Read on Twitter
In the early 20th century, a horse pulling a wagon would all of a sudden gallop towards a burning building nearby, endangering itself, the driver, & the passengers.
What was the reason for this peculiar phenomenon?
And why does this matter today?
The Firehorse Effect, a thread:
What was the reason for this peculiar phenomenon?
And why does this matter today?
The Firehorse Effect, a thread:
2/
Fire has been one of the biggest dangers that humans have faced ever since they started living in structures.
In the olden days, firefighting was a community responsibility.
When a fire broke out, the people in a town or a village would form a "Bucket Brigade".
Fire has been one of the biggest dangers that humans have faced ever since they started living in structures.
In the olden days, firefighting was a community responsibility.
When a fire broke out, the people in a town or a village would form a "Bucket Brigade".
3/
Visualize a double-line of people passing buckets of water from a nearby water-source to the fire, and sending empty buckets back to be refilled. That’s a Bucket Brigade.
Eventually, tanks of water, hand pumps, & hoses became the preferred firefighting equipment.
Visualize a double-line of people passing buckets of water from a nearby water-source to the fire, and sending empty buckets back to be refilled. That’s a Bucket Brigade.
Eventually, tanks of water, hand pumps, & hoses became the preferred firefighting equipment.
4/
Then came steam pumps, more powerful & efficient. Great, but the equipment got heavy & it became difficult for firefighters to pull it to wherever the fire was.
What to do?
Then came steam pumps, more powerful & efficient. Great, but the equipment got heavy & it became difficult for firefighters to pull it to wherever the fire was.
What to do?
5/
Enter horses. It wasn’t an easy change. Horses had to be trained to reliably run towards a fire. They also had to be strong.
As horses became more commonly used to pull fire engines, places like Detroit even created a Horse College, along with report cards for each horse (!)
Enter horses. It wasn’t an easy change. Horses had to be trained to reliably run towards a fire. They also had to be strong.
As horses became more commonly used to pull fire engines, places like Detroit even created a Horse College, along with report cards for each horse (!)
6/
What happens when one is trained to do a job well, is systematically evaluated, & rewarded or punished based on job performance? One often gets rather good at that job.
Same with these firehorses.
What happens when one is trained to do a job well, is systematically evaluated, & rewarded or punished based on job performance? One often gets rather good at that job.
Same with these firehorses.
7/
At some point, a firehorse would be retired from the firefighting job & given the job of pulling wagons on the street.
A new job!
Things were generally fine in the beginning.
At some point, a firehorse would be retired from the firefighting job & given the job of pulling wagons on the street.
A new job!
Things were generally fine in the beginning.
8/
But...........
Whenever a former firehorse heard a fire alarm or felt the presence of a fire nearby, it instinctively galloped towards the fire: terrorizing its drivers, passengers, & owners.
But...........
Whenever a former firehorse heard a fire alarm or felt the presence of a fire nearby, it instinctively galloped towards the fire: terrorizing its drivers, passengers, & owners.
9/
This firehorse did a rather poor job in its new context due to the very behaviors and patterns that were reinforced in its old context.
Twitter, this is the Firehorse Effect.
This firehorse did a rather poor job in its new context due to the very behaviors and patterns that were reinforced in its old context.
Twitter, this is the Firehorse Effect.
10/
The Firehorse Effect is why some accomplished business leaders fail to inspire, create a compelling strategy, eliminate drama, or rebuild the culture when they take on a leadership role in a new organization.
The Firehorse Effect is why some accomplished business leaders fail to inspire, create a compelling strategy, eliminate drama, or rebuild the culture when they take on a leadership role in a new organization.
11/
The Firehorse Effect is also why a manager with a string of prior successes is just unable to execute at your startup.
The Firehorse Effect is also why a manager with a string of prior successes is just unable to execute at your startup.
12/
What can be done about the Firehorse Effect?
As with most such things, the solution needs to be grounded in Self-awareness, Organizational-awareness, & Sound Management.
Leaders in a new setting should regularly think about the Firehorse Effect.
What can be done about the Firehorse Effect?
As with most such things, the solution needs to be grounded in Self-awareness, Organizational-awareness, & Sound Management.
Leaders in a new setting should regularly think about the Firehorse Effect.
14/
Leaders in a new setting should take the time to observe & learn.
Doing is important, but doing without a deep understanding of one’s new role can be frustrating or even fatal.
Leaders in a new setting should take the time to observe & learn.
Doing is important, but doing without a deep understanding of one’s new role can be frustrating or even fatal.
15/
The leader should invite people to challenge them. Ask "X has worked for me in the past, will it work here?"
And the leader& #39;s managers & mentors need to help accelerate this process by candidly sharing organizational context & feedback during the leader& #39;s early days.
The leader should invite people to challenge them. Ask "X has worked for me in the past, will it work here?"
And the leader& #39;s managers & mentors need to help accelerate this process by candidly sharing organizational context & feedback during the leader& #39;s early days.
16/
That& #39;s about it for today.
What are some examples you’ve seen of the Firehorse Effect?
How have you or other people overcome the Firehorse Effect?
What did I miss?
Share your observations and feedback below or over DM.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔥" title="Fire" aria-label="Emoji: Fire">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐴" title="Horse face" aria-label="Emoji: Horse face">
That& #39;s about it for today.
What are some examples you’ve seen of the Firehorse Effect?
How have you or other people overcome the Firehorse Effect?
What did I miss?
Share your observations and feedback below or over DM.
Footnotes:
Oddly, the inspiration for this piece came from a bedtime book I read last year for my son: “What was the Great Chicago Fire?”
For more about horses in firefighting:
http://firehistory.weebly.com/a-history-of-horses-in-the-fire-service.html
Dalmatians">https://firehistory.weebly.com/a-history... & firehorses worked well as a team:
http://www.kearneyfire.org/History-of-the-Dalmation-in-the-Fire-Service.asp">https://www.kearneyfire.org/History-o...
Oddly, the inspiration for this piece came from a bedtime book I read last year for my son: “What was the Great Chicago Fire?”
For more about horses in firefighting:
http://firehistory.weebly.com/a-history-of-horses-in-the-fire-service.html
Dalmatians">https://firehistory.weebly.com/a-history... & firehorses worked well as a team:
http://www.kearneyfire.org/History-of-the-Dalmation-in-the-Fire-Service.asp">https://www.kearneyfire.org/History-o...
