As fire service leaders, we’re faced with many questions. Do you know where you are going? More importantly, do your people know where you are taking them? How do you hold yourself and the organization accountable?
Answering these questions reveals why understanding the mission is so important. You often hear leaders speak of their organization as a “mission first” department, but they are unable to define their own mission. Worse yet, their members are unable to define or even speak to the mission. The mission is often expressed in a long statement which is often designed to cover lofty goals and political priorities. The true mission for the fire service does not need to be a complex algorithm that addresses every specific community concern.