From Supervisors

Melinda Duncan, Executive Director
Northern Virginia EMS Council
7250 Heritage Vilage Plaza, Suite 102
Gainesville, VA  20155
877-261-3550 (office)
703-505-8419 (cell)

We began with a course that started in the fall of 2009 and ended in the spring of 2010. It was a blended course of face to face and distance learning modules.  Fifteen students graduated with many outstanding “stars.”  Some comments from this course included:

“I think as a manager differently now. I will look to make sure that I am coaching, praising and making my role as a supervisor an effective one. I will be more hands on than demanding and realizing you need buy-in from your team to become successful.”

“It enables me to look at the role of the manager from a wider perspective. I’m already using the tactical worksheets in some sessions at both of my jobs and I advocate my officers group to use them as well.  I just finished a second degree and this course covered more than the core elements of the senior year of classes. So I learned more in 12 weeks than the 36 plus core credits I financed in college!”

We had a second course in 2011 with 20 students – again a blended course. We received similar enthusiastic evaluations from the students.  One noted the 3 best things about the course:

1. Networking with classmates
2. Exposure to new information & theories
3. Personal reflection and the insight it gave me

We did another course in 2012 that was entirely distance learning. Twenty students completed the course.  Reviews were again very positive.

1. The entire class was online and I could do it when I got the chance.
2. The amount of thinking that went into the assignments that caused you to think about your personal experiences or lack thereof.
3. Reading and sharing about experiences that went well and didn’t go so well.  Also having the knowledge that you’re not the only one making these kinds of mistakes!!

In the fall of 2012 thru spring of 2013 we held another distance learning course. We had 15 people complete the course. Students were asked to “leave a legacy” for the next group of students.  One wrote:

“In fire and rescue we often establish safe environments with quality instructors where we can take chances, make mistakes, and learn with little risk.  This is one of those times.  You must be willing to go out of your comfort zone and if you do, the rewards will change you.  If you can become a better supervisor, the areas that change will affect your life are currently beyond comprehension.  Trust in the program and the rewards will be exponential.”  Joe

“Before someone can become a great leader they must first become a great person. This course is about self-discovery. Please be brutally honest with yourself as you complete the course work. By doing so you will begin to learn so much about who you are and you’ll begin to understand how others see you. Only then can you initiate the process of change within yourself. It is this recognition of self and the subsequent actions that will lead you down the road to becoming a great leader.”  Amy

I think Joe and Amy’s insight is what this course is all about. There are immense rewards when you put in the time and effort that this course requires. We have had several students tell us that they used this course in their promotional process and that it really helped them. Yes this course works! Students must put in the time required for this course, but they will walk away with incredible insight into themselves and how to better manage and supervise their folks. I truly believe we helped make better EMS supervisors and know this will be paid forward as they grow in their profession.

Melinda Duncan

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As a recent graduate of the NOVA EQ Emotional Intelligence Assessment Assignment class I am writing to encourage the participation by any and all in your department.  To clarify I am in my second career, the first being in the landscape industry and my second is my current assignment in a Northern Virginia Fire and Rescue Department.  Throughout my years I have never encountered such an opportunity for personal growth as I was presented with by my participation in this class.

It is important for me to clarify that this is not simply a leadership class; it is a class that facilitates personal growth and development in the ways that you interact with people.  Whether you are a subordinate having to interact with a superior or a superior having to interact with a subordinate or a peer interacting with a peer; the tools learned in this class permit you to better understand why you should say things in a particular manner or if you stop speaking and evaluate how others are reacting to you.  Excellent tools for anyone having to interact in a world filled with people.

The structure of the class, in its most recent format, is all on-line and provides a sufficient amount of time for the exploration of the concepts presented and the required reading material.  At no time did I feel that this curriculum took away from my other duties and responsibilities.  Quite the contrary, I was able to utilize the skills and concepts presented while I was going through the class.  This is an excellent opportunity to write about how you are using them and forces one to become aware of the affects of those actions.