Inside a leadership think tank

“Call the meeting. Get them in the same room.” That simple advice helped spark a leadership think tank that has spent more than a decade connecting fire service leaders around the problems, ideas and pressures that rarely fit neatly on an agenda. Fort Lupton (Colo.) Fire Protection District Fire Chief Greg Ward explains how to make it work: Keep it simple, bring in people who don’t all think alike, and create enough trust for real conversations to happen. But the value goes well beyond brainstorming. Sometimes leadership support looks like sharing a solution. Sometimes it’s a text that says, “Are you OK? What do you need?” Ward makes the case for building these networks before you need them — and offers a practical tips for starting your own. Read next: Building a leadership think tank: A practical guide for fire service leaders Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.