In the fire service we rely on fellow firefighter’s to help us get through the dangers of the job. In life, we look to friends and family to help us through life’s struggles. Why then, do we resist working with our colleagues to manage a successful fire agency?

Having a good working relationship with those around you – especially the city manager – can make the job more rewarding for you, and more successful for the department. With a little bit of effort you can more closely align your goals with those of the elected officials, the city manager, and even other leaders in the community, thereby gaining the desperately needed support that can help in these trying economic times. If the concept of managing your boss may seem cynical, I need to tell you a secret – they want to be ‘managed’!

You will make their life, and yours, easier.

The process of getting what you need in government is often called public policy. And while politics and policy may seem a confusing concept and difficult to master, the truth is a few simple principles can make you just as effective as any Washington DC lobbyist. The principles are the same regardless if on Capitol Hill or back at home in the community.

• The first principle is to understand the constraints imposed by budget and politics on important decision makers. The corollary to this principle is that the constraints of money and resistance can be overcome.
• The second principle is sensitivity to timing. Many great ideas are never realized because people have an incredibly bad sense of timing. The corollary to this principle requires a strategic vision of the future, situational awareness of what lies on the horizon, and patience.

Finally you have to link your ideas and needs to the solutions others need to deal with the constraints of budget and politics. If you come up with a good plan or find a solution to a vexing problem, you’ll be the hero that everyone expects the fire chief to be. If you work for city or county fire department as a chief fire officer, it is likely you deal with many managers from other areas of the government. And as part of a larger government organization, gaining a better appreciation for how the fire service “fits in” can yield valuable insights.

As a former fire chief, and current city manager, I have experience and a unique perspective on how to package your programs to get more of what you need. Drawing from a classic “win-win” philosophy allows you to identify and meet the needs of those you work with. And as you help them, they help you. Over time, fire chiefs who use this strategy can become more effective for the agency and more politically astute.

For more on this topic, attend Managing the Manager—Getting What You Want by Giving the City Manager What They Need, being presented at FRI by Bruce Moeller, PhD on Friday, August 28th at 3:00 pm.

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