Article Library
Thoughts on Leadership
Satisfied and Motivated - March/April 2010
Posted on May 3, 2010
American workers have reached a 20 year low when it comes to their contentment at work. According to the Conference Board, we cannot blame the recession for this level of dissatisfaction; this year’s results continue a decline in worker satisfaction that they have tracked since 1987, when they first began the survey. Considering the demographic make-up of most wildland fire agencies these days, the declining job satisfaction of young people represents a trend to which leaders and would-be leaders must pay careful attention. Effective leaders will pay serious attention to people’s satisfaction, particularly if they want to attract a new generation of young workers to their organizations, keep them around, and prepare them to lead the organization. People need challenge and fulfillment from their work. Put All the Tools in Your Toolbox - January/February 2010
Posted on May 3, 2010
I know everyone means well, but people get so passionate about their favorite solution that they sometimes promote that solution to the detriment of other useful tools, even when that doesn't make sense. We're all on the same team. We all want the same result, and people with ideas different than ours are not the enemy. Let's put all the tools in our toolbox. High Performance Requires a Diverse Team - November/December 2009
Posted on May 2, 2010
Plenty of evidence exists to suggest that high performing teams actually require a diverse mix of perspectives, skills and experience. Unfortunately, too many would-be leaders seeking flexible, adaptive and resilient teams actually produce ordinary performance by diligently hiring employees who too closely resemble themselves and the others on their team. Really good leaders, those who build teams that perform reliably, overcome adversity, anticipate and contain unexpected events, and minimize human error, know they need people with attributes and experience different from their own. Authentic leaders seek to fill gaps in their own skills, experience and interests. Diverse groups actually make decisions, avoid “group think” and solve problems better. More Reasons to Hang Up and Lead - September/October 2009
Posted on May 2, 2010
An organization’s leadership can benefit from our communications technology. After all, e-mail; voice mail; cell phones; tweets and posts at social networking sites can help busy people stay in-touch. However, as I contended in my previous column, on balance, they look more and more like obstacles in the path to good leadership. Leadership is personal. It is about character and credibility; interpersonal trust and active dialogue. It’s pretty clear that relationship building occurs best in a face-to-face context and that frequent and meaningful interaction allows a deeper kind of relationship to develop than text messages or phone calls possibly could. People would rather talk to you face-to-face than get your text message. More reasons to hang up and lead! Will This Work Here? - July/August 2009
Posted on May 2, 2010
To understand the leadership process, one must first understand that the situation and the context really matter. For example, in our rapidly diversifying and globalizing work world, one must consider national and cultural differences when weighing the applicability of leadership approaches in a cross-cultural context. So, we must always ask whether we may fairly generalize a given leadership approach cross-culturally. Whenever, importing or exporting a leadership approach cross-culturally one should ask “Will this work here?” We should not assume that American and European leadership approaches do not apply to other cultures and societies, but we should not assume that they do either.
Longer Articles
Managing the Meaning of Leadership
Posted on February 13, 2010
Managing the Meaning of Leadership A Method for Evaluating the Fireline Leadership Training
Posted on October 17, 2007
This is the master’s thesis of Michael DeGrosky, CEO of The Guidance Group. This project developed a quantifiable and, where appropriate, a statistically supportable method for collecting and analyzing training related data to support the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group (NWCG) leadership initiative with the intent of validating that the L-380 (Fireline Leadership) training is on track. It also could provide a model or template for ongoing evaluation of, not only the L-380 course, but also the broader NWCG leadership curriculum. It was a paper submitted in partial requirement for DeGrosky’s Masters of Liberal Studies in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University, and was completed under the guidance of Dr. Curtis Brungardt. Risk Leadership
Posted on January 26, 2007
This paper provides a primer on the emerging leadership theory known as "Risk Leadership." The five-page article is available for download. Improving After Action Review (AAR) Practice
Posted on June 28, 2005
This paper suggests ways to improve AAR practice within wildland fire agencies, and advocates three strategic actions necessary to systematically and comprehensively use the AAR process in wildland fire agencies. Strategic Management and Planning for Fire Science Organizations
Posted on September 6, 2004
This paper presents a direct, practical and democratic strategic planning model and explores its application to organizations that study forest fires on a scientific basis.
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