First responders are real-life heroes. They rush into burning buildings. They keep us safe. They race to emergencies, often risking their own lives to protect ours. And while words will never fully capture the scope of what they do, one thing is certain: they carry a heavy load.
Good leadership can lighten the burden. Senior consulting partner Lael Good has spent years helping managers of first responders become better leaders. We sat down together to reflect on what she’s learned.
Doug: What leadership qualities are essential for managers of first responders?
Lael: In addition to the qualities we would expect any good leader to have, such as living their values and embodying the mission and purpose of the organization, leaders of first responders also need to understand the environment they are operating in and the toll it can take on their people.
This starts with giving grace when it's needed. It means understanding that we're all humans, and that, at the end of the day, there's only so much we can do.
Doug: What are the biggest challenges leaders of first responders face?
Lael: The amount of change that is occurring and the pace at which people are operating is a huge challenge. It’s everywhere we go, and it’s even more acute for first responders. It requires everyone to be more flexible and adaptable.
Another challenge is being able to compartmentalize. First responders naturally put others before themselves. This means they can go beyond their limits. Their leaders must help them understand this and protect them from burnout.
Doug: How can leaders build resilience in their teams—and in themselves?
Lael: When I think about resilience, it's the ability to pick ourselves up and continue no matter what is happening around us. It's going back to understanding that there is only so much one person can do.
Some of the organizations who are our clients are working to make sure everyone feels safe to talk about well-being and mental health. This can be a culture shift, as not long ago it was taboo to talk about such subjects.
CAL FIRE, one of our clients, did an admirable job of this. We first began working with them in 2019, when they were coming off some of the worst fires in California's history. Many first responders were coming back with PTSD. People were depleted long before we started helping.
Some of the things these people have seen can never be unseen. They need to be able to move through this trauma and to have a life that has a feeling of normalcy about it. This includes leaders taking into account the families of first responders—because trauma experienced by one person can affect everyone in their life.
Fast forward to 2025. CAL FIRE’s culture has dramatically changed. The well-being of their people is the priority. Mental health challenges are widely accepted and discussed.
Doug: When is command-and-control leadership style helpful and when is it harmful?
Lael: Command and control, just like any leadership approach, has a time and place where it is the most appropriate—for example, when the team is in crisis mode. Everybody needs to know who's in charge and what they’re supposed to be doing.
However, when the team is not in the middle of a crisis, a situational approach to leadership is ideal. It ensures the leader cares about the well-being of every person on the team. By responding to people’s needs, it is possible to build deeper relationships and increase results at the same time. People need these qualities in their leaders if they are to function at their best. A situational approach is one of the best ways to increase retention and engagement.
Doug: How can leaders build bench strength?
Lael: Building bench strength starts with leaders role modeling the behaviors they want others to demonstrate. This includes paying close attention to people’s needs.
Leadership is about giving people what they can't give themselves. It's a universal framework that provides tools and practices we all should aspire to—whether we’re leading first responders or anyone else.
Doug: What does it mean to develop someone?
Lael: You can look at this from a lot of ways. How can we develop people’s technical expertise? How can we help people develop self-awareness? How can we help people grow?
The goal of a leader is to ensure the future state of the organization. Developing people in as many areas as possible prepares future leaders in the organization.
Doug: What does it mean to lead someone?
Lael: Leading people means creating an environment where they are going to succeed. Such an environment must be a place where everyone's voices are heard, and people feel like they can speak their truth to power.
“Leadership is a partnership, not just a position.” What does that mean?
Lael: This is one of the most important phrases I want people to understand about leadership. It is not just a position. The more we see leadership as a partnership, the more we see that it's not just about performance.
We're not saying good performance isn't important. Of course it is. But remember, we are human beings with lives and feelings and emotions and stories. Leaders must take that into consideration if they are going to be effective, because people don't leave their personal lives outside the door. They bring them to work. And a work environment should allow everyone to be their authentic self as much as possible.
Doug: What is command presence, and how can someone have it without holding formal authority?
Lael: Command presence is very similar to executive presence. You can even remove the word executive and just say “presence.” It is someone's ability to come into a situation and have others feel that everything is going to be okay.
People demonstrate this in different ways. Some leaders come in and take charge. Others exude a quiet confidence. Regardless of someone’s position, it is important for leaders to use their presence appropriately and for good.
Doug: What excites you most about the future for first responders?
Lael: I'm really excited about the recognition this community is finally getting. First responders have very specific needs, and it's important to understand this. It includes giving them the tools so that everyone can thrive after a crisis.
What first responders do is vital work. They are risking their lives for us every day, and the least we can do is help them thrive after a crisis.
Doug: What do you hope your leadership legacy will be?
Lael: When I was a little girl growing up on a ranch in Wyoming, one of my favorite things to do was to go horseback riding with my grandfather. One day, we rode to the top of a big ridge where we could see for miles and miles. He looked down at our ranch and said to me, “We don't own this. We have the privilege to take care of it and the responsibility to leave it a little better than when we found it.”
I knew that was an important lesson even though I was just five years old, and it's what I hope will be my leadership legacy: to leave everything a little better, whether it's my family, my community, my workplace, my colleagues, my friends, or whoever has crossed my path.
Perhaps my story will resonate with a leader of a first responder and inspire them to leave their part of the world better than they found it.
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Editor's Note: Want to develop your leadership presence and empower your team members? Join our Leadership for First Responders course starting this July.
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