You are here: Home / Archives for Leadership

Paying Tribute To The Greatest EMS Ringmaster Of Them All…

July 6, 2012 by 9 Comments
woodstock 99 A

On a cold afternoon in February of 1995 I found myself outside the offices of Metropolitan Ambulance in Canarsie, Brooklyn. My newly minted EMT Card was still attached to the certificate sheet, and I stood there on the parking pad waiting for the General Manager to arrive so I could interview for a job with my friend who would become my partner for my first year out.

Thirty minutes after my appointment a white truck painted in the Metropolitan Ambulance colors roared into the spot I was standing in, putting my nose to the scripted letters “Danielle” that was painted on the hood. Out of this white banged up Chevy K-5 Trailblazer stepped an imposing figure. Wearing blue jeans, a Yankee sweatshirt, and donning a salt and pepper mullet that on anyone else would be ridiculous the man sauntered up to us. In one of his massive hands was the newspapers of the day and in the other was a large styrofoam coffee cup from Dunkin’ Donuts.

“You kids waiting for me?” he asked. My friend and I looked at each other, unsure if this was really the General Manager of the largest private ambulance in New York City. “From the look on your faces yeah, you’re waiting for me. We’ll go inside, I’ll drink my coffee, you fill out the paperwork, and you start Monday at 9:00am.”

This was Artie Becker.

Artie was a very straight shooter, he always played above the board, and told you how it actually was as opposed to the way you may have preferred to hear it. Some people may have seen him as irreverent (and perhaps sometime he was) but at least he was always honest.

Artie was in charge of scheduling the ambulance crews. He did so using cutting edge technology… paper. Paper, a ruler, and white out.

A lot of white out.

And coffee. Artie had to have at least three large cups of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee regular with milk. For years, when I would do the coffee run, I brought him back two coffees and I’d have a bottle of Nestle Quick Chocolate Milk. He tried repeatedly to get me to drink coffee, and I persistently refused. It wasn’t until the summer of 2001 when I finally acquiesced and ordered my first ice coffee with Artie. Knowing I wasn’t a fan of the coffee flavor, he told the guy behind the counter to make it French Vanilla, light with cream, and four Equal to sweeten it up for me. Although I’ve swapped the Equals for the Splendas, that’s exactly how I order my coffee now 11 years later.

Artie always took the time to listen to what concerns or problems you had whether they were work related or personal. He always made time to speak to you one on one when there was an issue. For him to be able to do that, especially in a garage our size, required a lot of skill and he handled it exceptionally well.

Artie also had a thing for giving people nicknames. Perp. Squirrel. Hubcap. Dog. Once Artie bestowed a title upon you, it stuck. He himself went by a number of different nicknames such as Doc, the General, and the Ringmaster… because every circus needs one and alot of times an EMS garage can resemble a circus.

Artie wasn’t just a manager… he was a true leader, mentor, and friend.

There are a lot of stories I could tell you about Artie, but most of those would probably get me in some sort of trouble. There is one story I want to share though that will hopefully highlight why he was such an inspiration to so many…

O.C.F.

In early ’99 our company, like many other privately owned ambulance shops, was bought and merged with what would become the largest regional provider for the Mid-Atlantic. During this time our uniforms were in a state of flux and we were the contracted transport provider for Woodstock ’99.

In an attempt to provide some unification amongst those of us left standing after the merger and have some uniformity, Artie whipped out his pens and rulers and drew a very rough logo. We had a bunch of discussions about whether we should do shirts or hats with his masterpiece, and eventually settled on hats.

“You know what would be cool? What if we worked in a secret code? Like something only those of us who went would understand?” asked Artie, “Like the Freemasons!”

“Yeah, that would be cool,” we all told him, hoping he’d come back to the planning table because… well… the plans weren’t shaping up so well.

“I know, how about if we work in the letters O.C.F.?” he said with that glow in his eyes.

“Sure, but, what does it stand for?” we asked.

“Operation Cluster Fuck! Because you know, that’s what this is gonna be, right? Right?” he replied, and we all laughed our heads off, fully agreeing with him that it seemed this was indeed going to go down that route.

So he did it. He put O.C.F. on the sides of all the Woodstock ’99 hats. I actually didn’t think he’d do it, so when I saw the hats and saw that he had done it, well that was just too cool… even if the hats were white.

There we were on deployment day, with the fly cars and vehicles getting lined up in our bright white Woodstock ’99 hats when the Vice-President came over. He turned to Artie and said, “The press’ll be here in an hour or two. Make sure you’re ready and be sure you have a good story about this O.C.F. thing.”

Artie looked at me in a panic and said, “Oh crap. We can’t tell the press what O.C.F. really stands for!”

“Yeah, that wouldn’t be good publicity,” I agreed while backing one of the units into their spot.

“Publicity? Who cares about the publicity? That would destroy the secret! Do you think the Freemasons told the press about their secret insignia? Of course not! We need to come up with a cover story,” he said. Then he walked away, second coffee of the day in hand, muttering “O.C.F…. O.C.F…”

Finally, after about four hours when the reporter finally arrived (because they were two hours late) they asked Artie some basic questions like how many people were going, how many vehicles, how many patients did we expect to treat, and then finally the question he had been waiting for… what does O.C.F. stand for?

Artie grinned and his eyes glowed as he leaned into the microphone and said, “One Caring Family.”

That’s what they printed.

That’s what I think he really, secretly, wanted it to mean.

Good Journey

Artie Becker at the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing

Artie Becker responded to quite a number of calls in his time working in EMS.

Avianca Flight 52, The 1993 World Trade Center Bombing, Woodstock ’99, and The 2001 World Trade Center Attacks just to name a few of the better known incidents.

Today, Artie Becker will be buried.

Death, like taxes, is inevitable… even for those of us who spend our lives fighting on behalf of others against it. Our ends are all destined to be the same, but what truly matters is how we played our part on the big stage of life. Artie didn’t just play his part… his role as Ringmaster of a band of well-intentioned misfits… he exceeded it and inspired others to exceed in their parts as well. More than a boss, more than a co-worker, more than a Ringmaster… he was first and foremost a friend.

A friend we remember and we miss.

A friend we wish a good journey to…

Filed Under: Career, Death, First Responder, Life Tagged With: ,

On Reputation And Perception

June 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Straight Forward And Honest Reputation

I’ve always been a proponent of group decision making, especially when it comes to volunteer organizations. I’m a strong believer that if you are willing to contribute to the group, you should at the very least be heard as to the direction of the group whether they choose your path or another. It’s important to have your voice and use it in order to grow.

I was recently involved in some decision making that involved the need to reach a consensus with two other people. One of these persons is someone who has continuously failed to contribute in the role that afforded him this opportunity. This person has proven unreliable in both his duties and his commitment to the organization as a whole when the group has chosen not to go down his path.

The other person is someone who has fulfilled all the duties expected of him and contributed excessively in his role that afforded him this decision making opportunity. This was the person that I conversed, debated, and pondered this decision with. We came to an agreement and made the decision known.

At the last minute, a person outside the group chose to challenge that decision. I have no problem with their challenge, but rather the way they did it. In an e-mail they chose to attempt an attack on my reputation with this passage*:

I would not want your image of openness and fairness tarnished over such an oversight. The group should come to a consensus about the decision and they should not be selected by only the input of a part of that group.
*Two words have been changed from the original to provide anonymity

I think its important to understand that reputation is based upon the perception of action or the lack thereof. My reputation of “openness and fairness” is one that is perceived by those around me over time.

Since I have openly pointed out and sometimes downright chastised the individual who failed to contribute, it should be no surprise that I would not depend on their input in making a decision. I am not a fan of rewarding those who perform poorly with influence over decisions and I assure you, it was not an oversight. If my reputation would be “tarnished” by that, well that’s okay.

It’s okay because one opinion does not a reputation make. Nor does two, three, or even four. I am understanding of the inability to please everyone all the time, and therefore I do not set that as a goal for myself. Some will feel the decisions are good, some will feel they are bad. Some of the decisions will be right, and some of them will be mistakes. Only time will tell the outcome, but in the meantime I continue to make the decisions I do based on the accumulation of my experience.


Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience.


-Denis Waitley

This is why I don’t worry about my so called “tarnished” reputation. I don’t feel the consensus we reached was a mistake. If it turns out to be one, then that’s fine. I’ll learn from it and be better next time. The only thing I can hope for is the person who attempted to bait me with that foolish e-mail will learn from his.

Only time will tell.

Filed Under: Life, Volunteerism Tagged With:

On The Concept And Truth Of Power

May 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
FHVAC_HQ_3

There are often a number of misconceptions regarding the role of leadership in any organization. Too often they are viewed as the persons with “power” and therefore the only ones who can affect the failures, success, and change in an organization. While that may be a popular perception, it is far from the actual truth in my opinion.


Power is the ability to do good things for others.


-Brooke Astor

Every single member of the organization has power. It is the role of the leadership to channel and focus that power collectively so the organization can achieve their mission which means good things for others. As such there is perception that the leadership has a greater power than others.

Uncle Ben was right… with this perception of great power comes even greater responsibility. It is a responsibility to the beneficiaries of the organization’s work to ensure that the work is completed. It is a responsibility to the members of the organization to provide guidance and leadership in a constructive manner so that the work can be completed efficiently and correctly. It is a responsibility to act transparently ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of all.

To help with that leaders often rely on policies. I’ve already written about where I stand on policies, and if you haven’t read it then I invite you to do so.

Where I Stand

The perception of power is ultimately formed through the actions, or inactions, of those in leadership roles. This perception is important because it affects the organization in many areas including inter-agency relations, recruitment, operations, and an organization’s ability to fulfill their actual mission.

The authoritarian leader is more likely to lead through edict, micro-management, policy, and discipline for violating those policies. They will often have preconceived notions and fail to listen to either the beneficiaries or the members of the organization. They will keep a small circle of confidants and will often reward them for their work while ignoring the same or greater work done by those outside of their circle. Its important to understand that this leadership style is something they learned from leaders before them and they don’t see the problems associated with it, especially the complications it can cause in volunteer organizations.

Needless to say, I am not a fan of the authoritarian leadership style. I am a believer that good leadership begins with effective communication. The first step of effective communication is the ability to listen and then act upon that information to guide and lead to the achievement of the mission. I prefer to receive the constructive feedback from all, to recognize the efforts (no matter how big or how small) of all who help achieve the mission, and provide constructive guidance to those willing to accept it so they too can be part of the team’s success.

I don’t view leadership as something that gives power. I view leadership as a responsibility to empower, because the truth about actual power is it resides squarely with the members.

For democratic organizations members are often asked to choose who they want to fill a leadership role, and as such are able to cast their vote on what type of leader they think will be able to help them achieve the mission of the organization. This is an important choice since a poor decision by the group may lead to the failure of the mission or even the failure of the organization’s ability to exist and therefore unable to do good things for others. The voice of the membership in their vote is power.

Members who may be in the minority still have power. If they believe strongly in the mission of the organization they can choose to continue being a member and work to achieve that goal. A good leader will understand that a key element of teamwork is the ability to compromise. Failing to do so will cause dysfunction in the organization, causing members to feel unvalued, and they may just decide to go elsewhere. Keeping that in mind, who has the true “power”? As I said previously, every single member has power and it is important to recognize that.

Where Do You Stand?

Do you still think your leadership has “power”? If you were in a leadership position, how would you use your “power”?

Filed Under: Volunteerism Tagged With: ,

On Policies And Discipline

May 9, 2012 by 4 Comments
Photo May 05, 6 25 05 PM

I’ve seemingly been knee deep in policies lately, so I wanted to provide a little insight into my own thinking on what their actual purpose is as opposed to what other people may think they are for. First, let’s look at the definition:

pol·i·cy

[pol-uh-see] noun, plural pol·i·cies.

1. a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc.: We have a new company policy.
2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc.: our nation’s foreign policy.
3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency: It was good policy to consent.
4. sagacity; shrewdness: Showing great policy, he pitted his enemies against one another.

Definition of “policy” via Dictionary.com

Policies by definition should promote expediency, prudence, and efficiency. They themselves should be clearly defined for those expected to comply with them to understand both the actual policy, the reason for the policy, and the procedure expected to be adhered to.

Often times when someone makes a poor decision (or worse, makes no decision) the knee jerk reaction is to create a policy around this error in judgement. Enough knee jerks creates a “Policy Manual” that becomes both cumbersome and inefficient. This nullifies the actual purpose of having the policy in the first place, and puts an undue burden on those expected to comply with it.

Injustice often occurs when someone fails to comply with a policy because there is expected to be repercussions, usually in the form of a “Disciplinary Action“. More often than not the discipline itself is NOT a policy, and the handing out of the discipline is done in an arbitrary and capricious manner depending on who is responsible for administering the discipline. This is why there should be a Policy of Discipline that clearly lays out what will happen when a policy is not adhered to. See how quickly we can find reasons to create policies?


The one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of the times does not.


-Niccolo Machiavelli

Even for those organizations that are progressive enough to have laid out a Policy of Discipline, one of the most overlooked aspects of polcy violations is whether or not a policy is correct. We make the assumption that because a policy was violated the person doing so is automatically in the wrong, but do we question the validity of the policy in the face of changing times? Does the policy still promote efficiency and expediency or has it become something that makes the task to be performed harder to do so.

Where I Stand

I feel policies need to have a level of fluidity, especially in volunteer organizations. While some may revolve around the necessity of compliance with laws and statutes, there are many others that don’t. Those often create more complications for members expected to adhere to them by setting an expectation but failing to provide a solution. I think every policy should provide a procedure as a guide and a tool for efficient resolution, not necessarily as a mandate.

I also feel that the Charter or Bylaws of a volunteer organization should be where the process of discipline is outlined. Because Charters and Bylaws by their nature are supposed to set the mission and tone of an organization, it should also set the expectations in regards to policies and fully explain the repercussions from failing to adhere to them. Most career organizations use their Human Resource department to provide these types of guidelines, but often volunteer organizations don’t have this benefit. As a practitioner of “step discipline”, I find it unfair to the members when there is not a discipline process foundation set forth. The lack of this foundation is why accusations and perceptions of favoritism exist in any organization.

I’m a believer that if the expectations are clearly defined, people will do their best to live up to them. If the repercussions are clearly defined, and not left up to “interpretation”, then when that discipline is administered it will be accepted and hopefully serve as a reminder of the expectations already established.

In conclusion and summation I can offer that I am in favor of expectations and discipline being clearly defined and universally adhered to, with policies providing guidance and potential solutions or “best practices” to the presented issue.

Where Do You Stand?

So where do you stand when it comes to policies? Should they be treated as a sacred text or should they be amiable to the needs of the organization’s members? What about organizational charters and bylaws? They are different than policies, so how do you view them when used in conjunction?

Filed Under: Career, Volunteerism Tagged With: ,