Understanding the leadership perspective in wildland firefighting: gaps and opportunities for growth
Alexis L. Waldron A C and David P. Schary B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A US Forest Service, Enterprise Program, Washington Office, 9332 Arant Rd, Klamath Falls, OR, USA.
B Winthrop University, Physical Education, Sport and Human Performance, 216D West Center, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: awaldron@fs.fed.us
International Journal of Wildland Fire 28(4) 259-266 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF18007
Submitted: 26 January 2018 Accepted: 4 January 2019 Published: 14 February 2019
Journal compilation © IAWF 2019 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
This aim of this study was to develop and assess the viability of a leadership scale that measures leadership from the perspective of the leader. A criterion sample was used of firefighters across USA federal land management agencies who are qualified crew bosses. The Supervisor Perceived Leadership Scale (SPLS) consists of perceptions of items that have measured the most essential leadership skills – competent decision making, integrity and personal genuineness from the perspective of the subordinate in the previously developed Crewmember Perceived Leadership Scale (CPLS). Through confirmatory factor analysis, an 18-item, 2-factor structure was supported. However, the items that did not load were highly related and loaded well on the CPLS. The SPLS had a low to moderate relationship with authentic leadership and global competence. The gap between the SPLS and CPLS provides insight about the potential differences between the average fire leader and the exceptional fire leader. These results and implications for future research are discussed.
Additional keywords: industrial psychology, leadership measure, organisational culture, organisational psychology, wildland fire.
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