by example. Honesty, transparency, and consistency are paramount for building and maintaining trust.
Bridging the gap
By following these steps, we can bridge the gap between our generations and create a better fire service. From the bottom to the top, and the top to the bottom by working together towards a common goal and holding each other accountable in a healthy manner will change our culture into one that brings us back to having a strong brotherhood. Our fire service is experiencing a changing of the guard. We have many young go-getters getting shut down by an outdated culture that “always did it this way.” This will only breed a worse culture and service. We owe it to our citizens, past fire service, and ourselves to leave it better than we found it. Together we can, and we will, bridge the gap.
BIO
Kelly McGowan is a 9-year fire service veteran. Currently assigned to Engine 22 with the City of Raleigh Fire Department as a firefighter and serving with the Town of Red Springs Fire Department as a captain and training officer. Before Raleigh Fire Department, Kelly served with Horry County Fire Rescue in South Carolina with time split between Squad 18 and Squad 1. Kelly earned a fire science degree in 2019 to add in with on-the-job knowledge. He is a fire instructor with both Robeson and Southeastern Community Colleges and aids in teaching fire academies with both schools. His passion for training and education led him to help form the Three Rivers F.O.O.L.S. in the southeastern region of North Carolina where he serves as president of the executive board.
