Leveraging Your Why: The Power of Purpose Driven Leadership
Benjamin Martin & Jonah Smith
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
In this course, students will gain insight into the psychology behind sharing our “why” as leaders. We will discuss how providing others insight into the reasons behind our leadership decisions can inspire and motivate employees, increase engagement and commitment, and ultimately drive organizational success in ways that simply communicating “what” needs to be done cannot. This increased understanding can foster a sense of engagement and commitment among employees, leading to greater job satisfaction and productivity. Additionally, communicating the “why” can help employees understand the broader impact of their work and how it fits into the organization’s overall strategy, which can increase their sense of ownership and accountability.
Benjamin Martin
Benjamin Martin has over seventeen years in public safety and currently serves as a Captain with a large metro fire department in Virginia. His leadership articles have appeared in publications including Fire Engineering, FireRescue, Fire Department Training Network (FDTN), International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), FirefighterToolbox, and FirefighterWife. He is the founder of EmbraceTheResistance.com which features leadership training for existing and aspiring leaders.
Jonah Smith
Jonah Smith is a battalion chief for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department serving as the Chief of the 8th Battalion on C Shift and has been in the fire service for 20 years. He also is a volunteer firefighter with the Indian Land (SC) Fire Department. He holds a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.
