Perspectives on Leadership: Leadership, Trust, and the Power of “Why”

In this episode of Perspectives on Leadership, host Stephen Shaw sits down with leadership expert Frank Viscuso to explore the foundations of teamwork within the fire service. Drawing on decades of experience, they discuss how a shared sense of purpose, clear standards, and authentic communication create the winning teams that firefighters rely on. They discuss why motivation ebbs and flows with life’s seasons and why leaders must be both disciplinarians and empathetic supporters—addressing challenges from burnout to social media’s impact on authority. They emphasize the power of delegation with development in mind, the significance of one-minute conversations, and the importance of showing up for each other during personal crises.