It’s rare that we get the opportunity to peek behind the proverbial curtain, where all pretense is stripped away, to reveal the granular truth of who someone is. What people do when no one is looking is often a reflection of what they’re truly made of and where their real motivations lie. In some cases…
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Do you owe something to your coworkers? Something beyond the minimum that the job requires of you? When you show up for your shift, are you required to inquire about their vacation or their kids’ birthdays? Are you obligated to show up with a smile and a kind word? To buy someone a soda or…
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“Your manager has more impact on your mental health than your therapist or your doctor. A good boss can change your life.” Working for extraordinary people is everything. Have you ever had a great boss who changed your life? Someone who made work positive, even when it had no right to be? When the person…
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So, you’ve just been – or are about to be – promoted. Congrats! Getting a promotion in your comm center is a keystone moment, signifying that decision makers see and acknowledge your growth and worth in the center. During my 911 career, I was thrilled when I was able to climb the proverbial ladder. I…
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Working in 911 is often framed as a thankless slog, beset on all sides by difficult coworkers and arduous working conditions. While these observations are not without merit – 911 work can be extraordinarily challenging to be sure – to define our industry solely by these elements does a disservice to what makes working in…
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“Hello, my name is Kris and I’m an interrupter. It’s been two days since I last completed someone’s story for them.” 911 training imbues us with all sorts of astounding abilities (see my “Dispatch Avengers” article for more on specific superpowers). These enduring abilities tend to weave themselves into our DNA, restructuring the way we…
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She was no taller than five feet, likely around 4’10” in her socks. Her tightly curled blonde hair was Shirley Temple-esque in its presentation. Her glasses were comically oversized, amplifying the size of her eyes to owl-like proportions. Nothing about Judy’s physical appearance suggested that she would be anything but diminutive and kind. Despite appearances…
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The first critical incident call we take as 911 telecommunicators is the one that determines whether we are capable of what the job demands. Especially when that call involves a child. Anyone who works in 911 will tell you that, despite what you see on TV, 80% of the calls that come in are a…
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“Our negative people are out of control.” “Everyone knows we have a bully, and everyone knows who she is.” “He badmouths the new people right in front of the supervisor all the time.” These are real quotes from dispatchers in current 911 centers, and they all share one common, workplace culture-wrecking theme: “Accountability in my…
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What is it about people who work in 911 that makes them unique? I was recently asked this question during the Q&A portion of a presentation I had given to a group of business professionals about our industry in which I discussed the makeup of those who choose it as a career. Throughout the session,…
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