Congratulations Lt. Coleman 🎊!
I am beyond thrilled to recognize Lieutenant Durell Coleman for being selected as Firefighter of the Quarter by his Decatur Fire peers. Lieutenant Coleman embodies a true leader-he inspires and motivates others because they respect and admire him, not out of fear of retribution or punishment. There’s not a trace of ego and everything he says or does is clearly for the good of the department or his personnel. People follow him not because they HAVE to, but because they WANT to. In a time when retention is such a constant battle, this is a crucial distinction. People may comply with you because of your title, but they respect and support you because of your character. Lieutenant Coleman has always been one who embraced the transformational aspect of his leadership, which is what has made him so successful. Transactional leadership may get people to do what you say for fear of repercussions, but it often gets the minimum required without any pride or ownership and certainly contributes to burnout. I guarantee no one has ever sat in their car prior to the shift dreading having to deal with Lieutenant Coleman…he raises the morale of everyone he works with through his positive attitude, kindness and humility.