Building a plan for effective communication in combination/volunteer departments
Member and Leadership Collaboration (MLC) helps departments leverage behavioral analysis to manage group dysfunction, such as:
- Excessive grievances
- Organizational conflict
- Failing to establish consensus
- Transition challenges
- Lack of strategic planning
- Company member conflicts
- Volunteer and career conflicts
- Roles that are not clearly identified
This is a facilitated, two-day workshop to create effective communication in your department and between firefighters, officers and chiefs through understanding DISC behavioral styles.
MLC begins with a comprehensive personality assessment designed for emergency-service organizations facing the challenges of service delivery in a combination or volunteer system. The workshop is organized to open lines of communication and focus members and leadership on their common goal - to provide the highest level of service.
Two experienced combination and volunteer chief officers facilitate this interactive program onsite. The workshop:
- Helps key leadership and members understand the unique challenges facing their organization.
- Guides participants to interpret their own behaviors and understand the causes of basic communication conflicts within the combination emergency-service organization.
- Allows input from external and internal stakeholders through an in-depth analysis based on local and national trends and the organization’s needs.
- Establishes organizational and personal goals that recognize and support the value of the organization’s volunteer, part-time and career components.
The MLC is administered over two days with two facilitators. Requesting agencies are required to pay a flat fee for the workshop, which includes all facilitator travel and custom behavioral-style reports for up to 10 key leadership personnel.
The on-site delivery of this course is a shared expenditure for the VCOS and the host department. Exact cost sharing amount will be determined at the time of proposal by the host. Local hosts may choose to charge a registration fee for students to attend or obtain sponsors.
Facilitators
- Peter J. Struble, CFO, CMO
Paramedicine Coordinator, Fire Science & Professional Studies of the Department of Health Sciences
- Scott Martus, North Haven (New York) Fire Department
- William Stacy, West Haven (Connecticut) Fire Department
- Mary-Ellen L. Harper, EFO,
- Landon A. Churchill, NRP
Carbondale (Colorado) Rural Fire Protection District
- Randy Larson, Pagosa (Colorado) Fire Protection District
- Kevin J. Sehlmeyer, Michigan State Fire Marshal
- Norvin Collins, San Juan Island (Washington) Fire District
- Jim Cook, Leesburg (Virginia) Volunteer Fire Company
- Jason Catrambone, Williston (North Dakota) Fire Department