3 - Leadership Excellence - Randy Rask

Leadership Excellence

Randy Rask

Reference:

Wheatley, Margaret J. Leadership Excellence. Oct2006, Vol. 23 Issue 10, p8-9. 2p.

Theme:  How leadership works in the world.  A leader's role is to create stability and control.  The article relates leadership to disasters

Summary: 

-           Margaret J. Wheatley created a leadership "new science" of leadership that people began to question.

-          She states that the people questioning her had the wrong perception of how the real world works.  People tend to relate people and organizations to machines because we all do what we are told therefore organizations can be ran like clockwork

-          These people believe that motivation comes from fear and rewards.  Compassion and generosity are not applicable.

-          Margaret states that this is not how the real world works.  The real world demands that we learn to cope with chaos, learn what motivates people, and adopt strategies that lead to order and not more chaos. 

-          All people have a sense of how to self-organize.  This evokes creativity and leads to results and creates a strong and adaptive system. This also creates stability and control which is what a leader's job is

-          She then relates this new science of leadership to disasters. 

-          The first thing people do in a disaster is want to help.  People pool their resources and create solutions to problem right there on the spot.  They work for days with no rest. This is the self-organizing that she speaks of.

-          These efforts, however, are often halted by officials who insist that this is not the proper way to do things and that they need to follow protocol.  But, these officials are also imprisoned by rules that they need to follow and cannot act on their own.  This causes an uncertainty of who is in charge. 

-          During the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans, the people and the officials had this exact problem and it was very difficult for anything to get done.

-          But, in the Gulf Coast, people began to self-organize.  Although people acted freely, there was a mutual intent on what was going to happen in order for the chaos to end.

-          She states how "senior leader" have a difficult time acting this spontaneously.  Power and policy steps in the way of this more often than not.  Courage is needed in order for help to be given.

-          So, for formal leadership to work, the leaders need to have confidence that the people that they send out to do certain jobs know how to handle it and can invent their own solutions.  Leaders need to expect and value these efforts. 

-          Leaders can rely on human compassion, caring, and creativity, and self-organizing skills to hand self-organizing skills to isasters  the people that they send out to do cert the  proper way to do things and that they neeelp have a big impact after disasters.

Application to Lesson Topic:

Certain skills such as knowledge and experience are very important in forming a good leader.  Leaders, however, need to realize that there are other people and organizations that know what they are doing.  Therefore, a leader can let them handle certain situations so that they do not have all of the creativity and planning workload on themselves.

Application to Emergency Services:

This relates to emergency services because a good leader in emergency service would be benefited by letting other people and organizations be creative when responding to things such as disasters.  Although it is important for the leader to know what is going on, it can be much too overwhelming for them to handle everything themselves and this could ultimately hinder response efforts.   

3 - Trauma, children, and the media: What is ethical coverage? - Chris Schippers

Chris Schippers

Reference

Paccione-Dyszlewski, M. (2013). Trauma, children, and the media: What is ethical coverage?. Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter, 29(3), 8.

Theme

Covers the risks and repercussions involved with the use of child sources as a journalist and the vulnerabilities and trauma that young sources experience.

Summary

·         Photos of young children shielding their eyes from the carnage bring forth the debate of where to draw the line in journalism and ethics when children are involved.

·         There is a definite need for the disaster or tragic event to be reported.

·         When tragic events involve children, members of the media community have a duty to report the truth with heightened sensitivity and awareness of the vulnerability of their minor subjects.

·         Definition of trauma simply explained as extreme stress that overwhelms a person's ability to cope.

·         Just because the children were present when the event occurred doesn't necessarily mean the story and details will be accurate.  Children are much more emotional and their imaginations much more rampant.

·         Children respond to trauma differently than adults.

·         Trauma affects children more long term with lasting impacts on mental status, relationships, self-esteem, brain development, physical health etc.  Discussing the trauma experienced is a much more sensitive.

·         Sometimes the parent/guardian's permission to allow photos and interviews can be compromised depending on whether or not the adult themselves were traumatized.

·         Protecting the child victims from further trauma should far outweigh the want to get the best interview, most captivating photo, or telling the story.

Application to the Lessen Topic

The article I reviewed discusses the fine line walked by journalism when dealing with children and traumatic events.  There isn't a well-defined policy in place saying they can or can't share a particular photo, so it ultimately comes down to the moral judgment of the journalist.  Questions arise as to what is ethical and what coverage should be shared or kept quiet.   Journalists that cover disasters or traumatic events with children involved, have the critical task of telling a story without causing more trauma as a result.

Application to Emergency Services

Journalists can learn a thing or two from emergency responders when it comes to boundaries of information that should or shouldn't be shared as they deal with it on a daily basis in their radio communications, conversations with coworkers, public, and family.  Both professions have a job to accomplish and they both need to consider what is best for those victims of trauma involved in the incident. 

3- Compassionate, Courageous, and Committed - Mike Wayman

Reference:

Birchfield, R., & Brosnahan, J. (2011). Leaders for our times: Compassionate, courageous and committed. New Zealand Management, 58 (6), 22-24.

Theme:

The country needs courageous leaders to deal with natural disasters like the Canterbury earthquake. Leaders who are compassionate must become the new heroes of the society. 

Summary:

• In any type of disaster, natural or domestic a good leader is important
• Today's leaders need to make the connections between political, economic, commercial, environmental, social, cultural, community, ethical and moral actions and outcomes.
• Courageous leaders encourage the community to look for common good solutions among the diversity of options that confront them.
• Compassionate leaders must become society's new heroes.
• In a disaster leadership is vital, leaders must me cool, calm and collected
• Good leadership reassures the community and builds faith during a crisis

Application to the lesson topic:

Good leadership encourages a good working environment.

Application to emergency services:

Good leadership within emergency services is vital in helping those affected by a crisis. Good leadership is also vital to EMS workers in a high stress situation

3 - Dispelling the Myths of Panic - Jeff Neal

Dispelling the Myths of Panic during Disasters

Jeff Neal

Reference: Gantt, Paul; Gantt, Ron; Disaster Psychology Dispelling the Myths of Panic; Professional Safety; August 1, 2012

Theme: Emergency Managers and safety professionals should understand human behavior and design emergency plans accordingly.

Summary:

Many managers design an emergency disaster plan and expect employees to learn and follow the plan, Instead they should learn the behavior of their employees and then design the plan around how employees will act during a disaster. Gantt states that it's important to bridge the gap between the behavior science community and safety professionals.

Today's public perception that people will panic during a disaster was conceived by the media, Hollywood, and emergency planners. Studies show that this does myth is incorrect and most people do not panic during disasters.  Some social scientists argue that no panic existed during disasters.

Following the Beverly Hills fire of 1977, in which 300 people died, Newspapers reported "Panic Kills 300", "panic and 300 stampede to Death". However an investigation by the NFPA concluded that most of the people in the fire did not panic and that panic was not the cause of death.

When people panic it's the perception of events that cause them to panic. If they believe that escape is possible but that the routes are closing then they feel panic.  In case of miners trapped or submarine emergencies when there was no hope of escape studies show that panic did not occur.

When identifying if a threat exists people use three factors. Green states that the three factors are; Credibility and authority, the warning message itself, including any risk relevant information, and past experience.  AN example of this is Katina, many people did not listen believe they needed to evacuate because in past hurricanes they didn't need to evacuate.  During disasters people do not typically separate they bond together.  It's important for emergency planners to understand these factors.

Emergency Managers need to understand that sharing information will not cause panic, and that withholding information from the public during a disaster may cause the public not to take the threat seriously.  Having an open and clear communication of the risks before and during disasters is critical.

When performing fire and evacuation drills in schools and building managers need practice each drill as though it is real.  Having to many drills that are not at the same speed as the real thing will only cause employees to develop bad habits.  There is a saying that "perfect practice make perfect"

Leaders need to be trained and the leaders during a normal work day do not need to be those that lead during an emergency.  Leader during emergencies need to be trained in all emergency strategies and tactics.  Emergency action plans need to establish clearly who is in charge during an emergency, and this needs to be made clear to all employees so that the leader has credibility during a disaster.

Application to the lesson topic: In our understanding and studies of what causes death and panic during disasters, it's important that we also take the time to learn human behavior.  I think this is why emergency manager should have degree.  On the job training does not always provide the education needed to perform as an emergency manager.

Application to emergency services: As present and future emergency managers it's important that we understand human behavior during a disaster.  If we train and plan correctly we will be more successful when we are involved in emergency situations.

3 - Just Stay Out of His Way - Joseph Galbraith

Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré

Reading Summary by Joseph Galbraith

Reference:

Bennett, B., & Donnelly, S. B. (2005). JUST STAY OUT OF HIS WAY. Time, 166(12), 56.

Theme: The leadership provided by Lt. General Russel Honoré proved to be rough necked and highly effective.

Summary:

• The aftermath left by Hurricane Katrina required a leader who could make things happen.  More delay of food and aid was not an option.

• General Russel Honoré was appointed commander of all military forces in the disaster area.

• General Honoré was credited with launching numerous aircraft, ships, supplies and rescues to help the people of New Orleans and the surrounding area.

• General Honoré had a vast knowledge of disaster planning and preparation and had actually worked on a plan to react to a hurricane in New Orleans.  However he did not plan on the levees breaking as they did.

• The best quote from this article "don't confuse a plan with execution. A plan is like good intentions. You don't win with good intentions."

•General Honoré demeanor can come across as abusive.  He might have been very blunt but he completed the job effectively.

Application to emergency services:

This type of leadership can be very effective in getting things done by responders.  It can also be inspiring to citizens because they realize that politics and correctness have taken a back seat to the recovery mission at hand.  I think the General received a little more leeway then other public officials because he was a Soldier.  He fulfilled the image that the public had of our military, which was tough and mission oriented.  As public safety managers we might have to tread more lightly while still taking a lesson in tenacity from General Honore'.

3 - Leading Through the Blur: Leadership in Difficult Times - Robert Letterman

Rob Letterman

Leading Through the Blur: Leadership in Difficult Times

Reference

Kerfoot, K. (2001). Leading Through the Blur: Leadership in Difficult Times. Dermatology Nursing, 250-252.

Theme

               Rethinking the importance of leadership and how leaders are developed.  Leaders grow and improve in the face of adversity.

Summary

·        We live in times where our enemies are faceless and without a national identity.  Unlike in previous times when we knew who are enemies were.

·        Leaders are not measured by how they lead during times of peace, but during times of crisis when things don't go according to plan.

·        Adversity strengthens leadership much like physical exercise makes us stronger.  Leaders face the choice of fight or flight during difficult times.

·        Leadership is about advancing in times of struggle and there are many opportunities for to prove leadership.  Rudy Guiliani is an example.

·        Incidents that occur separate the wheat from the tares in terms of leadership.

·        Leaders must rise through the blur of disaster by clearing our heads of negative thoughts, anger, and hatred.  When we do this our minds are in a position to lead effectively.

Application to Lesson

               The examples given in this article reflect and discuss many of the same things we analyzed with Chris Christie.  Leading through difficult times gives legitimacy to a leader's methods and credibility in the eyes of those who follow them.

Application to Emergency Services

               The nature of emergency services requires leadership through difficult times.  Whether we are in a position of leadership or not disasters afford us the opportunity to prove ourselves and learn from the difficult situations that emergency services deal with.  Learning from the examples of other leaders is critical to success and we must apply the lessons learned for future situations.

3: Poor Leadership After Katrina - Ashley Burningham

Ashley Burningham


Reference:

Gruenwald, J. (2005). Leaders Rap Poor Communication in Disaster Response. Congress Daily, p. 6.

Theme: 

FEMA failed to adequately respond after Katrina hit. Cities were left to fend for themselves and take care of victims. No financial aid or assistance was provided.

Summary:

- Communities took in evacuees.
- Local officials had a hard time communicating with state and federal officials (big obstacle)
- Local officials reported varying degrees of support from FEMA.
- Breakdown in communication hindered abilities to respond effectively and efficiently.
- Baton Rouge received major influx of refugees.
- Agencies had incompatible communication devices.
- Information wasn't shared with affected communities.
- Suffering was prolonged.
- Mayor upset with federal government.
- After the hurricane, FEMA failed to set up a designated FEMA contact in Baton Rouge for individual assistance for victims.
- After city officials decided to testify against FEMA, they contacted them about setting up an assistance center.
- 2 1/2 weeks before city heard from FEMA, citizens disappointed
- Could have sent supplies to other cities if there had been better coordination.
- City submitted a request for reimbursement of expenses from taking care of refugees and FEMA didn't respond or send money.
- Many refugees also sent to Texas. Their FEMA connections were more helpful.
- Texas also couldn't communicate with FEMA well, so they weren't sure who, how many, or when refugees were coming there.
- There is confusion about what FEMA can and can't do.

Application to Lesson Topic:

This week's lesson focused on leadership and communication. This article gives an example of poor leadership after a disaster. Local governments did all that they could to respond after Katrina, but the federal government failed to assist as they should. FEMA was vaguely involved, and cities were unable to communicate with each other or their superior governments. This article helps understand why leadership and communication are so important.

Application to Emergency Services:

NIMS provides a standard operating procedure for disasters. Agencies around the country rely on the processes illustrated by NIMS. When resources are exhausted, agencies are to turn to their state and federal governments. It becomes very difficult to respond when the people who are supposed to respond fail to do so. It kind of overturns the whole idea of NIMS as a method of response.