Conducting Effective Briefings

Briefings Findings from the Wildland Firefighter’s Human Factors Workshop, by Karl Weick Tactical Decision Games

Conducting Effective Briefings

This discussion focuses on the importance of quality briefings, and includes steps to achieve engaging and effective communications prior to engaging a task.

“Oh Yeah- I forgot to tell you…” not what you want to hear as your whole day’s endeavor crumble into wasted effort. A smart and well informed workforce is the key to effective and safe accomplishment. Wildland fire personnel count on informative and engaging briefings. Briefings must be concise, structured, and appropriate for the receiving audience. Whether operational briefings for wildfire or prescribed fire activities, or morning situation briefings at the home unit, firefighters need mission objectives and their leadership’s intent, they must be familiar with how their efforts integrate with their peers and adjacent forces, and they are entitled to our best understanding of the risks involved, and allowances to manage those risks.

One of the fundamental characteristics of an effective briefing is that it is interactive. Adding interactivity to an otherwise relatively poor briefing can make up for many of the deficits of that briefing. Interactivity between the briefer and the recipients has a number of positive benefits:

Interactivity should not be relegated to the tail end of the briefing. To do so runs the risk of losing critical questions and comments along the way. Ideally the briefer should seek feedback after each logical “chunk” or phase of the briefing.

We are not born effective communicators, or understand the deeper values associated with inclusiveness or individual skill development. But, we can learn, practice, and in time present or facilitate high quality briefings. Tactical Decision Games at the Sand Table is a great place to develop your communication skills.

And finally, learn from others. Pay attention to the quality of their briefings. Watch their eye contact, do you feel connected? Have self-confidence and respectfully ask additional questions. When its all clear and complete, were you made to feel part of the team?

Make high quality briefings a hallmark of your outfit.