Can a Chief wear too many "hats"

[HIangleLT]

Areas of the department are suffering due to this lack of deligation of authority. What are some views to remedy the problem?

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FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
'99 National Champs #1

[Jeff801]

With all due respect. Without knowing specifics, help can not be appropriately administered. One persons perception is sometimes cloudy, other times it is not.

I'm sorry I can not help.

Jeff

[Lieutenant Gonzo]

If a chief is wearing too many hats, he is probably "micro-managing" his department. While he is ultimately responsible for what goes on, he should be delegating tasks and responsibilty to his command staff and company officers so he can focus on what he has to do. Perhaps he has very little faith in his subordinates' abilities, which is the cause of morale problems.



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Take care and be safe...Lt. Gonzo

[HIangleLT]

Lt. Gonzo, I think you hit it right on the head. I know micro managing DOES NOT work in the Fire Service. Why have a rank structure if you are baby sitting every single subordinate. Thanks for the insight.

[R5]

Anyone with a white hat micromanaging subordinate officers should have his "white out" taken away. I see where micromanaging may be used if the big guy isn't sure of the subordinate officer's abilities; however, my experience with "managers" of this sort has shown either the chief does not know or understand the abilities of subordinates or the chief is unsure of his/her abilities and skills needed to accomplish the task at hand. Either way, this is not a good position to be in.

[NFPD206]

Yes a Chief can wear to many hats. In a department like ours that is growing so quickly we often run into this problem. When a department starts small and grows faster than anticipated I believe that the Chief has a hard time realizing that he can not be in control of everything that takes place on a day to day basis. Two years ago our department came up with a five year plan. Last year we had to do it again because we had exceeded our five-year plan. Our Chief is changing with the times, slower than the times but he is changing. Theodore Roosevelt said ”The best leader is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and the self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it” Copy this and slide it under his office door and see what happens. Good luck

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Captain Jeremy Whitehill
Nixa Fire Protection District
Nixa, MO

[CFMJay]

Micromanagement in any endeavor is a serious mistake, but especially in the fire service.