

Tip Of The Spear Leadership Podcast
Michael Nasti
Welcome to the Tip Of The Spear Leadership Podcast. I’m your host Mike Nasti and our goal is to create a movement of strong competent leaders. Our guests will discuss how to lead and flourish by sharing their lessons learned and shared experiencesPlease follow and like on social media.
Instagram: @tip_of_the_spear_leadership
Email: tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
Instagram: @tip_of_the_spear_leadership
Email: tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 30, 2024 • 1h 3min
#46 “Leadership And Followership" With Marc Aloan (West Columbia SC)
Marc Aloan is a Battalion Chief with the West Columbia (SC) Fire Department and creator of The Fire Inside. He is an active speaker, author, and instructor with 20 years of combined volunteer and career service. He also holds a B.S. in Fire Protection Administration and a M.A. in Organizational Leadership.
Takeaways:
Building relationships and trust is crucial for effective leadership.
Leaders should give trust until it is proven otherwise, rather than making people earn it.
Execution and experience are key factors in successful leadership.
Followership is an important aspect of leadership that is often overlooked.
Connection and communication between management and frontline firefighters are essential for a successful organization. Leadership is about doing what's right all the time, even when it clashes with the concept of being a good follower.
Being a good follower sets the foundation for becoming a better leader.
Experience and confidence in decision-making are crucial for effective leadership.
Transparency, communication, and accountability are essential for building trust and respect in leadership.
The fire service needs more doers who are dedicated to getting things done.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:31 Transitioning to a New Department
05:41 Challenges and Expectations as a New Officer
10:14 Building Relationships and Trust
13:09 The Importance of Relatability and Interpersonal Relationships
14:27 The Role of Trust in Leadership
17:41 The Shift from Earning Trust to Giving Trust
19:13 Personal Power vs. Positional Power
21:35 The Importance of Execution and Experience in Leadership
23:25 The Role of Followership in Leadership
26:04 The Misconceptions and Challenges of Leadership
29:08 The Importance of Connection and Communication in Leadership
32:34 The Impact of Disconnect between Management and Frontline
39:11 The Clash Between Leadership and Being a Follower
40:16 The Importance of Followership in Becoming a Better Leader
41:08 Learning from Good and Bad Officers
41:38 The Value of Experience and Confidence in Decision-Making
42:26 Building Trust and Respect through Communication and Explanation
43:59 The Need for Balance Between Leadership and Followership
45:22 The Lack of Unity and Teamwork in the Fire Department
46:20 Incentivizing Staying in the Fire Service
47:57 The Loss of Informal Leadership and Loyalty
49:25 The Lack of Accountability and Evaluation in Leadership
52:17 The Importance of Transparency and Communication in Leadership
53:16 The Relationship Between Informal Leadership and Followership
54:14 The Need for Doers in the Fire Department
56:08 Focusing on What Can Be Controlled and Making Do
57:32 The Power of Overcoming Challenges and Uniting as a Team
01:01:09 Taking Pride in Overcoming Obstacles and Making the Best of the Situation

5 snips
Jan 22, 2024 • 1h 20min
#45 "Put The Aces In Their Places" with Frank Viscuso (New Jersey)
Frank Viscuso, a retired Deputy Chief firefighter, discusses the importance of leadership in the fire service, the value of continuous training, dealing with criticism on social media, and the power of positive influence. Topics covered include water rescue training, recognizing strengths in others, the impact of social media on reputation, and the four steps to leadership.

Jan 10, 2024 • 1h 4min
#44 “Preparation And Adaptability” with Sean Donovan (Frederick MD)
Sean Donovan has been in the fire service for 22 years with 19 of those years career with Frederick County Fire & Rescue. Currently he holds the rank of Captain.
Summary
In this episode, Mike Nasti interviews Sean Donovan from the Frederick County Fire Rescue Department. They discuss the importance of mentorship and adaptability in the fire service. They also talk about the challenges and responsibilities of being an officer and the need to learn from mistakes.
The conversation highlights the value of feedback, the role of video footage in learning and growth, and the importance of letting go of past mistakes.
Overall, the episode emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adaptability, and building strong relationships within the fire service. The conversation covers topics such as being in control and letting go, the importance of adaptability and mentorship, and the relatability of raw experiences.
The host expresses appreciation for guests who bring diverse perspectives. The episode concludes with a discussion on reaching out through social media and the significance of mentorship in personal growth.
Takeaways:
Mentorship is crucial in the fire service, and officers should be willing to guide and support their subordinates.
Adaptability is essential for firefighters and officers to effectively respond to changing situations on the fireground.
Learning from mistakes and being open to feedback is key to personal and professional growth.
Letting go of past mistakes and focusing on the future is important for maintaining a positive mindset and avoiding negativity. Understand that you are in control and learn to let go of things.
Adaptability is crucial in the fire service.
Raw experiences and relatability are valuable for listeners.
Utilize social media to connect with others and continue discussions.
Mentorship comes in various forms and can help individuals grow.
Chapters:
00:00Introduction and Background
02:13Frederick County Fire Department
05:00The Busyness of Frederick City
10:48The Need for Mentorship
21:27The Importance of Adaptability
33:13Dealing with Criticism and Mistakes
45:52 Adaptability and Mentorship in Action
56:01The Importance of Letting Go
59:01Avoiding the Quicksand of Negativity
59:58Being in Control and Letting Go
01:00:20Wrapping Up and Appreciation for Guests
01:01:18Raw Experience and Relatability
01:02:06Reaching Out and Social Media
01:02:52Mentorship and Building Each Other Up
01:03:22Closing Remarks

Jan 2, 2024 • 1h 14min
#43 "Authentic Leadership" with Jeremy Donch (National Fire Radio)
**** Now Playing !!!****
Episode # 43 : "Authentic Leadership" with Jeremy Donch (National Fire Radio)
A deep dive into culture, authentic leadership, and how impactful they both can be. Day in and day out, talk about the job, love the job, and build the culture.
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⛓️Check out my Linktree, link in bio or click: https://linktr.ee/tip_of_the_spear_leadership !!
📧 Tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
💻Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok:
@Tip_Of_The_Spear_Leadership
🎙️If you haven’t already, Check out Tip of The Spear Leadership Podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms to include Spotify, and Apple Podcasts ******
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Dec 21, 2023 • 1h 12min
#42 “The Functional Fire Company" with Scott Thompson
The podcast discusses the revolution against price hikes on leather fire helmets, the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the fire department, the value of self-awareness and continuous improvement in leadership, the qualities of good leaders and learning from mistakes, recognizing when someone doesn't like you, the role of the company officer in the fire service, and balancing skills and creating a supportive culture within the team.

Dec 12, 2023 • 46min
Robert Policht I The Streets To The Front Seat I Episode #5 " Truck Company Discipline"
Now Playing !!!!!!!
Robert Policht I The Streets To The Front Seats I Episode #5 Truck Company Discipline
Discipline is paramount, in the most basic form, the nozzle team on the engine company’s nozzle team putting water on the fire. Everything els including fire officers are support.
The truck company is identified as a special service in just about any department. Their service : to support water on the fire.
Rob and I discuss this , leadership, and how critical a disciplined truck company officer can be, for both the fireground and beyond
Robert Policht is a member of the Passaic, NJ, Fire Department and has been assigned to Ladder Companies. Policht assisted with developing and establishing the department’s response to human vs. machine incidents and is attached to the Fire Investigation Unit. He started his career as a volunteer and has served as a Chief of Department. Policht teaches at the Bergen County, NJ, Fire Academy. He has a master’s degree in emergency management and homeland security from Arizona State University. Policht is a founder of and contributor to Flow and Vent and has been published in Fire Engineering and Firehouse Magazines.
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Robert on Social Media:
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Instagram
@flowandvent
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Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/FlowandVent?wtsid=rdr_0GCP2EDPyZRzcNDz2
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YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@flowandvent?si=iN6jNXLGz4q6Tkix
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Flow and Vent Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flow-and-vents-podcast/id1370245924
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Flow and Vent X (Twitter)
https://x.com/flowandvent?s=21

Dec 4, 2023 • 58min
#41 “Don’t Be Conditional In A Conditional World” with Dakota Meyer
# 41: “Don’t Be Conditional In A Conditional World” with Dakota Meyer (Usmc)
🔥Dakota is a Father, Marine , Sniper, Youtuber, and Skydiver. He is just a guy trying to change the world and live a life worthy of his teammates sacrifices.
🔥🔥In this episode we discuss leadership candidly.
Sometimes the unconditional truth needs to come out from whether you want to hear it or not.
🔥🔥🔥Dakota reflects on his experiences in both the Marines and as a firefighter/EMT and life.
For all things with Dakota’s books, podcasts, speaking, own the dash, and social media please go to:
https://dakotameyer.com
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⛓️Check out my Linktree, link in bio or click: https://linktr.ee/tip_of_the_spear_leadership !!
📧 Tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
💻Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok:
@Tip_Of_The_Spear_Leadership
🎙️If you haven’t already, Check out Tip of The Spear Leadership Podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms to include Spotify, and Apple Podcasts ******
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Nov 30, 2023 • 1h 19min
#40: "Experience Before Promotion" with Al Pratts (North Hudson NJ)
***New Episode Now Playing *****
Episode 40: “Experience Before Promotion” now playing.
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Alider Pratts is a veteran of the US Marine Corps, has served North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NJ) since 2004, and has quickly risen through the ranks by scoring at the top of each of his promotional lists. Pratts became a Captain in 2010, where he worked in the department’s busiest companies including Squad 1 and Ladder Tower 3 in West New York, NJ. He became a Battalion Chief in 2017, where he covered all three battalions as the Third Platoon’s rotating BC, before being promoted to Deputy Chief in 2022.
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He is North Hudson’s Chief of Special Operations Command, as well as the department’s Training Division Chief. DC Pratts serves as a member of the UASI-Metro USAR Command Staff and is the NJDFS Subject Matter Expert in Fire Service Active Shooter Response. As an Active Shooter Response SME, he maintains leadership roles in local, county, and state interdisciplinary committees.
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DC Pratts is a NJ Certified Level 2 Fire Instructor, teaches at the Monmouth County Fire Academy and Kean University’s Fire Safety Program, and has written articles published in “Fire Engineering Magazine”.
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⛓️Check out my Linktree, link in bio or click: https://linktr.ee/tip_of_the_spear_leadership !!
📧 Tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
💻Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok:
@Tip_Of_The_Spear_Leadership
🎙️If you haven’t already, Check out Tip of The Spear Leadership Podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms to include Spotify, and Apple Podcasts ******
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Nov 22, 2023 • 31min
Tim Klett I The Streets To The Front Seats I Episode #4 Engine Company Tempo
Tim Klett Joints The TSL Podcast and we get into all things Engine Company !!
From tempo and speed to line selection !!!!

Nov 17, 2023 • 1h 4min
#39 "Communicate To Make Things A Reality" With Jake Henderson (Fort Worth TX)
Episode 39 : "Communicate To Make Things A Reality" With Jake Henderson (Fort Worth TX)
Jake Henderson is a 17 year veteran Captain with the Fort Worth Fire Department. He’s currently at station 24 on the city’s east side where he continues to develop himself, his crew, and those who come through his station. Always a student of the craft, he is active in many projects for the department and hopes to leave the job better in some way than he found it. He’s a father to 3 beautiful girls and a husband to an amazing wife who serves as a nurse at a local children’s hospital.
Jake on Instagram
@coffee_with_the_captain
_________________________________________
⛓️Check out my Linktree, link in bio or click: https://linktr.ee/tip_of_the_spear_leadership !!
📧 Tip.of.the.spear.leadership@gmail.com
💻Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok:
@Tip_Of_The_Spear_Leadership
🎙️If you haven’t already, Check out Tip of The Spear Leadership Podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms to include #Spotify, and Apple Podcasts ******