Five things a company officer should never say with Linda Willing

A company officer holds the power to increase morale or harm it. And while actions do speak louder than words, the words can have an impact, too.

This week, Linda Willing joins us to explain why some phrases should never be a part of your vocabulary.

Read her FireRescue1 article on what company officers should never say.

Linda Willing, president of RealWorld Training & Consulting, was a career firefighter and fire officer for over 18 years. She is an adjunct faculty member at the National Fire Academy, co-author of several USFA books: The Changing Face of the Fire Service; Many Faces, One Purpose; and Many Women Strong, and has spoken at conferences in the United States, Canada and Great Britain.

In 1982, Linda co-founded Women in the Fire Service, Inc., a national educational resource on gender issues in the fire service. She has trained and consulted with a number of fire departments and organizations, including the New York City Fire Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department. Linda has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MS in Management and Organization Development from Regis University in Denver. She is a certified mediator, and has been an assessor on fire department promotional boards in Colorado and California. Past work experience includes time spent as an Outward Bound instructor and as a backcountry ranger at Mt. Rainier National Park.

Linda’s specialty is combining valid theory with practical knowledge of the fire and emergency services from the inside out. She frequently collaborates with other fire service and management professionals to design programs that meet an organization’s unique needs. Her approach is pragmatic, respectful, and skill-based.

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