Recently, I received the gift of a renewed version of a past good fortune in church. Our senior pastor delivered a sermon about the manner by which Jesus was treated by those who lived in his hometown of Nazareth. The pastor spent several moments discussing that point in Jesus’ life when he began to spend a growing amount of time speaking on a wide variety of important topics. People grew discontented. “Is he not just the son of Joseph, our local carpenter?” They scoffed at him and made him the butt of their derisive comments.
Does this sound familiar to you? I know it seems sadly too true to me.
I have been fortunate to be able to travel far and wide in search of knowledge. I also have been privileged to serve in leadership positions in professional associations. I found that if you pay attention to the people who are around you, you can learn important lessons. I made positive lessons part of my professional persona. I eliminated those things that seemed negative or stupid from the way that I did business. I believe this made me a better leader and a better person.
It always bothered me to see people who attended educational and professional meetings go on to do absolutely nothing with all that they learned. Like a sponge, they sucked up the knowledge, but they didn’t squeeze it out to share with others.
I always tried to share what I learned with the people in the fire departments to which I was privileged to belong. I worked to change things that I came in contact with. I had successes; I had failures. Sadly, there were far more problems than successes.
That said, some people didn’t wish to hear what I had to say. This disturbed me. Perhaps it was the strength of my personality that turned off people. I also believe that my efforts were a direct challenge to the complacency that far too many people seem to enjoy.
I am confident that the sharing of my experiences can have a positive effect on those with whom I interact. I recall many who did this for me. I owe it to them to carry on for as long as I can.
This is critical. Like the Biblical story of the mustard seed, I have cast my seeds of knowledge on the rocks and poor soil of the fire service. Fortunately, I also have been able to cast my seeds on some fertile earth. Many are the people who I mentored from a distance. I believe that I never will know how many people I helped.
However, from time to time, I get some really neat messages thanking me for the influence that I had on someone’s career. It makes an old chief feel quite good. Hopefully, you will come to know this joy at some time in your future.
What is it then that I am suggesting that you do?
- Become a student of the fire world
- Read as much as you can about this world within which you operate
- Become a regular at your local library
- Become a regular in the online world of professional knowledge
- Go back to school, whether it involves courses at your local fire academy, your state fire academy, the National Fire Academy, or a local or online college
Don’t put this off. I made up my mind on my 40th birthday that I would become a nationally known fire service leader by my 50th birthday. I believe I achieved my goal. Yet, I continue to grow, build and share.
In closing, please contemplate performing the following tasks: listen, care, support, encourage, learn, share and be honest.
Dr. Martin Luther King shared the following with us. “We must accept finite disappointments, but never lose infinite hope.” My friends, you must soldier on to become the best that you can be. More than that, you must share what you have learned to make your fellow travelers better. Please get off of your duff and get rolling today.
