Tactics, command, leadership

working on entirely different levels. It may, for example, seem
relatively simple for senior management to make the decision in
conjunction with a major flood to not pump out individual buil-
dings. But for the individual firefighter, this can lead to conflicts,
both within the group and with those in need of assistance. This
is especially true if fire brigade personnel are acquainted those in
need of assistance, which is not all that uncommon.
A senior commander is always responsible for operations,
regardless of whether he or she is at the site or not. By using a
suitable leadership style – depending on, among other things, the
situation – the person in charge can serve as an example, inspire
and motivate subordinates to take correct actions. But it is also
a matter of providing support or confronting subordinates when
necessary, so that the person in charge can make adjustments to
or control ongoing response operations or measures that have
already been initiated. This also is related to the form of mana-
gement. In general, one can say that management by details is
more closely related to conventional leadership, while leadership
development is more closely related to management by objectives.
Also note that ‘hands­off’ leadership entails no management at
all. Ultimately, it all comes down to the management system be-
ing able to deal with the dynamics that characterise the situation,
flexibly and quickly.
One should also take consideration to the differences between
men and women, both from the perspective of the group and the
individual. Men and women use different body language and ways of
expressing themselves, function differently in groups and assess dif-
ferent things in different ways. There are also individual differences,
regardless of gender, that affect our behaviour. These differences are
positive for organisations and create good prerequisites for creati-
vity and good decisions. One should thus not strive for uniformity. In
most cases, it is beneficial with diversity and that all individuals are
unique, which one should exploit in different ways.