Volunteer fire fighters do it. Frankly, all fire fighters do it. Volunteers put their safety at risk every day--and they receive little or no pay for their efforts. They do it because they believe in what they are doing. They understand the value of their work. They do it because in a time of crisis, they do whatever the Chief demands.
I'm struck by their level of commitment, the cohesiveness of the crews, and their allegiance to their leadership. Talk to a volunteer. You will understand what motivates them to get out of their comfortable beds in the middle of the night, leaving the safety of their homes, not knowing if they'll safely return, to put out a fire in a stranger's home. You'll hear them speak about commitment to community, service, a love of their fellow volunteers. You'll also understand the impact of duty and the tradition of volunteering-for volunteering is often done within families, generation after generation.
What motivates these men and women is a belief-a belief in what they are doing and a belief in their leader. Fortunately, few jobs require you to put your life at risk, but all jobs need employees who believe and managers who inspire their people to follow.
Surveys consistently show that the relationship between supervision and workers can make or break an organization. In fact, strong front-line supervisors, more than the CEO or other top level managers, are the most critical factor in engaging their workforce.
What are you doing to engage your workers? What are you doing to develop your supervisors? Without either, your organization will not be successful.
