MENTORING – A Powerful Path to Success

01-13-12 --  

 

An Interview with Reginald Freeman, Assistant Fire Chief / Deputy Director of Emergency Management at City of Hartford, CT., by Michèle Carbery.

 

Assistant Chief Reginald Freeman’s strong path to leadership in the fire service was identified by FIRE 20/20 as a powerful mentoring and diversity success story. Here we share an interview with Chief Reginald Freeman in which he talks about his mindset, methods, experiences and the role of mentoring in the context of diversity recruitment and retention.

 

FIRE 20/20: What inspired you to choose the fire service as your profession?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: I always wanted a team-oriented job, something that was physical, at the same time demanding and challenging. With my passion for wanting to help and serve people, becoming a firefighter was at the top of the list.

 

FIRE 20/20: Has the work and career path turned out to be as you expected?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: There is actually a lot more to it than I thought when I was initially looking at it from the outside. I looked at the service part of it, and I looked at the duty aspect, and I told myself, “Wow I would love to be the person who responds and makes someone’s situation better, because at that point in time it could be possibly the worst thing that’s ever happened to them.”

 

As I actually started doing the work, I quickly realized that, not only did I value the opportunity to serve as a firefighter, but I also had aspirations of climbing the organizational chart because I knew I could make an even bigger impact in the community that I serve, and help the progress of the men and women that I serve with.

 

FIRE 20/20: You’ve been with the fire service for 11 years? In terms of career paths, that sounds like a very short time in which to reach your leadership position.

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Yes, it’s very uncommon and as I meet associates from across the country and around the world, I can see their facial expressions change when they find out how young I am. To be a 33 year old Assistant Fire Chief for a city such as Hartford, is not seen that often. Unequivocally, I would not be in the position that I am now if it wasn’t for coaching and mentoring. It would be impossible for me to have accomplished what I’ve accomplished without being mentored.

 

FIRE 20/20: Was it one particular person who mentored you?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: It was a combination of formal mentoring from three key people. They have been there for me consistently from the start of my career to this current day. My mentors have always been people I looked at as exemplifying or modeling the characteristics of personal integrity, accountability and excellence. I reached out to them and asked them a series of questions basically interviewing them. I asked them what it took to reach the position they’re in, because I had the same ambition. Then, of course I needed to feel comfortable enough to be able to call them about issues and ask questions, at the same time being willing to hear their constructive criticism or perspective without taking it personally.

 

FIRE 20/20: How did you find and select your mentors?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: I thought long and hard about who I’d like to mentor me and did an in-depth review of possible candidates. It’s a very critical decision to make when you are talking about professional development and professional ambition. So, I wanted to ensure that I did my homework and made sure I was selecting the right men and women. Keep in mind that it has to work for both parties. Specific things I looked at were their current position, the prior positions that they had held, their training, higher education, professional credentials and their work within their respective communities.

 

I also looked at some of the things they like to do in their personal time. It’s important to be realistic with regard to characteristics or personalities because if there was something that conflicted, those relationships wouldn’t last. Then, I identified three criteria that were important to me, I wrote them down. From that point, I did a process of elimination and built a list of those I would reach out to.

 

FIRE 20/20: How would you say you developed trust with your mentors?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: In the very beginning, ground rules were set. As I reached out and solicited their assistance and guidance, all three mentors established a set of rules. I can’t emphasize enough how important these ground rules and clear communication are to a successful mentoring relationship. They said, “Yes Reggie I will do this for you on these conditions: You have to be available. You have to stay in contact. You have to not take anything personally because everything I’m going to say to you is to help you, not hurt you. You also have to be ready to make a decision. I won’t do it for you, but I may frame a certain situation for you or I may frame a challenge for you, so YOU can make the decision.”

 

I accepted the stipulations surrounding our relationship and agreed to meet the commitments. It’s been very good for me.

 

FIRE 20/20: It sounds like you have taken a very thoughtful and deliberate approach to mentoring. Have you in turn been a mentor to others?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Oh absolutely, as a member of the Black Chief Officer’s Committee, our motto is to, “Reach out, reach back and reach down.” Knowing that I would not be in the position that I am in without mentoring, it is incumbent upon me to ensure that I coach and mentor anyone who approaches me looking for guidance and assistance.

 

Of course, I do the exact same thing as was done by my mentors. I sit down with the individual who may be seeking assistance such as advice for revamping their resume, recommendations for training classes they should take at a specific point their career, or recommendations for a college. For long term mentoring, I sit down, look at the situation, assess it, then I come up with my ground rules with regard to providing assistance and guidance.

 

I have been contacted by people internationally, such as from England, Nigeria and the Middle East. People come across some of my work, editorials, or hear my name through social networks, and want to reach out and ask for guidance and assistance because they too may be young in age but senior in their position within their respective organization. Or, may be young and have aspirations of being promoted, just as I did. It’s been very humbling and rewarding to have people think about me in terms of being a mentor. Currently, within my department, I’m mentoring several people as preparation for their professional credentials and being promoted to the next level of supervision. I always openly and tenaciously engage individuals and render any assistance that I’m able to offer.

 

FIRE 20/20: In terms of recruitment and the retention of diversity in fire departments, and the creation of an inclusive environment, how do you see mentoring fitting into that role?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Yes, I think that mentoring and coaching really have to occur in a fire department in order to obtain the levels of diversity recruitment and retention that the community and members of the department expect.

 

At this time in the fire service, professional development is a necessity, due to the large number of baby boomers that are currently eligible to retire. We have Generation X and Generation Y members stepping-up to positions of authority and with that comes a lot of challenges, not only on the operational side of things, but also in terms of human resource-related issues which has been a challenge in the fire service for some time. If we’re not recruiting the right people and preparing the work force, we’re really handicapping the organization and prohibiting members from truly reaching their full potential. Mentoring within the department and community is a big part of the solution.

 

FIRE 20/20: Do you think there is enough mentoring going on in the fire service?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Collectively, I don’t really have data to quantify that, but I do know it is a concern of a lot of fire service leaders and it is on their radar. We hear a lot more discussion about mentoring in the fire service now than I think we did 10 years ago.

 

FIRE 20/20: Do you feel believe there is ‘bad’ mentoring and if so, what does that look like?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Yes, I really do think there is bad mentoring. It often comes from the informal side. Mentoring is sometimes done by informal leaders, individuals who are not necessarily in a position of authority, but have some influence in their organization or shift.

 

There could also possibly be bad mentoring from a formal standpoint. This can happen when a person is trying to be a mentor but the process may not have been communicated to them in as much detail as it should, or the mentor was ASSIGNED to be a mentor instead of WANTING to be a mentor. If a person’s heart is not into it, they’re not going to get the results that everyone expects and deserves. So you really have to look at the dynamics of the entire situation in order for mentor/mentee relationship to be successful.

 

It’s a lot better to start a mentoring program by first identifying the need for the program. Secondly, identify the objectives to be included in the program and this should be done by obtaining input from all levels of the organization. Then you have people volunteer to be mentors and mentees, and then you know they’re going to be invested in the program and give it 100%.

 

FIRE 20/20: What are your thoughts on handling difficulties in a mentor/mentee relationship?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: There’s always going to have to be follow-up, especially with a mentor/mentee relationship. However, there will be times when you’re going to be disappointed. There may be times the mentor is disappointed; at times the mentee is disappointed. For instance, a mentor may be disappointed because the mentee did not produce what was expected at the agreed upon time. As a mentor, you have to be tactful when addressing disappointment or let downs. There are times a mentee may feel they’re not receiving what he or she had hoped for.

 

Yes, there will be disappointments, but it’s not going to be the end of the world, and that’s one of the reasons you set up the guidelines in the beginning which helps when it is time to have those crucial conversations. Also, you really have to be flexible. There are always things that will occur in people’s professional and personal lives that we all have to take into consideration, no matter whether we’re a mentor or mentee. A professional mentor relationship naturally transforms into making you a better person overall, and that’s really what it’s about.

 

FIRE 20/20: Has your department and work benefited by connecting with mentors from different groups and cultures in the community?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Most definitely, within the community that we serve, we aim to be transparent and communicate everything we are doing. Reaching out to leaders in the community is highly encouraged because when it comes to examples of successful management and leadership, we don’t need to only focus on fire service leaders, we look for community leaders with characteristics that we can also apply in the fire service because we are a service and people-oriented profession.

 

The same thing applies with leaders of cultural organizations in the community as it does with the men and women in the private sector. Ideally, the diversity of our fire department is supposed to be reflective of the community that we serve. Due to their diverse backgrounds, a lot of the men and women working in the department already have a relationship with cultural leaders, through religious or other cultural organizations and are able to relate with them and to communicate with them, possibly in a better way than we may be able to as fire service leaders. So establishing that groundwork and forming those relationships is very important.

 

FIRE 20/20: Do you believe that mentoring improves people lives?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Oh, absolutely. Mentoring has such a critical impact on the professional development of men and women within the fire service from a standpoint of both the professional and personal aspect. For example, maintaining a high level of integrity, and realizing that we’re accountable for not only our actions, but also our inactions, is critically important. Also, being able to delegate accountability while holding the responsibility, and understanding the importance of following-up when we do delegate accountability. Learning these things through mentoring and coaching has a greater impact on us as individuals than I think a lot of people realize.

 

Once the individual has a heightened sense of awareness of self, then that coherently has a larger impact for the citizens we serve through our departments. Also, a large proportion of the students in the Explorer/Cadet program go on to become career firefighters. So yes, I would definitely say mentoring improves peoples’ lives.

 

FIRE 20/20: In an ideal world, what would your vision for mentoring in the fire service look like?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: In an ideal world, I would say mentoring in the fire service would be incorporated into a professional development program based on a model that would be used nationally. There would be an outline of what the professional development program looked like. It would include mentoring for both uniformed and non-uniformed people within the organization.

 

Everyone should have some form of development plan and process in place. It’s not just for people in fire suppression roles. We also have to look at the administrative assistants and the mechanics because everyone benefits from mentoring at some level.

 

Mentoring is even more important in the volunteer fire service. Men and women are volunteering their time and their skill sets to serve their community. They may not have the time and/or resources to receive formal training, so the mentoring and development process is critical.

 

FIRE 20/20: What advice would you give to anyone who is thinking about becoming a mentor?

 

CHIEF FREEMAN: Ask yourself if you are really committed to doing what it takes. Are you committed to the process? That’s exactly what it is, it’s a process. Once you answer that question, then the next step is to identify an outline for certain criteria that you think are important. Consider a path for your mentee's professional development. Professional certifications and professional associations should all be part of your plan. You have to be willing, and able to give honest feedback and have crucial conversations with your mentee. And finally, you need to be willing to inspire those you’re mentoring when they need it most.

 

Posted by: Fire 20/20   Tags: Assistant Chief Reginald Freeman, Connecticut, Diversity, fire service, Hartford Fire Department, Leadership, mentoring, recruitment, retention   Categories: Article, Interview, Newsletter