Forging Excellence: The 4 Steps to Building High-Performing Fire Service Teams
Building a cohesive, high-performing team is essential in the fire service—not just for job success but survival. Teams that function like families save lives make tough calls and support each other through unimaginable challenges. But creating this level of cohesion doesn’t happen by chance. It takes intentional leadership and a proven process.
Dr. Johnny Torgerson, Assistant Chief and author of Forging Your Team, sat down with me on the Beneath the Helmet podcast to share his 4-step "forging process" for team building. His insights are game-changing for fire service leaders and anyone leading high-stakes teams. Here’s what we learned.
Step 1: Heat the Metal – Raising Standards
The first step to building a team is creating an environment where change is not just possible—it’s necessary. Dr. Torgerson emphasizes that people are naturally resistant to change. To overcome this, leaders must "heat the metal" by raising standards so high that the status quo becomes uncomfortable.
Key Actions:
- Set clear, non-negotiable standards for behaviour and performance.
- Model those standards yourself—lead by example every single day.
- Communicate the why behind the standards, helping your team see how their efforts contribute to something bigger than themselves.
Key Takeaway: Leaders must be persistent and prepared to face resistance. Making it through the “you suck” phase—when your efforts to raise standards may be met with negativity—leads to a promised land where the team’s behaviours align with those higher expectations.
Step 2: Shape the Metal – Shaping Behaviors
Once the team is heated and ready for change, it’s time to shape their behaviours. This step involves methodically guiding individuals toward the team’s shared vision, much like a blacksmith shapes a piece of metal into a useful tool.
Key Actions:
- Break down behaviour changes into small, incremental steps.
- Be intentional and patient—change doesn’t happen overnight.
- Balance short-term performance needs with the long-term goal of building a cohesive, high-functioning team.
Key Takeaway: Avoid trying to make drastic changes in one big swing. Slow, consistent shaping ensures behaviours align with the team’s vision without damaging morale or trust.
Step 3: Cool the Metal – Solidifying Change
Shaping behaviours is only part of the equation. To ensure those changes stick, they need to be solidified within the team’s culture. Dr. Torgerson calls this the "cooling phase," where the new behaviours and standards are set within a supportive organizational environment.
Key Actions:
- Reinforce the changes with a strong team and organizational culture.
- Create systems of accountability that support the new standards.
- Collaborate with other leaders to ensure consistency across shifts and teams.
Key Takeaway: Without a healthy organizational culture, changes may fall apart when the leader steps away. Leaders must work with their peers to build a unified culture that supports high standards across the board.
Step 4: Polish the Tool – Continuous Refinement
Leadership doesn’t stop once the team reaches a high level of performance. In the final step, leaders must commit to ongoing refinement and adaptation. Just as a tool needs to be polished to stay effective, teams require constant care to perform under new challenges and changing circumstances.
Key Actions:
- Regularly evaluate and adjust team behaviours to meet evolving needs.
- Provide ongoing support and mentorship to team members.
- Embrace the reality that leadership is an indefinite responsibility.
Key Takeaway: Building and maintaining a high-performing team is a journey, not a destination. Leaders must be ready to adapt to internal and external pressures while continuing to strengthen the team.
One More Key Insight: Leadership is About Relationships
Throughout our conversation, one truth stood out: leadership isn’t about titles, policies, or systems—it’s about relationships. Dr. Torgerson differentiates between management and leadership, emphasizing that leadership is rooted in relational influence.
“You don’t lead with your rank. You lead with your ability to connect with and inspire others,” he shared. For fire service leaders, this means prioritizing trust, empathy, and understanding to build teams that don’t just work together but thrive together.
Your Call to Action
Building high-performing teams takes work, but the payoff is worth it—a cohesive, resilient team that rises to any challenge. If this resonates with you, let’s keep the conversation going.
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Let’s forge a stronger, healthier fire service—one team at a time.
Arjuna George
Show Host
www.beneaththehelmet.ca
