By Jay Fitch, PhD
“Lead like you mean it”, written by Laysha Ward, is a concise but insightful read for public safety leaders. Ward, who grew up in a firefighter’s family, shares her valuable leadership experiences spanning three decades in leadership roles at Target Corporation, including executive vice president.
The book is divided into four key sections:
- Invest in you
- Get better together
- Work well – live well
- Sustain yourself and others
Ward’s core premise is that your career and personal life are interconnected pieces, forming a single puzzle.
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Invest in you
In the first part of the book, Ward outlines how to invest in ourselves. For EMS leaders who experience imposter syndrome, wondering if they’re truly qualified for their roles, Ward offers a valuable perspective on turning your background (or roots) into gold. She emphasizes the importance of knowing, showing and taking care of yourself as foundational to leading others. Three key questions to help turn your roots into gold are:
- What unique childhood experiences shaped you?
- If you view these experiences negatively, how can you reframe them as positives?
- What attribute, once seen as a curse, could be reframed as your superpower?
Answering these questions helps clarify your “why” as a leader.
Get better together
The second section of the book focuses on collaboration. Ward stresses the importance of expanding your network to gain insights and build what she calls “connection currency.” A key strategy is to develop a kitchen cabinet of informal career advisors. Ward outlines four essential inclusion qualifications for these advisors:
- Do they have wisdom, knowledge and expertise that I can learn from?
- Will they be honest with me, regardless of our roles or experience?
- Are they subject-matter experts in critical areas I need to learn about?
- How will this relationship benefit them, as reciprocity is key to successful relationships?
Work well – live well
In the third section, Ward discusses strategies for aligning work and life goals. She highlights leadership tools necessary for growth and alignment, including the idea that getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is crucial for new EMS leaders. She emphasizes listening is a lifelong skill for learning and that connecting with people in a way that reduces polarization is essential in today’s conflict-averse world. Leaders must have the courage to honor their own truths while still fostering open dialogue.
Ward encourages leaders to identify annual life and work goals, establish key relationships to achieve those goals and track progress regularly. She outlines multiple questions for reflection in this section, including:
- Are you taking risks to further your growth?
- Are you able to clearly define your risk boundaries?
- What is your current career and/or personal risk exposure, and what risks might be necessary to fulfill your purpose?
One memorable line from this section is, “Growth requires data, but the goal is progress, not perfection.”
Sustain yourself and others
The final section focuses on sustaining yourself and others as a leader. A key point Ward makes is the importance of nurturing organizational culture. Drawing from her experience as the daughter of a career firefighter, she underscores how foundational culture is for first responders. EMS culture thrives on shared purpose, relationships and the support of others’ impact. As a leader, you must embody the culture of caring, ensuring that culture is intentionally shaped and nurtured. A strong, shared culture brings an organization’s purpose, values, and strategy to life.
Ward also discusses the importance of the family you are born into and the family you make. She offers three reflective questions, particularly when work overtakes your personal life:
- Who inside or outside your immediate family shows up for you and helps you thrive?
- Who do you provide that same support to?
- When was the last time you reached out to them, whether they’re biological family or chosen family?
Overall, this book is a solid guide to discovering meaning in your life, designing a leadership career that reflects that meaning, and leaving a lasting legacy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jay Fitch, PhD, is a founding partner of Fitch & Associates, a leading public safety consulting firm. With nearly 50 years of leadership experience, he is semi-retired but remains active in educating leaders and is engaged in local public safety and animal advocacy programs.
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