On Leadership

By Brian Swanner

My grandma used to remind me of the timeless adage that " A drop of honey attracts more flies than a gallon of vinegar" and that a leader cannot demand respect, he has to earn it. Leaders should be fair, equal, consistent,inspiring, honest, competent, enthusiastic and decisive when dealing with employees.

When I was a teenager I had a history teacher at Mississinewa High School named Joe Smalley, who left a indelible impression on me as a man that I would like to emulate. He was a combat veteran that believed in developing your mind and body to its fullest potential, as he was a long time track and cross country coach.

In the classroom he would strive to teach you everything that he knew about his chosen topic and valuable life lessons as well. He was a good man who always had your best interests at heart. When I joined the Fire Service I was fortunate enough to have Cliff Mowery for my Battalion Chief then eventually Assistant Chief.

Cliff was a great leader who would never berate you in front of others for rookie mistakes but would instead, speak to you about his concerns privately in order to help you be proficient in your job skills. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care...Cliff cared. He had everyone's admiration, love, and respect and you knew that he genuinely wanted you to be successful in your career and go home safely to your family at the end of the shift.

People almost always rise to meet your level of expectations if they know that you believe in them. Constructive criticism should be used also as some people would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. It just helps you to adjust your sails and stay on course so that you reach your goal. Most people can discern if you are well intentioned or not when you enter into this type of dialogue.

People are repulsed by and exhibit contempt for a leader they cannot trust to tell the truth so honesty and integrity are paramount. Another point I would like to make is that there is a difference between managers and leaders. You manage THINGS but you lead PEOPLE. Managers do things right, leaders do the right things. Managers have an eye on the bottom line while leaders have an eye on the horizon.

Great leaders place a premium on collaboration, create an environment where failure is not fatal, recognize and reward achievement and develop other leaders. The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to pass on the knowledge, respect, traditions and love of the job to those that follow.

Brian Swanner
Gas City, Indiana