Career Survival Protecting Those Who Protect Our Communities

Career Survival Protecting Those Who Protect Our Communities © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Chief Brian Cummings • 34 Years of Service LAFD • Board member American Red Cross Blood Services • Board member Performance 911 – N FORS • Consultant – PSSi • Trainer/Advisor –Career Survival Group © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Danger Hey Chief…. Can I run something by you? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Firefighter Terminated • Google Search • Stories © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Operational Emphasis • Operationally Sound • Safety Focus • Near Miss Reporting © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Survival • Education – What are common issues? • Expectation – Policy • Audits – Outside review of critical systems © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

A Culture of Accountability • Bring it into the light of day • Thorough, complete, timely © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Tool of Accountability • Non disciplinary notes • Meaningful evaluations • Tracking © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Danger Hey Chief…. Can I run something by you? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group Career Survival Training © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group CSG Contributors • Fire Professionals • Police Professionals • Govt & Labor Attys • Eric Rosoff – Executive Manager © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Considerations • Ops vs Administrative emphasis • Similarities in firefighters across the country © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Training • Why Career Survival Training? – Because you care about your people! – Because you take immense pride in what you do! © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group “You’re always on parade” General George S. Patton © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Will You be Leading. . This? Or This? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Survival • Operational Survival – Acknowledge and respond to common behaviors that cost Firefighter’s their lives – A balance of courage & skill © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Operational Survival • Courage – You got the job and you hire new firefighters based on an inherent amount of bravery. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Operational Survival • Skill – You strive to keep your employees equipped and trained so when the time comes their courage will be supported by a “reflex response. ” © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival • Acknowledge and respond to common behaviors that cost Firefighter’s their CAREERS! – Like Operational Survival, Career Survival requires inherent courage and honed skills. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Acknowledge the Danger • There were 87 LODD’s in 2014. • CSG tracked 233 terminations in 2014. – This number does not include many unpublicized terminations or retirements in lieu. – Many times the behavior did not start out as malicious. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Acknowledge Danger • Common termination themes are: – Money/Drugs – Social Media – Disrespecting the Workplace. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Acknowledge the Danger • Social Media – In recent years there have been at least 30 firefighters fired for Social Media related activity © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Acknowledge the Danger • Social Media – We feel compelled to add to the conversation – Does the First Amendment apply? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Disrespect the Workplace • Most frequent violations: • On duty sex / drinking – Includes employee/employee sex – Includes employees who knew about behavior but didn't stop/report it © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Disrespect the Workplace • Most frequent violations: • Workplace environment – Violations of agency policy and training re appropriate conduct inside stations. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Respond To Danger = Training © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Training Comparison • • Operational Threats Acknowledge dangers Dedicated to training Learn from others Promote accountability and reflex response to dangerous situations • • Career Threats Acknowledge dangers? Dedicated to training? Learn from others? Promote accountability and reflex response to dangerous situations? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group Is it Safe? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Realities of Career Survival • • Changing Workforce Changing Client Base Complacency Unrealistic Security © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Realities of Career Survival Headline June 2, 2014 Blue Angels Chief Fired for Sexual Harassment Veteran Navy pilot fired from the Navy's elite demonstration team for allowing porn, explicit speech. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Accountability and the Company Officer © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Company Officers • Organizational position/responsibility – Chief • Decides where we’re heading – Chief Officers • Make sure we have what we need to get there – Line employees • Rubber meets the road – Company Officers • DRIVING THE BUS! © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Company Officers The agency’s success rests with the company officer’s understanding the rules of the road and ability to negotiate the hazards along the way. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Company Officers Not recognizing the dangers in front of you, or failing to adapt to changing conditions, can have a devastating impact. © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

A Culture of Accountability Maintaining a culture of accountability is the first step in protecting yourself and those around you from career threatening events! © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Accountability Hold Subordinates Accountable • Look at this again. It does not say “Hold their feet to the fire!” © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Operational Comparison Counseling/Coaching/ Non-Disciplinary Docs Discipline © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Tools • Coaching/Counseling • Not disciplinary!! – Counseling is essential to effective supervision. – Sets a tone of accountability. – Keep small things small © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Tools • Non-disciplinary doc’s • How many do you have? – Counseling memo? – Educational reminder? – Written account of oral counseling? – Evaluation – PIP • How many do you need? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Evaluations • Standard is a paycheck • Encourage good behavior and identify/respond to poor performance • Anything over or below standard should be supported by specific events & circumstances © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

When Cultures Collide • Discovery Documents (Public Culture) – Policy – Training records – Pay – Prior discipline • Sworn Testimony (Actual Culture) – Will testimony differ from expectations? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Ops Proactive Activities Brush abatement and business inspections. • Operational risk management • Keep small things small • Personal safety © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Ops Proactive Activities Drill low freq, high impact operational events. • Reflexive response • Know your resources • Personal safety What are your administrative comparisons? © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group • Essential elements of Career Survival. – Be aware of dangers – Set and maintain clear expectations – Model / Train to the expectations – Honestly evaluate efforts to meet expectations – Audit critical performance • Trust and verify! © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Incident Survival • Firefighters have mastered incident survival skills – Seamless communications – ICS – Comprehensive incident review / debriefing – Continuous tactical review and drill © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Incident Survival Even still, you experience line of duty deaths © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc

Career Survival Group Eric Rosoff 818 -381 -6427 Career Survival Group erosoff@careersurvivalgroup. com www. careersurvivalgroup. com © 2015 careersurvivalgroup, llc