Leading in Difficult TimesChallenges or Opportunities?

May 12, 2010CFED West Conference

Presented by: Sheldon D. Gilbert, Fire ChiefPresident, California Fire Chiefs Association

Opportunity…Who’s taking chances right now?

FEELING LUCKY?

Who’s taking chances right now?

FEELING LUCKY?

Are you kidding me

You don’t have to be as bold as Kellogg or as daring as Steve Jobs.But don’t use the long shadow of the

economic crisisas an excuse to downsize your dreams

or stop taking chances.

~ Bill Taylor, Harvard Business Blogs

Sample Reaction 1:

Deer in the headlights

Antidote 1:

Flash your headlights

Head in, hands on. ~ Ram Charan

GUIDING PRINCIPLE - NOW

Sample Reaction 2:

Paddle Harder

Antidote 2:

Moneyball: The art of winning an unfair game

CHANGE YOUR VIEW

What’s your new knowledge?At the bottom of the Oakland experimentwas a willingness to rethink baseball: how itis managed, how it is played, who is bestsuited to play it, and why. Understandingthat he would never have a Yankee-sizedcheckbook, the Oakland A’s generalmanager, Billy Beane, had set about lookingfor inefficiencies in the game. Looking for, inessence, new baseball knowledge.

~ From Michael Lewis, Moneyball

Sample Reaction 3:

Pretend it will just go away

Deal with the world as it is,Not how you’d like it to be.

~ Jack Welch

Antidote 3:

Tell it like it is – Build your leader image

Eight Common Mistakes

Too much seriousness

Lack of clarity

Self-absorption

Defensiveness

From the Center for Creative Leadership, 2009

Lack of interest

Obvious discomfort

Inconsistency

Weak speaking skills

The Mistakes That Will Get YOU!

NO STRATEGIC VISION

NO STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN

NO CLEAR DIRECTION/ LEADERSHIP

NO BUY IN

NO ACCOUNTABILITY

Where are you at?(Do you really know?)

Town Hall Meetings

Policy Maker Interviews

Organization Focus Groups

Customer surveys

Membership Surveys

Assemble Your Team

Chief Officers Labor Leaders Civilian Managers Community Members Policy Makers

Leave your badge at the door

Provide Leadership not all the answers

Make it safe

Validate Your Focus

Mission

Core Values

Fire Chiefs Vision

Philosophy

Chief’s Vision An organization that maintains and builds upon

the collaborative relationship between labor and management and the established PDMP and membership input processes.

A metro department that provides seamless increased service levels and decreased costs to as many citizens and communities within Alameda County as possible.

An organization that reflects the communities we serve and demonstrates the synergy and community benefits that come from a well trained, respectful and professional workforce with many backgrounds and skill sets.

Internal Organizational Analyses

Are we built to succeed? Too big? Too small? Too slow? Too Fast Flexibility? Sustainable business

model? Able to accommodate

public and private partnerships/Innovation

Strategic Initiative Road Map

Brings together the data, need for change and opportunity for innovation together

2-4 Goals per initiatives 2-4 Objectives per Goal Ensures Organizational

buy in and participation ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability and Follow Through

Intranet based posting and tracking -- accessible and visible (dashboard)

Formal reviews and written updates

Marketing and visibility of the plan

Reporting back to the members and community

TRANSPERANCY

CONTINUED LEADERSHIP!

Align Expectations Provide Adequate

Resources Keep visible Be the Cheer Leader Recognition CELEBRATE

SUCCESS