Mann Gulch Case StudyWagner Dodge: A Leader not followedCo-developed & Revised by:Brian Ramos

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AgendaParticipants are expected to have read The Leadership Moment, chapter 2 [Wagner Dodge retreats in Mann Gulch], prior to this presentation.TimeDescriptionXX:XXCase Overview: Facts & Assumptions, Timeline+15mGroup Exercise #1: On the Ground+30mCase Overview: Post Mortem+5mGroup Exercise #2: In Front of Review Board+20mLessons Learned+15mFood for Thought

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Case Overview: FactsFifteen men land on the ground to fight a dangerous fire. Three come out alive (Dodge because he was smart and the other 2 because they got lucky). The rest died for not following Dodges lead.Dodge was a man of few words.Firefighters knew each other through a three-week summer training, but had never worked together on an assignment.Team was assigned based on rested-ness.

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Case Overview: Facts & AssumptionsAll the men were volunteers.Men in the 1940s were trained to follow their commanders lead.Wagner Dodge was the oldest (33) and had the most fire fighting experience (9 years) of the 15 men.The radio was destroyed in the jump and one of the men forgot the map.It was an extremely dangerous and difficult situation.The concept of a fire circle was Dodges own ingenuity conceived in the moment.

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Case Overview: Facts & AssumptionsDodge could never have anticipated the special events that were going to take place. The scene on the ground was impossible to fully assess from the air.Soldier mentality existed. They followed his instructions up to the point of jumping in the circle of fire.Dodge did not panic. He was able to think clearly.None were sleep deprived.

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Case Overview: Facts & AssumptionsThey were aware of the missing gear before they landed.The men were confident they could tackle this task, even after they landed.The men could see Dodge motioning to them to jump in.All could have survived if they had followed him.Time was saved by sending the men ahead while he ran back for the lunchesTime was saved by dropping gear to escape.

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Timeline: Scene on the GroundTimeDescriptionElapse Time2:30 PM4:10 PMBoarded PlaneHit the Ground (rest and food)50 minutes5:00 PMUnderway | Dodge approached fire line and told men to wait in center of path. He left them and scouted alone. Dodge meets the reconnaissance person. Dodge finds that the fire is worse than originally assessed from the air. Instructs men to head for mouth of gorge without him as he returns to get forgotten food. Men divide into two groups (500 ft. apart) unsure of where each other are.40 minutes5:40 PMDodge catches up to the men. Leads them to point 4. Is more alarmed but says nothing.5 minutes5:45 PMDodge reverses course again, but says nothing. They run. Within minutes, Dodge passed information along line to drop equipment and move fast. Forest gave way to high grass which burns more quickly. Dodge knows its just a matter of minutes before theyll be overtaken.11 minutes5:56 PMDodge lights backfire, motions for others to join. Sallee and Rumsey find safety in rockslide. Fire overtakes other firefighters.Total: 1hr 46m

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On the Ground

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Group Exercise #1In the Heat of the MomentSituationDodge lit the fire ring and is motioningfor the team to follow him.

Team 1: DodgeYou should follow me because

Team 2: FirefightersWere not going to follow you because

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Team 1 (Dodge) FeedbackOther groups have concluded:I have the most experience.Im the leader & you were trained to follow the leader.Im confident and calm (not panicking like you).I used good judgment in saving time by letting you run ahead while I fetched the lunches and telling you to drop gear.Im willing to do the hard stuff (run back to get the lunches, run ahead to scope out the stuff).I regrouped you after you broke up.It was too loud too communicate in words, so I communicated through action.I was quick to adapt the plan as things were changing quickly.I could have abandoned you to save myself, but didnt.

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Team 2 (Firefighters) FeedbackOther groups have concluded:We cant trust you because you have no credibility with us:You abandoned us then you tell us to drop our gear.You had no idea how bad this was, look how calm youve been.You chose a bad place to land, now were trapped.You dont have a plan. First you tell us to go forward, then around, now retreat. Youre only thinking of yourself, you dont even know our names after training with us for three weeks.

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Post MortemTotal Crew: 16 men15 jumpers (including Dodge)1 firefighter already in areaMortality Rate: 81.25% (13 men)Survivor Rate: 0.1875% (3 men) of which:0.0625% (Dodge himself) survived because of Dodges Instinct0.125% survived despite of DodgeFire ResultsSpread to over 450 acres.Took 450 men five more days to get it under control.Changed the philosophy of firefighting to protect firefighters safety first.

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Group Exercise #2HindsightSituationDodge sits in front of a review board who was assessing the situation of what happened that day.

Teams 1 & 2What lessons were learned?

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Lessons LearnedOverconfidence can cloud your judgment (left radio/map).Power of delegation vs. stamina (send others for the food).If you have made several bad decisions, be prepared to have your leadership challenged.A culmination of small errors can create a disaster.ALWAYS lead from the front.Solicit others feedback - foster two-way communication - dont act unilaterally many opinions produce better results than one.Once crisis and panic takeover, communication becomes even more difficult.The least experienced panic first. Mentor newcomers early on.Anticipate future problems and develop action plans TODAY.

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Lessons LearnedIf you want your team to trust you, build credibility with them by:Communicating your plans.Offering predictions.Describing options.Sounding warnings.Providing explanations.Being Prepared.Teach you team to be critical and strategic thinkers on their own by sharing your experiences/stories/wisdom. Establish an ally in advance who will follow you through thick & thin. (Having two in the circle make you look less crazy, allowing others to follow.)

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Food for ThoughtWhy should anyone follow you?

How do you really know what type of leader you are?

Under what conditions is Leadership most vital?

Be prepared to have your leadership questioned.

What Lessons from Mann Gulch Case can you apply to your daily work as a Leaders?

You finally learn your lessons, and then you die.

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Cold Missouri WatersLyrics & music by James KeelaghanLink to Audio

My name is Dodge, but then you know thatIt's written on the chart there at the foot end of the bedThey think I'm blind, I can't read itI've read it every word, and every word it says is deathSo, Confession - is that the reason that you cameGet it off my chest before I check out of the gameSince you mention it, well there's thirteen things I'll nameThirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters

August 'Forty-Nine, north MontanaThe hottest day on record, the forest tinder dryLightning strikes in the mountainsI was crew chief at the jump base, I prepared the boys to flyPick the drop zone, C-47 comes in lowFeel the tap upon your leg that tells you goSee the circle of the fire down belowFifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters

Gauged the fire, I'd seen biggerSo I ordered them to sidehill and we'd fight it from belowWe'd have our backs to the riverWe'd have it licked by morning even if we took it slowBut the fire crowned, jumped the valley just aheadThere was no way down, headed for the ridge insteadToo big to fight it, we'd have to fight that slope insteadFlames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters

Sky had turned red, smoke was boilingTwo hundred yards to safety, death was fifty yards behindI don't know why I just thought itI struck a match to waist high grass running out of timeTried to tell them, Step into this fire I setWe can't make it, this is the only chance you'll getBut they cursed me, ran for the rocks above insteadI lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters

And when I rose, like the phoenixIn that world reduced to ashes there were none but two survivedI stayed that night and one day afterCarried bodies to the river, wonder how I stayed aliveThirteen stations of the cross to mark to their fallI've had my say, I'll confess to nothing moreI'll join them now, because they left me long beforeThirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri watersThirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri shore

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CreditsOriginal presentation was created by Pamela Frank and Brian Ramos following a management development workshop at Childrens Hospital Boston.

A portion of the original slides were also developed by Alan Paret of Childrens Hospital Boston.

Revised by Brian Ramos, July 2010.

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