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The Leadership Advisor
"Helping Leaders Develop Leaders"
September 2008 - Volume 3 Edition 8
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The Endurance

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." ~ T. S. Eliot

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point." ~ C. S. Lewis

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." ~ Anaïs Nin

"Courage is the ability to push past obstacles & challenges with firmness, valor, and boldness." ~ Phil Eastman, Founder & President, Leadership Advisors Group

"Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live!" ~ Henry Van Dyke

Courage
By Phil Eastman

"Courage is not the absence of fear." The role of fear as a limiting force in our lives is an immense subject but not the focus of Chapter Eight. I want to articulate the cultivation of courage as a matter of character development so when it is required for leadership it ready for action. Over the years as I have spoken on courage it has come to my attention that this is one of the most challenging of the character components for me. I have come to conclude that my lack of courage is based in prosperity.

I have lived a privileged life without a lot hardship. In comparison to the people I have worked with in Manila, I have never seen a very difficult day. My privilege has not been defined by enormous wealth but rather by the lack of real adversity. Consequently, when challenges have arisen for me as a leader, I have often wanted to run or at least change direction so that the obstacle could be avoided rather than confronted.

There is value in seeing the path around an obstacle and in general, when leadership obstacles occur, it is valid to look for the alternatives. My shortcoming however is sometimes taking the alternative when the direct route requiring firmness and boldness would have been best. I deliberately circumvent obstacles to keep my life easy.

I suspect I am not alone in this lack of courage. In order for me to overcome this leadership weakness, I must name it. This is followed by the decision to take the challenging path even though escape routes present themselves. I find it particularly difficult to demonstrate the courage of confrontation. I like being liked and so as a leader there have been too many times that I failed to take direct decisive action even when it would have been the best alternative.

The culmination of this lack of courage occurred five years into the operation of our consulting group. We had one major client which represented sixty percent of the revenue for our fledgling company. For five years, I worked closely with the owner/CEO, his family, and most of the company's leadership team. During that time, I got way too close to the action. As a result, lost my objectivity and began to behave more as an employee of the company than a trusted advisor. I did not confront this issue even though in the back of my mind I knew, it was time for me to leave.

Over the course of my last year with the client, they began investing heavily (money and people's time) in a new venture. Despite my polite advice against the investment, the organization spent over one million dollars in cash and even more than that in time to bring this new product on line. As I watched the rest of the organization suffer from a lack of direction, involvement from the CEO, and a shortage of cash, it became apparent it was time to leave.

Much to my dismay, I stayed on for a few extra months; I was afraid that I could not sustain the economic realities of losing my largest client. Finally in early spring, I fired myself as their consultant. Of course they quickly replaced my services by hiring someone else and the company has continued to bump along.

Over the past years I have reflected many times on why I waited so long. The answer is very simple; I lacked the courage to lead forward, to face an obstacle with firmness, valor and boldness.

Quite frankly, courage is a weakness in my character. I like to think I have made some progress over the last few years but this is still an aspect of my character and leadership that needs work.

One of the ways I have tried to bolster my courage is by reading stories of others who have faced and overcome obstacles with firmness, valor and boldness. There are countless courageous stories in large and small things that abound but there is one story of courage that has captivated my imagination for a number of years. It is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

. . .to read the remainer of this article, please click on the Courage icon. . .

Phil Eastman is the founder and president of Leadership Advisors Group, a Boise-based consulting firm. Phil combines more than 25 years of leadership experience with his passion for consulting, coaching, and teaching to develop leaders, build teams, and improve performance. It is his desire to enhance leadership effectiveness for all of his clientele.

Phil earned a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Management and Organization from Idaho State University. He is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington where he is also an instructor. Phil also holds a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary.
Chief Doan
By Lorene Rasmussen

My six-year old grandson Traece, has always loved superheroes, cowboys, and firefighters. He has a fabulous imagination with a trunk filled with costumes that allows him to fully live into his rich imaginary world.

Before he was two, he got his first superhero costume complete with a cape. He wore it out jumping off his mother's couch, sliding down hand railings, and attacking make believe villains that would endanger his family's home. By the time he was five, Traece had already worn out two pairs of cowboy boots riding the lonely range of the back forty, aka front yard.

Whether mythical or not, it doesn't take much to see the similarities between these professions. Because of Traece, I can wholly appreciate why he is drawn to the spirit of these three noble occupations. For starters, they:
  • Wear the same thing everyday
  • Use extraordinary transportation
  • Lead by example
  • Face each day knowing at a moments notice, an adventure could ensue

    • When I announced to my family I was going to have the awesome privilege of interviewing Fire Chief Dennis Doan and do a ride around with the men at Firehouse #14, Traece instantly volunteered to go to work with me. All though he promised to be very good, I had to remind him that first grade was more important right now.

    Meeting Chief Doan turned out to be better than I ever imagined. As the City of Boise's newest and certainly the youngest Chief, he was literally baptized by fire. Only 29 weeks into his position, Boise faced its largest residential fire in history.

    It was August 25th, when desert grasses and sage brush were ignited by molten metal from a faulty power line and fanned by 55 mile per hour winds when "the perfect storm" erupted. The fire pushed upward and outward onto a nearby bluff setting several homes a blaze. Just as Chief Doan jumped from Captain to Fire Chief in a short amount of time, the flames jumped from one house to another, making the 4-alarm fire a powerful force to be reckoned with.

    All available Boise firefighters and equipment were dispatched immediately to the scene, along with several fire crews from neighboring towns. The BLM also dispatched 4 rigs and 20 men to help contain what some were describing as, a "tunnel of fire" or "tidal wave of flames."

    By the time the inferno was under control, 1 resident had died, 10 homes were destroyed, 9 homes were damaged, and more than 50 families had been evacuated. Officials reported that the devastation could have been much worse without the cooperation of the citizens, law enforcement, fire agencies, and reporters.

    Back in 1991, as an entry level firefighter Doan hadn't envisioned himself as a fire chief. To tell truth, he hadn't envisioned himself as a firefighter since he was an education major at Boise State University. He had his sights set on becoming a history teacher and basketball coach; but once fire got into his blood and he had experienced the bond of brotherhood within the fire department, his course was set.

    By 1995, Doan had advanced to senior ranks within the department and was active in Local 149. For Doan, life was moving faster than a wildfire! His natural energy, leadership skills, and deep passion saw him promoted to Captain status within a few short years.

    His leadership didn't remain local; as President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho, he spent time getting to know legislators and lobbying as a labor advocate for all of Idaho's firefighters. It was during those days at the state house, Doan became acquainted with Dave Bieter, now the Mayor of Boise, Idaho.

    Admittedly, Doan didn't always feel like the model citizen. A life of anger and alcohol, crazy work schedules and a driving ego, he had regrettably allowed his marriage to disintegrate into a smoldering heap. Although not yet divorced, he was fairly certain his marriage was coming to an end.

    After the birth of their son in 1998, the young family started attending a cute little church very close to their home. His wife enrolled in a weekly class called, "Firm Foundations." Each week after returning home, she happily shared stories about the things she was learning. Doan actually found himself interested in the Biblical principles being taught.

    They joined a small group and Dennis started hanging out with the men who became positive role models for him. A few months later the youth pastor approached him asking for his help with the teenagers. Dennis thought it looked like fun, so he agreed.

    Dennis said, "I remember something started to change inside of me. I didn't want my son to live in two different homes nor did I want him to act like me." It was on Father's Day 1999 while during a church service, a man started singing the song, "I Want to be Just Like You." All at once the chorus from that simple tune became Dennis' prayer: ". . .Lord, I want to be just like You - 'Cause he wants to be just like me - I want to be a holy example - For his innocent eyes to see - Help me be a living Bible, Lord - That my little boy can read - I want to be just like You - 'Cause he wants to be like me. . ."

    Did that simple prayer cause transformation to take place overnight for this reckless young leader and hurting family? No. But like anything of value, it took hard work to restore what he had shamefully neglected. The same energy and passion he used as an effective firefighter and labor advocate, he used toward the healing of his marriage and rebuilding his family.

    Last fall, when the former Fire Chief Ren Ross announced his retirement, Dennis was approached by civic leaders asking him to apply for the position. Besides believing he was too young, he didn't feel 16 years in the field was long enough to qualify him to step into the role. He knew what it would take, he had read the job description, and he hadn't finished his college degree. Dennis originally said, "no thanks, not now, or at least not yet."

    In his book, Leading with a Limp, Dr. Dan Allendar calls someone with this level of hesitation a "reluctant leader." He states, "What I am about to write is ridiculous. . .We should bless men and women who have done their level best to escape leadership but who have been compelled to return and put their hand on the tiller. . .We should expect anyone who remains in a formal leadership context to experience repeated bouts of flight, doubt, surrender, and return. . .Why?. . .the reluctant leader is not easily seduced by power, pride or ambition."

    Dennis Doan was appointed as Fire Chief in February of 2008. He recalls sitting in his new office thinking, "I'm going to cry. . .I'm just going to cry. What happens if they find out, this is all I have?" Apparently, Dennis' ability to cry is something the teenagers in his youth group have known about him for a very long time. The best part is, he's not ashamed of his own transparency.

    Now over seven months into his new role, Chief Doan has appointed his command staff, faced the largest fire in Boise's history, and continues to show his heart of dedication. In January of 2009, he will return to Boise State University to finish his college degree while remaining active in various civic organizations.

    Chief Doan has amazing stories as a firefighter, community leader, volunteer, and youth pastor. He understands that influence is more powerful than position. Combine that with courage, tenacity, and humility, and you have the fuel for a "perfect storm" of leadership, which is something to be reckoned with.

    If the Sweetwater fire had occurred a year ago, Dennis Doan would have been handling hoses, moving equipment, and doing his part along side fellow firefighters. Now as the Fire Chief, it was his responsibility to fight a different kind of blaze, coordinating the 41 crews with equipment, walking the fire line encouraging his comrades, and providing a strong confident presence through the media for the public. By all reports, he handled his job heroically.

    Obviously, it takes more than a trunk of costumes and extraordinary transportation to lead by example. Chief Doan faces every day as an adventure, making it possible for those under him to protect the lives and property in our community.

    Perhaps like the mythical phoenix, the rebirth of Dennis' spirit and the rebuilding of his home from the smoldering ashes of pain was the antidote needed in order to display something far more grand, far more triumphant. It is a beautiful display of his leadership!

    Thank you Chief Doan!

    Superheroes, Cowboys, & Firefighters is #8 in a series of interviews with local leaders, business owners, and personal heroes.

    Lorene Rasmussen is the Partner for Business Operations which guides and supports the daily and strategic operations of Leadership Advisors Group. She combines a unique sense of fun and organization to insure operations run smoothly and that clients receive the highest quality service possible. Lorene earned a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in marketing from Boise State University and is a certified Life Coach through Genesis Enterprises in Seattle, Washington.

    After spending a day with the men at Firehouse #14, Lorene is sure she doesn't have what it takes to be a firefighter, however, she appreciates their hard work and dedication to protect the lives and property in our community.

    Thank you Captain Womack, Thayne and Mike for putting up with Lorene for the day!
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    Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, ages and occupations but the one thing they have in common is the notable qualities that set them apart by their courage.

    Who is your hero?

     Cowboy, Superheroes & Firefighteres
    Phil Eastman & Lorene Rasmussen
    Leadership Advisors Group

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