Why Great Leaders Fail More Than Everyone Else

1 day ago
3 min read

In the high-stakes world of the fire service, the margin for error is razor-thin. Yet, according to Chief Aaron Tyerman, the most dangerous leader isn’t the one who makes mistakes—it’s the one who is afraid to.

In a recent episode of the Leadership Crucible Podcast, Tyerman shared his journey from paramedic to Chief of Training for the South King County Fire Training Consortium. Throughout the conversation, one theme remained central: failure is not the opposite of success; it is a prerequisite for it.

The "Fail Forward" Mindset

Chief Tyerman is blunt about his leadership preferences: "I’m really not interested in folks who have never failed because it means you’ve never tried". This philosophy, often called "failing forward," encourages leaders to take calculated risks and view setbacks as tuition for their future success.

He recounts a powerful anecdote about a CEO who refused to fire a director after a $5 million mistake. The CEO’s reasoning? "I just invested $5 million in your education. Why would I fire you?". This mindset shifts the organizational culture from one of fear to one of growth and innovation.

The Promotion Trap: Letting Go of the Old Role

One of the most common hurdles for new leaders is the tendency to revert to what they were previously good at. Tyerman admits he made this mistake himself after being promoted to Fire Chief. By continuing to make operational decisions that belonged to his subordinates, he inadvertently signaled a lack of trust.

The Lesson: When you promote, you must "stay in your lane." Trusting your team to do the jobs they were hired for is the only way to free yourself to lead at a strategic level.

Leading in the Age of AI and Emerging Technology

As technology advances, Tyerman warns leaders to focus on outcomes over outputs. It’s easy to get caught up in the "new and shiny" tools, such as AI or advanced medical pharmacology. However, Tyerman argues that a leader’s job is to ask: “Is this going to change the outcome of what we do?”.

If a new system gets firefighters out the door 15 seconds faster but doesn't result in more lives saved or better medical outcomes, is it truly a success? Leaders must be intentional about balancing technological innovation with the human-centric nature of their profession.

Mastering the "Boring" Habits of Great Leaders

Leadership isn't always about grand gestures; often, it’s about discipline. Tyerman shares his personal strategies for maintaining focus in an era of constant distraction:

Email Discipline: He checks email only once a day for 45 minutes to avoid "email rabbit holes".
The TL;DR Rule: If an email is too long, he asks for a phone call instead to prioritize meaningful communication.
Boundaries: He emphasizes that "time away from work is time away from work," advocating for the discipline required to invest in personal relationships and family.

Cultivating the Next Generation

As the workforce becomes increasingly multi-generational, Tyerman believes the key to success is curiosity over anger. By asking new recruits for their perspective—rather than dismissing them for "not doing it the old way"—leaders can gain fresh insights and build a culture of mutual respect.

Final Thoughts

True leadership requires the vulnerability to admit when you're wrong and the courage to try again. As Chief Tyerman reminds us, the goal isn't to be a perfect leader; it’s to be a leader who is constantly learning, mentoring, and "failing forward" toward excellence.