Your human resources are your most important natural resource

I find myself writing about this regularly it seems, but maybe it is because so many people don't seem to get the lesson.

A few years ago, in the August of 2011, I was invited to the Arkansas EMT Association's annual conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas to present an all day session on leadership.  During this time, I used a lesson I learned from General Colin Powell which was about attention to your people.

The crux of his comments were that you had to pay attention to your people.  In a brain based economy, the most important thing you have is not tools or technology, but your people and their critical thinking ability.  This reminds me of a former boss I had when i was doing natural resources policy in Virginia who said our most important natural resources are our human resources.  I don't know General Powell, but in the latter case, she meant it and it was clear every day that her focus was on her people.  Not just a handshake, cup of coffee, or a hello, but a genuine, "what is going on?"

It brings me to the other point General Powell was making about leadership and people which was when folks don't bring their problems to you it is usually for two reasons.

1. Your people think you are incompetent and can't fix them, or
2. Your people don't think you care...and you can't fix them.

Both are problematic for the leader who needs his or her team to function well in an increasingly competitive environment because at that point the team doesn't think you can lead.

It seems appropriate to remember that the guy with the most cool toys or technology is only the guy with the most cool toys and technology, but if his staff isn't buying into the message otherwise or not "getting it" there should be a siren going off.  Especially when you are in public safety.

We all know of organizations where there are cliques - in the firehouse, in the rescue squad, even the patrol room - but when it negatively affects service delivery, it might be time to look at those apples poisoning the bunch.  Do they pick and choose what rules to follow?  Do they hide assets from other team members?  These are the things that should be raising alarms and demand a response.

Things are usually harder to stop the longer they go, so the question becomes do you handle problems when they are small or wait until they are big?

Stay safe!