Lesson #2 - The Key to Leadership: Priorities
Question #1 What would it mean for you to work smarter rather than harder? Pick an area where you have already tried hard work as the solution and have not succeeded?
Question #2 There are daily priorities (routines, checks, running calls, etc.) during your shift at the fire stations, what priorities should you consider as a leader toward your crews or people around you?
Please answer questions and respond to other posts!
Lesson2 question#1 Working smarter not harder is something that I have learned to be more aware of especially with age and experience. I don't know how many times I have done something to only come back to it later and realize there was an easier way I could have done it. If only I had taken a step back and gave it a little more thought. One area that I have not succeeded in is not be able to not let stress consume me on how I perform at things in life. No matter how hard I have worked at something and have prepared, I have failed at not putting tremendous pressure on my self. To me failure is not an option and when it's happen's I think how did this happen?. Then I take a step back and think to myself was there more I could have done or a smarter way that i could have prepared.
ReplyDeleteWaff, the difference between success and failure is perspective! Many times it takes failure to gain that experience to become successful. We all are hard on ourselves when we fail but we can not fail to see the value in it all. How do you handle failure today as opposed to 15 years ago?
DeleteCarlos, Today I handle failure in the way of no matter how many times I am set back, I re-evaluate what i did wrong, was there anything new that I learned from the lesson and try again and again till I achieve what I am after. I just keep working at it instead of feeling sorry for my self.
DeleteLesson2 Question#2 The priorities that I will consider around my crew and other people are to:
ReplyDelete1. Everyone treats each other with respect.
2. I create an environment of where everyone on the crew develops into a team where we all can depend on each other for advice and help.
3. To make sure the needs of my crew are being met.
4. To make sure when we respond to calls that we have solved someones emergency to the best of our ability.
5. I will also make sure the tasks that I am given from superiors and co-workers will be done right in a timely manner.
6. To train with crews members on calls that are not routine.
7. Help crew members to achieve small goals which over time turn to a big goal.
8. Practice humility. We are not perfect and sometimes it takes more than once to train on a subject to get it right.
Lesson2 Question#2 with the unknown name is mine. I accidentally it publish before I wrote my name.
ReplyDeleteI became retrospectively aware that I was working hard, yet not smart, when I reviewed the results of my 2nd captains test with DC Atkinson. I was operating under the impression that doing a good job, being a good employee, going above and beyond, etc., would communicate to my leadership that I would be a good leader. I became acutely aware that those qualities/traits were not sufficient for leadership. Necessary, yes, however there’s much more to leadership than being a good employee and hard worker. As it applies to me in this situation, working smarter would include focusing on the relational portion of my job with my crew members and supervisors. Communicating through my actions that i value others is one way that I’ve grown.
ReplyDeleteGood perspective Arn, I think we all think that those things you mentioned are or were good enough. However, after having some time on the job you see certain qualities / traits in individuals that make you step back and go wow this person really has had an impact on me. Just curious what has changed in your view of leadership since meeting with DC Atkinson?
DeleteJoel, I would say I realized that my journey to becoming a company officer is different than I expected. It’s very specific to me and the areas I needed growth. I needed to work on building relationships with people I hadn’t worked with as well as the chiefs. You could imagine the challenge this poses, building relationships with people whom you don’t get much time with.
DeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteTo me, the phrase “work smarter not harder” directly interprets to, step back, disconnect, and gain a new perspective. Putting this phrase to good use, reminds me of an incident that we had last summer in 63 first due. Initial units arrived to find a slow-moving grass fire in light flashy fuels, we opted to go Direct with the initial hand lines. However, we were completely ineffective as the wind had shifted “not in our favor”. Instead of stepping back to gain a new prospective, we opted to continue to work harder than we needed to. During the After Action Review of the incident we noticed, that if we had taken a defensive posture, the outcome of the incident would have been the same, with the fire holding at the road. The biggest take away, no matter the problem, whether it be personnel, emergency scenes, etc. Always take a step back and gain a new perspective.
Now that you’ve Acted as a Captain, how has you perspective changed regarding CVFD’s mission now as opposed to your rookie year? Anyone can answer
DeleteThat's a very good question. I ran a call as an EMT for a patient that had just eaten lunch and was feeling like he had food stuck in his throat. We arrived before the paramedics did, I assessed the patient and determined there was nothing lodged in his throat. The paramedics came in and put him on the monitor and I remember asking myself "what are they doing that for? I assessed him and determined nothing was in his throat. He's not complaining of chest pain." Turned out the patient was in SVT. Point being, it has been with my experience my perspective has widened with each step forward I have taken. I have been on both sides of the interview table, first trying to get hired, then assessing and grading applicants trying to get hired. The old adage "if I only knew then what I know now" definitely rings true. You don't know what you don't know. Having the experience as an acting captain has added to my perspective. I answered a question from the last promotional test on leadership and thought I had a well researched and thought out answer, what I didn't have was the perspective on being in that position. While my answer wasn't wrong, it wasn't real life. It was from a book I read. Knowing what I know now, with the experience I've gained, my answer would be completely different. We go to school, read books, and take classes to gain and education. When we combine that with experience, real knowledge comes to us.
DeleteJust summarizing the first half of our Mission Statement at CVFD “to provide exceptional service”. If you were to ask me what that meant 10 years ago. My answers would have sounded something like this, “I can throw an SCBA faster than 60 seconds, or, look how fast I can put a working line into service”. We can all agree, that these are great skills to strive for. But looking at our Mission from the prospective of a Captain, changes everything. To condense what I could write a novel about, “exceptional service” means embracing, and looking for opportunities to change. This means implementing specific change, that directly increases our relationships and efficiency with the customers we serve.
DeleteLastly, a question I was asked some time ago, what is our culture here at CVFD? At the time I didn’t have a good answer, but after much deliberation. I came to understand that our culture, is very good at change; we can move direction or switch speeds relatively quickly. I am truly proud of our organization, as per our reading and now understanding, only successful organizations, possess the discipline and forethought to continuously reevaluate and improve.
I don’t know Steve, sometimes change doesn’t seem to go well initially. Like the book is saying “people naturally resist change”. We as an organization end up changing and do a great job. It’s going to be us as a Company Officer to support the change and influence productivity so others see the positivity in changing.
DeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteFor me working smarter not harder starts with controlling my mind. I often think about something after I do it and realize I could have done it more efficiently. An example of this is preparing for simulations. I have worked hard preparing for sims only to allow my mind to be pulled in a different direction with an unexpected delivery of what should have been a very manageable scenario. If I had paused for a moment and thought about how I would have handled the situation in real life, I would have achieved much better results. This is a situation where I feel it does not matter how hard you work if you are not able to step back and gather your thoughts when things do not go as planned.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2
This is where managing people and leading them seem to cross paths. First and foremost, as the company officer I have the responsibility to ensure the safety of my crew. This includes everything from their physical wellbeing, to their mental health. The simplest way to achieve this, is by forging solid relationships with my crew. Truly getting to know my subordinates will help me identify critical issues early on.
Second, ensuring and promoting daily training. This can be accomplished at an individual level (Task Books) and certainly at the company level (Company Standards). By working together to achieve a common goal, will build a sense of ownership and teamwork within the crew. This will also identify any shortfalls we have as a team, creating a learning environment for everyone involved.
Lastly, identifying and promoting future leaders within our organization. Investing in your personnel’s future with the District should be every leaders ultimate goal.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteI believe each rank carries its own priorities to some extent. As a leader I will consider the following priorities:
1. Safety in everything we do
2. Readiness
3. Training
4. Everything else
After reading this chapter I spent time thinking about the idea, “if you make everything high priority then nothing is high priority”. Obviously, some priorities have more tasks than others. For example, readiness would include checking safety gear, apparatus checks, checking paramedic gear etc. This does not mean these will be the only tasks completed throughout the day. However, calling everything a priority decreases the significance of true priorities.
Same here Bobby, I consider most tasks high priority. The book said it best. If I keep everything a high priority just so it gets accomplished some of the actual important tasks never got done. Prioritize and execute.
DeleteLesson 2, Question 1
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in the book there are many ways to work smarter. Many of these have to do with organization by applying the Praeto Principle (80/20), being proactive vs. reactive, determining importance and urgency, delegating, and using the three R’s (Requirement, Return & Reward) for responsibilities.
I have had experience with this at my previous agency by having numerous responsibilities and not organizing the requirements well enough or delegate tasks to reduce the shear amount of tasks at hand. I learned from this that when taking on too much, some things get missed or overlooked. I’ve found working forward that I needed to plan more and delegate tasks to accomplish all the tasks at hand. I found that determining the importance and urgency was a very helpful method.
Delegation is huge but there is a proper way to delegate. It’s important to explain the “leaders intent” to those helping so they don’t think you are just giving them “Your” work. People seek to be part of something. We all need to be better at being more inclusive. Where do we fall short at CVFD regarding delegating tasks?
DeleteThat is a completely valid point about expressing "leaders intent" to prevent the feeling of "pawning off" your work. It definitely would be more effective if the people doing the work know that they are playing into the "bigger picture".
DeleteI can't speak to any specific areas that we fall short in delegating tasks at CVFD but I know for myself that I tend to do things myself simply to prevent people from feeling that I'm pawning work off. Delegating may be inherent in some of us and not in others. Thats certainly not the best way to get work done and is in no way a team building experience.
Lesson 2, Question 2
ReplyDeleteI feel that the daily priorities can be put into categories by importance and urgency. It goes without saying that running calls is at the top, checks of apparatus and equipment is essential to be prepared for the calls and that the routine can be fit in throughout the day. There are many more priorities that a leader should also consider and here are some of mine in no particular order. This is in no way a comprehensive list and it is very often that the deck gets shuffled simply due to the demands of each day.
- Plan for individual and crew development/growth
- Routine and advanced training
- Department projects and tasks
- Carrying out the department mission while abiding by the vision and values
- Food and rest and downtime
- Mental and physical wellness
- Building up people and the team
- Being consistent and kind
You obviously have some experience Travis in the position of a Company Officer. Just curious how you view the roles and responsibilities of the position going into it this time vs your first time?
DeleteJoel, that is a great question. I can honestly say that my vantage of the roles and responsibilities has grown, but has also been reorganized. While I also knew that taking care of your teammates is important in the beginning I may have failed occasionally at this. In my first year as a captain, I was assigned at station one which ran 8-15 calls per day, had a probationary firefighter and was involved with many committees and programs. I initially tried to accomplish everything and found myself burning the candle at both ends with little time for rest. Unfortunately, my teammates suffered in this with me by me not recognizing the importance of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. People need rest and the ability to decompress. I learned to have balance and push stuff that didn't have to be done. I learned this by gaining input from the crew members. We as a team made adjustments which proved to be valuable in meeting all of our needs.
DeleteQuestion 1.
ReplyDeleteThere are probably many things I’ve come across that I should have worked smarter at. It best relates to many hands make light work. I can’t do everything myself, I’m not too proud to ask for help so divide and conquer. Delegating parts of a task or incident or project helps use resources to get the job done with a lot let stress.
The biggest area in most recent years where I have tried hard and not succeeded is promoting to the Captain level. It’s certainly been hard in every way, I can certainly say I’ve worked hard but have I been smart about it? I need to answer questions with what comes to mind and not what I think they want to hear.
Question 2.
ReplyDeleteMy priorities through the day to day operations at work always reflect on crew needs. I ask how everyone is doing, how their families are doing, checking on their health and well-being. I want to make sure everyone is focused at work to avoid complacency leading unsafe work and injuries.
I also check and see if anyone has any needs for the day. Anything they need accomplished gets taken care of.
Question #1
ReplyDeleteWorking smarter rather than harder is an interesting concept. How do we know there is another way to do something unless you have done that task for something similar before? I believe we develop smarter ways to do thing through experience. I believe experiences are the best teaching moments and those with experience and knowledge in those fields are some of the best teachers. I like to call my father-in-law the “jack of all trades”, the man can do and build anything. I often call him for help and advice with projects around the house, and he always watches me struggle through tasks but after will show me a better more efficient way, of course he will not let me do anything that is unsafe. I know he waits until I’m finished before he jumps in so I learn before he uses his experience to show me a “smarter” way. Working through problems develops knowledge, this knowledge will turn into you being able to work smarter the next time you are faced with a similar task.
Travis,
DeleteI can relate, I didn't grow up in the garage with my dad showing me how to fix or build things. This resulted in me learning on my own and asking neighbors for help. I was lucky enough to have neighbors like your father-in-law that allowed me to learn and eventually show me the correct or more efficient way.
Why does that always seem the case? Just show me the smarter way to do something. I’ve had help in similar ways Travis where someone could have just showed me the easier way. The pay off comes with those experiences or failures sometimes. Learn from mistakes then perfect it the next time.
ReplyDeleteI guess the saying is true "there truly is a method to the madness". And I definitely see it now being a father of girls, I want one day for their husbands to be able to take care of things for them and work through issues as does Debbie"s father for her and myself.
DeleteGreat discussion guys... I have observed that people that I consider great leaders don't let the "urgent" get in the way of the "important."
ReplyDeleteThe book "The Mission, the Men and Me" by Pete Blaber identifies priorities in the title. The New Oxford America Dictionary defines priorities as a thing that is regarded as more important than another. When I consider priorities as a company officer I take these into consideration. Additionally, I will apply our Mission, Vision and Values to help identify priorities within all the tasks we need to accomplish. Being that it takes our people to accomplish these tasks I feel it important to use another tool, that being Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When we have our basic needs met (shelter, nourishment, security, etc.) we are able to achieve more. Although the very nature of our work doesn’t always allow for these needs to be met in a timely manner, they shouldn’t be disregarded. As a company officer we need to have a wide perspective. Meeting the needs of our crew members may at times be simple and other times complex. It takes our people to accomplish the goals/tasks we have everyday. Our people are our biggest asset. What remains as the ultimate priority, however, is the community we serve.
ReplyDeleteAs leaders, we need to continue “looking out” for our fire family. The stresses of today are new and never experienced before. Keep our people first, how are ways we can monitor their soul care?
DeleteArnie, I think that the "matrix" that you've formulated here is spot on and should work very well for the people you lead all while carrying out the mission of the district. Well done!
DeleteWell said Arnie. The community is our number one priority and not always black and white. Someone once said when it’s not black or white we refer to our district values to determine the best outcome. Something to always direct us to what’s right for the community.
DeleteCarlos, I’ll answer this way, when I teach people about being a driver operator or engineer I relay the importance of daily checks. If you tilt the cab & crawl under the engine regularly, you will learn what normal looks/sounds/feels like. That makes it easier to know what abnormal/broken looks/sounds/feels like. If we learn about our people then we’ll know what normal/healthy acts like so we can identify when their unhealthy.
DeleteQuestion #1
ReplyDeleteGrowing up the things my father always told me were: “Work smarter not harder”, “ Always use the right tool for the job”, “ Do it right the first time.” At the time, I would always roll my eyes and say “Whatever.” Now I see myself saying the same things to my kids. My point to this is that you can use this phrase in many different types of circumstances, but it really means the same thing. You want the get the best result and not waste time, money, or energy. It is important to organized yourself in order to minimize the number of tasks and work so that you can use your time more wisely and effectively. From these sayings, I have learned that I need to recognize and build upon my own strengths to be effective.
An area that I have worked hard in and found myself coming up short and not getting the outcome I desired was in my work with the Fire Foundation. When I decided to start the annual car show to raise money for the Fire Foundation, I took on all the work; not necessarily because I desired to or wanted the credit, but because I wanted an event that the employees of the fire district could come to and enjoy. I didnt’ want them to feel that they were obligated to take part. I took on this task not realizing the amount of stress it was placing on myself and my family. I would work on the show for almost a year and wasn’t getting any closer to reaching my goals. When the word got around the Department, I had people coming to me asking if they could be involved in helping put the event together. Once I started delegating tasks, the event came together. We have been doing it this way for over 10 years. I realize now that I was unsuccessful because I was not organizing myself, setting good priorities and becoming “paralyzed” which was preventing me from reaching the goal. With the support of my team, the Car Show has become a successful, well-attended event that the community consistently enjoys.
Thank you for realizing you were putting an undo amount of stress on your family. LOL :) I agree with this, I've been caught in situations like this. Almost where I know how I want it done so I am the only one that can do it the correct way. Not only does this put an incredible amount of stress on ourselves and affects those close to us it doesn't give us the chance to develop our future leaders. If we share these responsibilities we can continue to develop and grow each other.
Delete
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2
When we are on duty at the station, there are many priorities that we have in everyday. As leaders, we need to be able to organize these priorities to be successful in completing our daily duties. Obviously, running calls is one of our top priorities, but I think as a leader our first priority needs to be the health and safety of our crew. I believe we are a team and in order for a team to work together and to be efficient, everyone needs to work together and this is best accomplished through trusting in each other. As a Captain, I cannot and should not solely run a call, do the routine, train, or cook meals. It takes a team to complete all the duties and accomplish the mission of the district. In my time with the District, I have been part of some fantastic teams that have had inspirational leaders. I feel when this type of atmosphere exists, people will enjoy the work and are more efficient.
Using those past examples of leaders you worked with is probably the best way to determine your path of leadership, what were some of those traits?
Delete
DeleteI believe it started with developing a relationship between us. They built trust by showing interest in my personal and professional life. For example, asking me about my family and what they could do to help me reach my goals. Once the relationship grew I found I did not want to disappoint them and I was willing to go above and beyond at work.
Question#1
ReplyDeleteWorking smarter rather than harder for me is creating a schedule. I have a lot of things going on constantly in my personnel and professional life. I always feel like I don’t have enough time in the day to complete projects or school work. I believe if I make a schedule and set time for specific projects, I could get more accomplished and feel like I was productive. This past year, I’ve been working on my degree and tried to juggle work projects at the same time. Unfortunately, I have let some projects slip by the waste side and forgot about them. This year, I’m going to create a schedule for myself and evaluate my productivity.
Tommy,
DeleteI definitely think one of the hardest things to do is balance work life and home life. Unfortunately, in our profession is seems one always gets the short end and that's unfortunate but I think like you said making a schedule and sticking to it, managing your time efficiently, and getting the most out of each would create a favorable outcome for both. I definitely need to join you in that venture.
Question # 2
ReplyDeleteWhen I thing about priorities my #1 priority is my family, everything I do I do for them. There is no difference when I go to work, the crew is my family and their family is also mine. With that said going home “safely and healthy” will always be on the top of my list. Engaging with each member and building a relationship that goes beyond the fire station I feel is of utmost importance to a crew. Along with building relationships other items I feel that are important are:
-Training and “honing” our skills
-Personnel development (task books, promotional preparations)
-Health and wellness
-Providing exceptional service to our community
-Enjoying each other and creating a positive environment
Travis,
DeleteThis statement truly resonated with me! As I reflect on my mentors, I find that these quality’s is congruent between them all as well. The simple acts of treating your crew with respect, and dignity, pays dividends.
Question#2
ReplyDeleteAs a leader, I believe morning checks is our number one priority. We need to be ready to run calls as a team, and have our tools/ equipment response ready to preform any skills that the variety of situations that we could be called to do. Running calls is my next priority. Getting to the engine in a timely manner to minimize our en route time, allows us to drive to the emergency in a safe manner overall reducing our response time. Physical fitness and training is my next priority. Being proficient at our skills and physically being able to perform them is what makes firefighters professionals. In between calls and training, we can do the daily routines at the station to maintain a clean fire station.
How do we motivate those who do not have the same work ethic or priorities?
DeleteI believe we need to create a positive work environment. Be honest with them and build a relationship with trust. Find out what their work ethic is and focus on developing them and prioritizing their goals.
DeleteQuestion 1 - My paramedic instructor always quoted "the definition of insanity" and it always stuck with me. To me, working smarter not harder means you find a different way to do things. You can sit there and continue to press the gas and spin your wheels in the mud or you can put down a piece of wood, some leaves, and gain traction to help you get out. I believe hard work is essential, talent with a poor work ethic will not overcome hard work. An area where I had to find another approach is my path to becoming a company officer. I was so fixated on the technical side of things, thinking my hard work and job knowledge would lead for me. It wasn't until the past couple of years when I realized how important relationships and communication are to becoming a leader. It was definitely a weakness for me that I am trying to turn into a strength so hopefully I will get the positive results I am searching for.
ReplyDeleteMike,
DeleteI couldn't agree more with your statement regarding the definition of insanity and how working smarter is finding a different and ultimately better ways of performing certain tasks. I like one of John Maxwell's statements, "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care".
Question 2 - When conducting our daily routines in the fire station there is the manager side and the leadership side. You managed things, you lead people. My priorities are running calls, preparing to run the calls, and then everything else. In order to run calls to the expectations of the community and our department we need to be at our best. We need to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. We need to hold each other accountable and not be complacent. We need to train and get better each day. My expectation is that if someone is not meeting the standards we work on it, myself included. I wouldn't want our community to ever lose faith in us. We have a great job with a great department and we can never lose sight of that. Let's not forget why we all wanted this job and why we came to this department.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #1. One memory I have of trying to work harder that comes to mind daily is trying to entertain a 6 yr old and 3.5 yr old. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure that I am keeping them busy. I was always wanting to take them out and go places with them and was very hard on myself when I felt like I was not doing enough. I started to realize that simply taking them outside with my neighbors to ride their bikes or razors was just as gratifying for them as taking them down to the beach or going camping. Obviously I enjoy getting them out and taking them places it has also made me realize that I can work way smarter with entertaining them without being drained at the end of everyday.
ReplyDeleteJoel, I struggle with this dilemma as well. However, I look back on my life as a kid growing up in a small town. I don't remember the big vacations to, "insert fancy destination”. Though, I do recall, the quality time that was spent with my parents, and the guidance they gave me. How does all this tie back to leadership? We often assume, if training is not substantial or multijurisdictional, then no one’s learning or even getting better at their job. I’ve come to learn that It’s often, the small tale board sessions (training/conversations) that resonate with our crews.
DeleteLesson 2 Question 2: I firmly believe that Leadership comes in all ranks and walks of life. I do not believe that "oh now I am a Captain and now I am a leader" I think you carry those same leadership qualities with you and continue to build upon them. As far as priorities go I will continue to make sure myself and crew are engaged in training trying to learn something new each and everyday. BC Smith was always someone I thought did a great job of this when I worked for him as a FF/PM I can honestly not recall a single day where he did not train or teach me something. I have a good friend who is a Captain for LA City and he told me something that has really stuck with me and it was " Nobody cares how much you know" "Until they know how much you care" and that really made me think about the impact you have as a company officer. Your crew has to trust you and know that you are here to help in their successes in anyway possible whether its skills or mentoring or just simply listening.
ReplyDelete#1. I believe that in order to work smarter and not harder is something easier than done. In order to try and work smarter, I try to leverage people and resources more, rather than trying to accomplish something on my own. I truly feel that we are all naturally gifted in certain areas and if I can ask someone that is more gifted than I in a certain area to assist me, than I feel that is smarter.
ReplyDelete#2. When prioritizing things for the day, I typically follow these steps in priority order:
ReplyDelete1. Take care of the community we serve
2. Take care of the District
3. Take care of your crew
4. Take care of yourself
#1 and #2: "Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things." -Peter Drucker
ReplyDeleteOften time managers/supervisors do well at prioritizing daily routines in an efficient manner; but it does not always make them effective. Always look for ways to be effective- for the community, for the district, for your crew, and for yourself.
Question#1
ReplyDeleteTo me working "smarter not harder" has a lot to do with the big picture and not getting too hyperfocused on an objective. A personnel example of this would be a moment on the fire ground cutting a security door that was giving me a hard time. Rather than identifying that what I was doing was getting little to no headway and trying a different approach, I became hyperfocused on my objective resulting in the door kicking my butt.
Question#2
ReplyDeleteAs a leader, I will consider the following priorities; First and foremost would be safety in all aspects of what we do. Second would be the readiness of myself and the crew, not just apparatus and equipment but also physical and mental wellness. Finally on my priority list would be training and bettering our skills. I think that in doing this, I would be keeping my crew safe, serving my community with our readiness and ability to perform well growing our skills.
Question #1
ReplyDeleteFor me, working smarter rather than harder means being able to adapt to situations at hand. Part of adapting to situations, a smart worker has alternatives such as a plan B and C. This past year I had many times where I was not working smarter, but instead harder. With the help of my crews, I learned alternative ways of doing the job to be a smarter more effective worker.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteIn no particular order, daily priorities for me as a leader would be crew safety, physical and mental well being, training and learning new areas of the job as we adapt to the new changes in the fire/medical services, and lastly developing interpersonal relationships.