As a leader of a firefighting station, few people understand the value of good working relationships better than you. You know that when lives are on the line, you need to be able to count on the person next to you to do his or her job. You should also be able to trust that person to have your back should the situation become dangerous for you. By taking the time to cultivate good working relationships in your station house, you have a better chance of building a stronger unit. Take a look at a few examples of ways to improve relationships at your station house.
1. Communication is crucial
The members of your team should feel comfortable talking to each other. If they are not, this can drastically affect team relations and may get in the way of performance. You do not have to oversee all lines of communication, but if you notice a problem between two particular members, try to iron it out before it begins to affect the rest of the crew.
2. Find the balance between friendly and professional
Even though fire squads often become so close that they are almost like family members to one another, it is important to remember that their main purpose is to complete a job. It is OK to encourage camaraderie, but make sure that your unit treats each other with a professional attitude.
3. Host team-building events
Finding time in a firefighter's busy schedule to bond can be difficult, but it is a vital part of maintaining a functional unit. Whenever there is downtime, lead a group activity. This can be as simple as preparing and sharing a meal together on shift or playing a board game in between calls.
4. Be a proponent of respect
Despite the fact that your station house may be full of close friendships, you need to promote an atmosphere of respect. Do not allow new people to feel alienated or to be hazed. Additionally, make sure all practical jokes and jesting do not compromise the respectfulness between team members.
5. Make sure everyone does their jobs
The quickest way for bad blood to develop in a station house is when someone begins to slack on his or her responsibilities. As the leader of the unit, it is your job to ensure that everyone holds their own. If you notice someone slacking, pull them aside and remind them that it takes teamwork to make the station house run efficiently.
6. Keep external issues out of the station house
As stated previously, firefighters can develop close bonds. That means that some of them may be hanging out away from work. This is great and should be encouraged. However, this can also mean that firefighters may occasionally have personal issues with each other that result from outside friendships. Make it clear that any issues from outside of work must not affect the job and should be handled off duty.
Building a strong team means taking the time to cultivate relationships in your station house. Hopefully, the advice above will help you in this endeavor.