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Some people have one style of leadership, which is fine if they can find a situation that requires that style of leadership.
Flexible leadership, however, involves being able to adapt your leadership style according to the situation and the state of the team.
(quoted from Team Technology)
From your experience as a firefighter select a situation or incident in which a leader displayed, or lacked, flexibility in their leadership style. The situation could be from the fireground, rescue or station life.
Use the following headings to construct your answer:
1. Describe the situation or incident which demonstrates flexibility, or lack of flexibility, in leadership style.
2. Analyse the flexibility of leadership style.
How did the person’s leadership style change as the situation progressed? What adaptations to the situation or incident did the leader make or not make? Think about the way he or she made plans, issued directions, wound up the situation, and so on.
3. Analyse the team in relation to the flexibility in leadership style.
How did the degree of flexibility displayed by the leader influence the team? Were there changes in team style as the situation progressed? Why or why not?
4. Validation.
Bearing in mind the situation you have just described, discuss the wider relevance of a flexible leadership style to a modern fire service.
When we speak, we give feedback that includes expressing feelings, sharing information and ideas, understanding others and making observations. There are many ways to give feedback.
(quoted from NDSU)
Drawing on your experience as a firefighter aspiring to lead as a Station Officer, comment on the statement “There are many ways to give feedback”. Relate your answer to leadership and an experience from the fireground, rescue or station life.
Use the following headings to construct your answer:
1. Describe a situation or incident from your experience which illustrates the statement “There are many ways to give feedback”.
2. Analyse the leader in relation to the feedback provided.
For example you could consider communication, collaboration, information sharing, expertise, pulling rank, the promise of reward and so on. These prompts are to help you think about the question and you are not expected to address each one.
3. Analyse the team in relation to the feedback they received.
How effective was the provision/non provision of feedback as a team building strategy? You may like to write from the perspective of the team’s experience, communication challenges, diversity in culture, motivation, fire fighting skills and so on.
4. Validation.
With reference to the situation you have just described, discuss the relevance of feedback as an effective leadership strategy in a modern fire service.
Please note: You must change any identifying details, such as names and places, to maintain the confidentiality of the people involved in the situations you are writing about.