Features Leadership
Leadership Forum: Late nights equal great ideas

I attended the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs’ Fire-Rescue conference in Halifax this September. The education and networking was excellent and can add to any chief officer’s career. During the pandemic, we all took for granted the chances we got to network with peers and discuss the latest in the industry with others. The later nights and long walks home from a networking session all added to the experience and the refreshing of a career that might be dragging you down.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who share similar desires to better the industry can ignite the fire inside you that might have been diminishing. It’s so easy to get bogged down in your day-to-day operations that you forget why you are in the industry. Refreshing your mental state and drive for success can be revived by simply surrounding yourself with progressive peers who have the same drive you do.

When you’re a driven individual trying to attempt new paths or different ideas, you can get bogged down when peers do not share the same enthusiasm or ideals. It can wear on you and diminish your continued pursuit of advancing your department. Attending a conference or educational session and immersing yourself with similar progressive people can be such a rewarding experience. The ability to discuss new ideas or programs can aid you in advancing your own ideas, or give you new thoughts for your own service.

Another huge benefit to attending educational sessions is that they can keep you updated on the latest trends in the industry. If you stay within your own district or county and forgo opportunities to listen to discussions on the latest topics, you can quickly fall behind.Fire fighting cancers, mental health, and recruitment and retention are all examples of the latest topics in the fire service. Listening to how departments across the country are handling them only adds to your ability to deal with them at your own department.

One of the most valuable opportunities is sitting with these like-minded peers in a relaxed setting. The discussions seem to flow so much easier when the participants are not feeling the daily stress they do when at their jobs. Some of the greatest ideas I have been a part of have occurred in the evening over some adult beverages, or on the long walk home from a social event. The ability to let your guard down and let the ideas flow freely can be very beneficial, and also refreshes your mind and restores your faith in the overall industry.

I am by no means being doom and gloom and saying that those around you are bringing you down – many organizations have high functioning teams where everyone is moving together down a progressive path. However, an opportunity to get out and listen to new ideas from others outside of your normal group of peers can be so beneficial. 

I read an article in Forbes magazine from December 2018 where the author, Jennifer Cohen, immersed herself among some of the world’s best entrepreneurs. She stated, “I was playing with winners – listening and sharing with these brilliant minds encouraged me to step up my own game.” Even though the article is related to the business world, its insights can also be applied to the fire service. 

The author shared other insights from her experience, which include getting rid of negative people in your work life, finding people who are smarter and more experienced than you and cultivating real relationships with people who have already accomplished what you want to do. The last two suggestions are both byproducts of attending conferences and educational sessions, where the relationships you develop can be lifelong and really assist you in your career. Having people you can trust, rely upon and call for advice is so helpful. I have developed numerous friendships with different people I can call upon depending on the situation I am in, and it has been extremely helpful to me in my career.

There is no doubt the pandemic set us back in a lot of areas, with networking and learning opportunities being one of them. The trend toward online meetings is an effective time saver, but does nothing for face-to-face conversations and learning. With tight economic times, remote opportunities offer a way to manage time and cost. Still, don’t lose out on chances to attend and make those connections. Enough can never be said about the benefits to your mind and your career from surrounding yourself with similar, progressive people. Keep your mind open to new ideas and keep walking forward, you will eventually find the water which will guide you home.

Chris Harrow is the director of fire services for the Town of Minto and Township of Wellington North in Ontario. He is a graduate from fire programs at Lakeland College and Dalhousie University and holds a graduate certificate in Advanced Care Paramedics from Conestoga College. He can be reached at c.harrow@mintofiredept.on.ca