Leadership Principles and Practices: Making the Transition from Plan to Progress! By Dr. Bill Lowe

Dr. Bill Lowe, EMT-P, EFO Institute of Emergency Preparedness Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, Alabama Assistant Professor of Emergency Management Doctorate in Business Administration Master of Disaster Science 30 years of Command Experience as a Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Georgia Law Enforcement Officer – SWAT Medic Hazardous Materials Technician

Change in Emergency Management? OVER MY DEAD BODY!”

Three Categories of Emergency Management Change:  Mission  Methodology  Technology

Emergency Management – Importance and Commitment? Having a crisis event is a PROVEN Method to WAKE People Up and GET their Attention!

Senior Leadership’s Change Responses Underestimated impact of change Isolate themselves Gather information on change via written reports Expect subordinates to “just” comply Blame middle managers for rank-and-rank resistance Feel betrayed when subordinates resist/complain

Middle Managers’ Change Responses Pulled in different directions Often lack critical information about the change “Caught in the middle” and lack clear instructions Have to interact with angry and frustrated subordinates Deserted and blamed by supervisors

Rank-and-File Members’ Change Responses Feel attacked/abandoned by supervisors Caught by surprise Angry, frustrated, confused, frightened Afraid to take risks, be innovative, or assume responsibility Loss of relationships and predictable career goals

Emergency Management - Planning for THE Plan to Go Wrong

Kouzes and Posner’s Ten Leadership Commandments Challenging the Process 1.Search out challenging opportunities to change, grow, innovate, and improve 2. Experiment, take risks, and learn from the accompanying mistakes

Plan Your Emergency Management Tactics & Strategy – and WORK THAT PLAN!

Kouzes and Posner’s Ten Leadership Commandments Inspiring a Shared Vision 3. Envision an uplifting and ennobling future 4. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to their values, interests, hopes, and dreams

Kouzes and Posner’s Ten Leadership Commandments Enabling Others to Act 5. Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust 6. Strengthen people by giving power away, providing choice, developing competence, assigning critical task, and offering visible support

Kouzes and Posner’s Ten Leadership Commandments Modeling the Way 7. Set the example by behaving in ways that are consistent with shared values 8. Achieve small wins that promote consistent progress and build commitment

Who gets the Blame when Management and Line Personnel Do NOT Cooperate and WORK Together on Emergency Management Initiatives? Let the Finger Pointing Begin!

Kouzes and Posner’s Ten Leadership Commandments Encouraging the Heart 9. Recognize individual contributions to the success of every project 10.Celebrate team accomplishments regularly

Putting Plans Into Action - Changes Brief your employees on the upcoming changes When? How? Describe the change as comprehensively as possible Most affected get the most attention Understand your agency’s historical reaction to change Have change priorities

How Hard Does CHANGE Have to BE? It’s Just NOT that Complicated! Or this IT?

Planning for Change Have contingency plans Productivity levels? Increase or decrease Employee input critical Assess KSA’s needed by employees Develop change timetable / objectives

Implementing Change Providing training of new skills Provide more feedback so people know where they stand Allow resistance. Allow people to make up their own minds on their own timelines Seek opportunities created by the change Monitor the progress

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Thanks! Bill