Share this page.

Scott D. Kerwood, Ph.D.
CFO, EFO, CFPS, CEMSO, FM FIFireE, CEM®, TEM®
Fire Chief
Hutto Fire Rescue / Williamson County ESD #3

How do you know if you have "it"?

We read about it, study it, watch it, and sometimes admire it. But how do we know if we have it? How do we know if the “it” is something that we will ever be able to achieve? How do we know if we even want “it”? The “it” is leadership. “It” can be awe inspiring when we see a leader command the respect of their subordinates and superiors. “It” can make us want to be just like that person — how they carry themselves, how they solve problems, and how they deal with situations that only someone in their position can address. Leadership is something that can be hard to achieve, yet easy to lose. 

 So how do you know if you have “it”? How do you know if you are a leader? The easiest way is to look behind you. Is anyone following? Are you able to get them to go where you feel they need to go? If they are then chances are you are a leader. Chances are you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities along with the traits and respect needed to lead your firefighters and the organization.

 Leadership is not determined by a bugle on your collar or the color of your badge. The truth is almost anyone in your fire department can get those. For the most part, all they have to do is be a really good test taker the day of the promotional exam and score at the top of the list. And, if it is like the most of the fire service, they get the job. But that doesn’t make them a leader. No, that really just sets them up for failure.

To be a leader, a real leader, you have to earn it. You have to be as good as you can be with your craft. You have to know what is necessary to go that extra mile. You have to be kind to people, treat them with respect, civility, be caring, and listen to them. You can look at any public official, (i.e., city manager, fire chief, etc.) and you can see the vociferous individuals who try to lead through intimidation and bullying and claim that they are leaders. But they don’t fool anyone other than themselves. They are putting on a charade so they can believe that they are leading the organization when in fact they are crippling everyone around them…the city, the fire department, the employees, and the community.

 If you see people are coming to you, who believe that you have the answers and they want to follow you and the direction you are taking the organization, then chances are you are a leader. Learn from it. You know what good leaders look like. You have worked for them. You respect them. You want to follow them. You know that they too have the “it” factor. Work hard at everything you do. Make sure you know where your moral compass points. Recognize that you are not a victim when things are rough, so don’t pretend you are. Make sure that you know when to admit when you have done wrong, give credit to your team when things go right, and shoulder the blame when things go bad.

 Again, look behind you. Those people following you are doing so because they have faith and confidence in in you and the direction you are going. So believe it or not, you are a leader!