Fighting Fires: A Metaphor with an Uncomfortable Twist

You've probably heard someone respond with "putting out fires" or talk about how part of their job involves "firefighting". Let's unpack this metaphor a bit and see how it takes an uncomfortable twist.

Make no mistake: we're not talking about a person that throws on a helmet, thick boots, and hops in a loud truck with a Dalmatian. If you're talking to that person about fires, they deserve a "thank you".

Fighting fires typically involves dealing with issues that pop up and require immediate attention, which are often due to:

• People that have left the organization, are absent, or unfit for their roles

• Processes that do not match the reality of how the organization works

• Technology that does not support the people and processes, thus failing to serve its purpose

This metaphor holds up for two of three reasons why fires start:

1. Emergencies happen that require firefighting to occur

2. Controlled burns are a reality for rural areas to prevent even greater emergencies

But here's the uncomfortable twist, firefighting turns dark for the third reason:

3. Arson, whether due to poor decisions or sabotage, is another reason why fires start or occur regularly

If you notice regular or constant firefighting, it's worth asking yourself if these fires are natural or if something or someone is causing it.

Without something changing, firefighting can become perpetual, which reduces the organization's ability to grow and operate efficiently.

After the fire is out, figure out what the root cause was and keep a log to document reasons. With the right people, processes, and systems, fires are infrequent or never occur.

TLDR: Firefighting isn't always heroic: it can reveal deeper issues in people, processes, and systems. Stop fires before they start.