May 17 2016 Succession Planning for the Fire Service Harry Evans Senior Research Fellow University of Texas Assistant Fire Chief Retired About Harry Evans Over 34 years of public service military amp fire service ID: 617792
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Metropolitan Fire Chiefs’ ConferenceMay 17, 2016
Succession Planning for the Fire Service
Harry Evans
Senior Research Fellow University of Texas
Assistant Fire Chief, RetiredSlide2
About Harry EvansOver 34 years of public service (military & fire service)
US Army ParatrooperServed in all ranks in AFDAssistant Chief/Chief of Staff
Senior Research Fellow
University of Texas at AustinSlide3
What are we here to talk about?Succession planning
Barriers to succession planning in fire serviceUnknown unknowns
Vast literature, most does not apply
Successes and failures as fire service leader
Solutions & Best Practices
Control v. influence (Sherpa)Slide4
Why is Succession Planning Important?Why do you care?
Young firefighters are the custodians of the industryConstant change within the Fire ServiceQuest for
t
ransparency, scrutiny & oversight
Higher expectations – Post Katrina effectSlide5
Challenges to Succession Planning Let’s talk about it
1)2)3)4)
5)…Slide6
Challenges to Succession Planning
Civil service; Testing-based promotionsPersonal motivations / bias / shortcomings
Political pressure
Collective Bargaining Slide7
Challenges to Succession Planning
Budget – lack of positions or opportunity for your strong talentEEOC, and other applicable state laws
Relic – the Texas “boot thing”
Start too late / Recognize talent earlySlide8
Civil ServiceHow do you test for leadership?
What is Civil Service? By definition it’s hiring and promotion based on merit –qualification measured by testsWhy do we have it? Perceived fairness and meritocracy by using a test
Supposed to eliminate political influence such as spoils system, nepotism….Slide9
Personal MotivationsDo the potential leaders/candidates desire to work at a higher level?
Do they see their potential?How do you manage those who believe they should be in charge but they don’t have the tools?What about your bias as to who might be a good candidate?
Diamond
in the
rough
You can lead a horse to water…
Not everybody wants to be a chiefSlide10
Political considerationsFire Service is funded by taxes, by nature this exposes the department to political influence
What’s the average tenure of a fire chief?Know the political landscape – internal department politics, labor unions, local & regional Political v Meritorious appointments Slide11
Collective BargainingNegotiation process between union and management, typically it is interest-based bargaining
Interest-based bargaining WagesHours of work
Training
Health & Safety
Overtime
Hiring & PromotionSlide12
BudgetOpportunities – How do you pay for it?
You have a superstar, what do you do?Working on programs/projects outside of normal assignment US&R, IMT, Wildfire teamInternships
Schools – Naval Postgraduate, NFA Executive Fire Officer
Job Shadowing – NWCG
Conventions – FRI, FDICSlide13
‘Relics’What’s a relic?
Opportunity LostRelics can dampen motivation for others and block
slots for
superstars
Changing face of the Fire Service – We must continue to embrace change and demand excellence, because the expectations are steadily climbing
Can no longer “hide,” “carry,” “look the other way,” “tolerate”
Respect and dignity are key – but expectations must be clear and resolve must be solidSlide14
EEOC & Relevant LawsU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases).
Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.Slide15
EEOC & Relevant LawsThe law works both ways –
It can protect you in your actionsA complaint can be filed on you if someone believes you’re not following the lawKnow what the law is, understand the law, follow the law (apply it correctly)Slide16
Recognize talent earlyGood thing about the fire service, we have very structured, methodical promotion processes
Defined time in grade before being eligible for the next rank Bad thing about the fire service, we have a very structured, methodical promotion processSlide17
Where do you start, with whom, what qualities are you looking for…?Can you see talent in a young firefighter?Imagine the firefighter rank as the farm team in baseball – not everyone makes it to the show but over time, talent rises
Recognize Talent earlySlide18
Control v. InfluenceThe race goes not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but time and chance happens to all
Fire Service is filled with control nuts, we bring order to chaos…. We LIKE controlling thingsSet your expectations on how you influence those around you versus controlSlide19
Who is Responsible for Succession Planning?
Leadership responsibilityLeaders create leadersLeadership team holds each other accountable (they all have to be pulling the plow)
Leaders identify talent
When you let go, you let growSlide20
What is talent?Talent is what you’re looking for… What are YOU looking for?
1)2)3)4)5)…Slide21
Experience building Testing/renderingAssessment centers
Peer accountability and peer challengingPre-determined qualifications
Mentoring/shadowing
Legal changes / edicts
Appointments
Schooling incentives
Opportunities – higher classification / working up
How do we grow that talent given the constraints we have identified?Slide22
Formal relationship & program with mechanisms for accountabilitySometimes informalDeliberate / Purposeful
Creates motivation Hand off of wisdomCreates efficiencies
MentoringSlide23
Greater flexibility, e.g., ‘Pick of Three’ or Discretionary AppointmentsLive by the sword, die by the sword No rules creates wide and varied expectations and you could have a wild west on your hands
Legal AvenuesSlide24
Subjectivity allows for greater flexibility Not everyone achieves organizational maturity at the same pacePick specific talent for specific purposes
Can be associated with favoritism Can be misinterpreted by the organization Can detract motivation (counter-incentive)
Appointments Slide25
Experience holds a dear school but only a fool will learn in no other (Lee)Education doesn’t make a person smart, but a smart person can use education
Skills and tools in critical thinking and administrationIt can limit your pool of candidatesTakes a lot of time and money to accomplish
Educational Incentives and/or RequirementsSlide26
NFA National Professional Development ModelSlide27
Delegate duties commensurate with abilityCan be observed while performingGenerally not expensive
Grows the candidate beyond his/her current assignmentExpands the candidate’s horizons and networkSet up for failure; put them in too deepNot focused on core responsibility
Can be perceived as
favoritism
Create OpportunitiesSlide28
1000 different fires or 1000 times at the same fireForced transfers with promotionsDevelops depth and scope in type(s) of experience
Gives multiple perspectives (budgetary, operational, administrative, etc.)If you don’t do it, your talent’s expertise could be “siloed
”
in specific field
Can create late bloomers to the overall talent
pool
Experience-BuildingSlide29
Challenges build excellence & character (adversity reveals character)Allowed to fail in a controlled situation (sometimes)Failure is not necessarily a bad thing
Too much pressure too earlyCould reduces motivation Can exhaust them if done too often
Test/Render ThemSlide30
Widely used instrumentAccepted as a valid toolMore relevant than relying on a single written exam
Reveals candidate behavior under pressure ExpensiveTime consumingMeasure the wrong attributes
May not be trusted by the
workforce
Assessment CentersSlide31
Power in numbersWider more global perspectiveAccess to many different ideas and business practices
Grows list of potential mentors and professional contacts; can grow together“We’re not in Kansas…” (you pick the city)
What works there may not work here
Could create unrealistic
expectations
Peer NetworkingSlide32
Sets the expectations with the workforceLevels the playing field for the entire workforceReduces ambiguity
Be careful what you ask for – you might get it Locks you in to a set of criteria, limiting your flexibility
Pre-determined and articulated qualificationsSlide33
What you can do right now! 1) Define “talent”. Know what qualities you’re looking for…
2) Identify the exposure to succession planning – brain drain, diversity, gaps in skill, and so on….3) Identify who the future leaders might be 4) Formalize your succession planSlide34
Take away’s
Succession planning is the sum of education, experiences, past performance and exhibited potential – a process that you can influenceSuccession planning should be a written, formal component of your broader Leadership Doctrine™
Make your thinking visible
Your Leadership Doctrine™ and formal Succession
P
lan must account for the climate and culture of the department, and MUST be collaboratively determinedSlide35
HRE Leadership Doctrine™Leadership forged through the crucible of intense scrutiny and
critiqueConstant refinement