Explore every episode of the podcast The Promotion Playbook

The Promotion Playbook is now available as an audiobook on Audible.com! Follow the link below to get your copy today. This episode will teach you some tips and tricks on how to best utilize this new resource on your path to promotion.  https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Promotion-Playbook-Audiobook/B0B9VR22SB?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp&shareTest=TestShare

This episode shares the background story from The Promotion Playbook.

The following 3 questions are foundational to your preparation for any promotional test.

• Who are you?
• Why do you want to promote?
• What have you done to prepare?

Answer these questions with a captivating story and you will have an unfair advantage over your competition.

www.promotionplaybook.com

Buy the book here... 👇👇👇

https://www.amazon.com/Promotion-Playbook-Proven-Path-Department/dp/1735739502

We have reached 100 episodes! Thank you for listening!!! 

This episode gives you the 30,000 view of the process covered with The Promotional Playbook and how you can apply these 4 pillars to your promotional test preparation. 

The 4 Pillars to Your Promotional Test Success are….

• Story - You must tell the best stories as to why you are the best for the position.
• Strategy - You must implement the 7 strategies to ensure your victory on game day.
• Skillset - You must master the fundamental skills for the job.
• Stories from the Summit - Learn form others who have what you want and surround yourself with the best people. 

Jim Moss is a fire captain and paramedic for the Metro West Fire Protection District in St. Louis County, Missouri. His fire service passions include leadership, training, and mentorship. Along with Chief Dan Kerrigan, Jim is the co-author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller: Firefighter Functional Fitness, available at FirefighterFunctionalFitness.com.

Jim is a contributor to Fire Engineering Magazine and FirefighterToolbox.com. He has shared his message at FDIC International, Firehouse, the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, the National Volunteer Fire Council, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and with fire departments nationwide.

Contact him via email at jim@firefightersuccessbook.com. Connect with him personally on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and follow him and Firefighter Success on the following social media outlets:

Instagram: @FirefighterSuccess and @FirefighterFFit

Facebook: @FirefighterSuccess and @FirefighterFFit

Twitter: @FireSuccessBook and @FirefighterFFit

FirefighterSuccessBook.com

FirefighterFunctionalFitness.com

FIREFIGHTER SUCCESS' 20 CORE PRINCIPLES:

CHAPTER 1 - COACHABLE

CHAPTER 2 - CURIOUS

CHAPTER 3 - CHAMPION MINDSET

CHAPTER 4 - CONFIDENT

CHAPTER 5 - COMMITTED

CHAPTER 6 - COURAGEOUS

CHAPTER 7 - CONVICTION

CHAPTER 8 - COMPETENT

CHAPTER 9 - COMPREHENSIVE

CHAPTER 10 - CONSISTENCY

CHAPTER 11 - CHARACTER

CHAPTER 12 - CREDIBILITY

CHAPTER 13 - CHARISMA

CHAPTER 14 - COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 15 - CANDID

CHAPTER 16 - COMPASSION

CHAPTER 17 - COMPOSURE

CHAPTER 18 - CHANGE

CHAPTER 19 - COMMUNITY

CHAPTER 20 - COACH

Oral Board Preparation Toolkit

The in-basket is a common simulation exercise used in assessment centers. It tests how the candidate will handle the responsibilities of the new position by presenting a range of problems they may encounter. During an in-basket, the candidate receives information about the role to be played, such as descriptions, responsibilities, and general context.

The candidate is then given the in-basket materials and asked to respond to contents within a particular time. As the candidate completes an item, it transfers to the "out-basket."

After completion of the exercise, a discussion with the evaluators often takes place. In this discussion, the candidate describes their justification for the decisions.

A few examples of items you may see during an in-basket are below.

• Employee problems
• Upset community member
• Apparatus problems
• Required training
• Meetings

Evaluators can score the candidates in the following areas.

• Identify key issues
• Set priorities
• Anticipate problems
• Create solutions
• Give reasons

Having a systematic approach is essential. You can organize your basket items by time or by priority.

• Time: If the items given have a time they occur, you can organize your responses based on the time of day you will address each area. Next to each item, you will assign a priority and description of how you will handle the situation.
• Priority: You can organize each time based on priority. High, medium, and low are the levels of priority. Place each item in the selection priority, then describe how you will handle the situation.

The 4 Skills to Ace the Inbasket along with the tools from The Promotion Playbook. 

• Eliminate - Know the 4 Hazard Zones
• Delegate - Team Roster and Shift Prep Sheet
• Automate - Do sets and reps with the In-Basket Templates
• Do - Oral Board Prep Sheets

The Promotion Playbook: A Proven Path to Your Fire Department Promotion
by Amazon.com
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735739502/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_81RB0PMMVK0G3934N4NV

3 Secrets to a Successful Role Play Scenario

Secret #1 - Be Prepared. Study and practice the tools found in the Application Skills Section of The Promotion Playbook. Page 225

Secret #2 - Be You. Study and practice the Oral Board Prep Sheets in The Promotion Playbook. Page 204

Secret #3 - Be Present. You have 2 ears and one mouth. Listen more than you speak and be alive to the situation. 

This episode tells you how to apply the tools from The Promotion Playbook to overcome your fear of public speaking.

The two tools are..

-The Oral Board Prep Sheets

-The Unspoken Art of the Oral Board

I also introduce a new framework called the 4 Pillars of a Persuasive Presentation

If you struggle to answer the question, “Why do you want to promote?”, this episode can help.  Knowing your WHY is essential yet can be difficult to discover. Sometimes the best WHY is simple and superficial.

As you celebrate the end of 2021, this episode helps you set goals for the new year.

When setting goals, focus on these four areas of expansion.

• Faith
• Family
• Finance
• Fitness

To better understand this concept reach Strategy #5 in The Promotion Playbook. To set goals, follow the steps in Strategy #1 to choose goals for the near year.

I wish you a prosperous and happy new year!

The Promotion Playbook: A Proven Path to Your Fire Department Promotion
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735739502/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_6SAFC25BT7NTWS57FSB9

There are 3 root causes of back pain. Awareness of these will help diagnose the problem and take action to resolve it.

• Emotional
• Chemical
• Mechanical

To heal, apply the 5 life forces found in the Capacity Pyramid.

• Light
• Air
• Water
• Fuel
• Function

How to apply the Capacity Pyramid to strengthen your immune system 

Light:

• Get 20 minutes of sunlight each day and/or do 20 minutes of red light therapy or a sauna. 
• Do a cold shower or ice bath every day for 2 minutes
• Test your vitamin D levels and supplement D3 accordingly 

Air: 

• Do breath training daily. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/wim-hof-method-mobile-app
• Breathe through your nose most of the time. 
• Buy a nettie pot and use it daily. 
• Buy a quality air purifier 
• Buy an indoor humidity meter and keep indoor Humidity between 30 - 50%. 
• If you get a respiratory infection, consider using nebulized hydrogen peroxide under the guidance of a medical doctor. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7308628/ https://www.georgekramermd.com/hydrogenperoxide/ 

Water: 

• Drink plenty of water each day. “A gallon a day keeps the doctor away.” 
• Springwater is best, second-best is a quality filter (Berkey Filter), third is reverse osmosis. 
• Add electrolytes to your water but be aware of added sugar and artificial additives. 

Best electrolyte recommendations...

• Pink Himalayan sea salt 
• Key Electrolytes 
• Gnarley Hydrate 
• Drip drop 

Fuel: 

• Bulletproof diet road map https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/bulletproof-diet/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/ 
• Avoid - refined fat/oil, factory-raised meat, pesticide-soaked produce, junk carbs/ high sugar, processed supplements, toxic metals, synthetic poison (msg, artificial sweeteners, food coloring, artificial ingredients), avoid or limit the amount of alcohol you drink. 
• Eat plenty of organic vegetables, healthy fat (avocados, coconut oil, olive oil), farm-raised meat, whole nuts, and seeds, 

Function: 

• Stagnation kills. Get exercise daily, even when you don’t feel like it. 
• Get plenty of quality sleep.
• Create a workspace that promotes good alignment and frequent movement. i.e. sit on the floor, stand, walk
• If you do get COVID19 consult your health care provider about taking a daily aspirin. A big problem with COVID19 is blood clots and a daily aspirin may help prevent clotting. 

How to enjoy holiday cheer without guilt, shame or a painful hangover using the Capacity Pyramid. https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/bulletproof-diet/alcohol-without-the-hangover-bulletproof-partying-business-networking/

Stats on back pain

https://www.cdc.gov/acute-pain/low-back-pain/index.html

https://www.iaff.org/back-injuries/

Healing Back Pain Book

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FOTRI4S/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Science of Yoga Book

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WCHRJJG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

The 7 Devils of Diet: If you want to live a long healthy life, it is best to minimize your exposure to these "foods".

• Refined Fat - Margin, vegetable oil, canola oil
• Poorly Raised Protein - Factory-farmed animal products
• Soiled Fiber - Pesticide soaked produce, mold
• Junk Carbs - Refined grains, mold, GMO, Gluten, high sugar content
• Shit Supplements - Synthetic vitamins, flavor enhancers, food additives, fillers like GMO maltodextrin, high sugar content
• Toxic Metal - lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium
• Synthetic Poison - Plastic, msg, pesticides, food dyes, flavor enhancers, antibiotics, hormones, alcohol

Instead, choose the following...

The Bulletproof Diet Roadmap is a great resource for understanding quality foods.

https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/bulletproof-diet/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/

“You're not sick, you're thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication.” Dr. Batmanghelidj MD

4 Pillars of Hydration

• Volume
• Source
• Minerals
• Vitamins

Resources

Bodies many cries for water

F. Batmanghelidj MD

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0970245882/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JJRR9GEVJ6EMBNG5P1A0

Fluids and electrolytes

By David Anderson

The Salt Fix

by Dr. James DiNicolantonio

Quench

by Dana Cohen and Gina Bria

Adult Dehydration

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/

3 Benefits of Breath Training

• Improve mental capacity
• Improve blood PH
• Detox

Resources

• The Wim Hof Method
• Breath - By James Nestor
• Breathing for Warriors: Learn the Secrets of Pro Athletes, First Responders, and Coaches to Unlock the Path to Endurance, Strength, Precision, and an Unshakable Mental Game - by Dr. Belisa Vranich, Brian Sabin,
• The oxygen advantage - By Patrick McKeown
• Just Breathe: Mastering Breathwork for Success in Life, Love, Business, and Beyond - by Dan Brule
• Let Every Breath... Secrets of the Russian Breath Masters - by Vladimir Vasiliev

The sun is the source of life on planet earth. 

To optimize your physical wellness you must optimize the use of light and dark along with hot and cold.  

Training for cold exposure

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/wim-hof-method-mobile-app

Benefits of sauna

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30275-1/fulltext

Benefits of Hot Yoga

https://www.healthline.com/health/hot-yoga-benefits#getting-started

This episodes shares the lessons learned during the Stagecoach 100 mile Ultra Marathon.

Intake - Uptake - Output

How to optimize your capacity using the 5 elements.  Light: Get 20 minutes of sunshine daily.  Air: Do breathing practice daily using the Wim Hoff App Water: Begin your day with 33 oz of water.   Fuel: Only eat during an 8-hour window each day. Function: Sit cross-legged on the floor for at least 5 minutes daily. Minimize your time in chairs. 

If you are low on energy this episode is for you.

Capacity definition

1. the maximum amount that something can contain.
2. the amount that something can produce.

Energy - Law of Conservation of Energy (physics & chemistry)

1. Energy can not be created or destroyed
2. Energy may change form but is never destroyed.

-Kinetic vs potential energy  (stagnation kills)

-Energy transformations 

1. Chemical > Motion
2. Radiant > Chemical
3. Electrical > Thermal

Your body is a power plant and you can generate POWER through. You are an energetic being in a physical body.

1. Light = Solar
2. Air = Wind
3. Water = Hydroelectric
4. Fuel = Fossil Fuel
5. Function = Fire/ kinetic energy

The 4 Biggest Killers of Firefighters are...

1. Inflammation
2. Infection
3. Ischemia
4. Injury

We will talk about ways to minimize these risks in future episodes. For now, start to pay attention to what is killing the most firefighters and how you can help improve safety and well-being. 

Your identity is shaped by what you believe about yourself and the world around you. These beliefs are shaped by the questions you ask and how you answer. 

Questions lead to stories and stories hold beliefs that shape your identity. 

The 3 questions that define your identity are who, why, and what...

Who are you?  / Who must you become?

Why does this matter?

What have you done? / What will you do?

This episode continues the conversation on how your physical health has a major impact on how well you do with your promotional test.

The 7 Strategies in the Promotion Playbook can be applied to your promotional test and they can also help to optimize your physical fitness. 

The 7 Strategies are...

1. Path - Choose to commit.

2. Proximity - Build community.

3. Prize - Get clear on what you want.

4. Plan - Consistency is King.

5. Purpose - Find your convictions

6. Pit - Do courage and face adversity. 

7. Peak - Celebrate!

This episode gives an introduction to the new series on firefighter fitness. 

Over the next several weeks the focus of this podcast will be on how to optimize your physical fitness. This and the following episodes will help you optimize your energy during preparation and show up on test day ready to shine. 

Future episodes will cover the 7 strategies found in The Promotion Playbook, along with tips and tricks on reducing stress, improving clarity, reducing fatigue, and accessing power.

To develop your leadership focus small and slow.

Chuck Montgomery has over 37 years in the fire service. He recently retired as Deputy Chief with Glendale Fire Department, AZ where he ran the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center.

Chuck is currently the Executive Director of the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting located in Phoenix, AZ.

In this episode Chief Montgomery draws upon his vast experience to share fundamental lessons on leadership.

https://hallofflame.org/

Two practical ways to overcome test day anxiety.

1. Repetition

2. Time under tension

Charles “Chip” Huth is a Major with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. He has 28 years of law enforcement experience, commands KCPD’s Traffic Division, and is the State of Missouri’s defensive tactics subject matter expert. He also consults for international law enforcement, military, and corporate clients. He formerly led the Street Crimes Unit Tactical Enforcement Squad and has planned, coordinated, and executed over 2500 high-risk tactical operations.

Chip regularly gives keynotes and other presentations to law enforcement, corporate, government, and other audiences. A few of these engagements include speeches at TEDx, WINx, police departments nationwide, U.S. Army Medical Command, and U.S. Air Force Aviation Commands. Chip is also an accomplished author: He co-wrote Unleashing the Power of Unconditional Respect—Transforming Law Enforcement and Police Training, a textbook used in officer development and graduate programs

Chip has a bachelor’s degree in multi-disciplinary studies from Grantham University and an associate’s degree in political science from Park University. He is the former president of the National Law Enforcement Training Center, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to delivering effective training to the international law enforcement, corrections, security, and military communities. He has 35 years of experience in martial arts and is a veteran of the U.S. Army.

This episode covers the 4 skills of communication to best listen to others and express yourself with confidence. 

The 4 skills along with the tools found in The Promotion Playbook are… 

Space - tool: The Unspoken Art of the Oral Board 

Speech - tool: The Oral Board Prep Sheets 

Stories - tool: The Story Blueprint Template 

Stats - tool: The Essay Blueprint Template

Don’t mistake your gift as a dysfunction. If you have been labeled as OCD, ADHD, depressed, etc, etc,… there is a good chance you have a mislabeled gift. This gift can potentially be your greatest strength when directed towards a massive target driven by purpose. Don’t strive to me normal, strive to get results that matter.

Captain Rodriguez shares his advice on how to succeed with promotional testing. 

He also shares leadership lessons he learned as a Captain at Sedona Fire District, the President of IAFF Local 3690, and a youth basketball coach.

Captain Eric Lewis has successfully promoted to the rank of Captain at Sedona Fire District. He has been successful with his own promotion and has helped many others place at the top of their promotional list.  

The quality of your questions determines the quality of your life. 

The 3 questions you must know fully are... WHO, WHY, WHAT. 

Know these 3 questions for these three areas .... self, position, department.

In this episode, we share a letter written by Eric Marsh to the Prescott City Council Members. 

This letter shares the who, why and what of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

I encourage you to visit this website and study the words of this letter. 

https://ericmarshfoundation.org/pages/about-eric

In preparation for your promotional test, you must be clear on WHO you are, WHY you are testing, and WHAT you have done/ will do.

It is extremely important for you to know these questions for yourself, your position, and your department. 

On June 30th, 2013 the Yarnell Hill Fire erupted through the mountain community of Yarnell, Arizona, and claimed the lives of 19 firefighters. This was the greatest loss of life for the U.S. fire service since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Fire service leaders, plus family and community members, shared their grief.

Amanda Marsh lost her husband that day, Eric Marsh. In this episode, she honors the memory of Eric by sharing her journey through grief. Amanda has faced this adversity with courage and is now helping others endure loss through the Eric Marsh Foundation.

The Eric Marsh Foundation is a 501 C 3 nonprofit based in Prescott, Arizona. EMF was founded by Amanda Marsh, the widow of Eric Marsh, Superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. EMF is a passion project designed to give back to those who give so much.

https://ericmarshfoundation.org/

Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park

https://azstateparks.com/hotshots/explore/trails

In remembrance of the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew:

SUPT. ERIC MARSH, CPT. JESSE STEED, SB. CLAYTON WHITTED, SB. ROBERT CALDWELL, SB. TRAVIS CARTER, LC. TRAVIS TURBYFILL, LC. CHRIS MACKENZIE, LC. ANDREW ASHCRAFT, CM. JOE THURSTON, CM. WADE PARKER, CM. ANTHONY ROSE, CM. GARRET ZUPPIGER, CM. SCOTT NORRIS, CM. DUSTIN DEFORD, CM. WILLIAM WARNEKE, CM. KEVIN WOYJECK, CM. JOHN PERCIN, CM. GRANT MCKEE, CM. SEAN MISNER.

Books to consider...

Influence - Robert Cialdini

Never split the difference - Chris Voss

Start With No - Jim Camp

This interview with Natalie Martin shares the fundamentals of written communication.

To avoid criticism .. say nothing, do nothing be nothing

Or

Choose counsel wisely & embrace the feedback

Build up resilience by using strategy # 2 ….. Power of Proximity

-Coach

-Crew

-Counsel

Not everyone is entitled to an opinion on your life.  Stop trying to please your critics.

I don’t care about their rank, relationship, status... if they are not building you up, they don't deserve a voice in your life.

Officer Brandon Griffith shares how he almost died from a cardiac arrest at a young age. This adversity fueled his passion to save more lives from cardiac arrest and be a force for good.

If you are going to excel at a promotion you must have a strong purpose and believe in the mission of the organization.

To find out more about Griffith Blue Heart visit the link below.

https://griffithblueheart.com/

Regardless of how committed you are to your promotion, your greatest resistance will likely from yourself. 

Engineer Jon Scaife shares how he overcame the challenges in 2020 and placed #1 on the Engineer test.

Don’t be a one-dimensional douchebag!

Constantly strive to expand your life in the following areas. 

-Faith

-Family

-Finance

-Fitness

Be a 4 Dimensional Firefighter. Not perfect, but a constant work in progress. 

Captain Dylan Lee shares what he learned with his promotion at Northwest Fire District in southern Arizona.

“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”― Stephen McCranie

This episode emphasizes the need for patience and perseverance on your path to promotion. 

The Promotion Playbook offers a proven path to your promotion yet this path is not guaranteed. Adversity is part of the path.

When faced with adversity consider these guidelines to navigate..

-Choose a story to empower you using The Situation Size Up, Strategy #6.

-Share your pain with your family/ crew. Pain shared is pain divided. 

-Every adversity carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.

-NEVER go victim.

In this interview Captain Jake Cecil shares what he learned with his promotional testing experience and how he placed #1 on his promotional list. 

Jake Cecil is a Captain with Copper Canyon Fire District in Arizona. 

This episode shares the next stage of this podcast called Stories from the Summit. I will be interviewing people who have been successful with promotional testing. 

This gives an overview of the fundamental size up sheets found in The Promotion Playbook.