Getting my Ph.D. at CIIS was life changing. The experience set me on a journey of discovery that surprised me on a level I never could have predicted. It pushed me beyond all my limits. While I've always loved learning, now I love and appreciate good research. After publishing my dissertation, I began studying the Georgia Smoke Diver (GSD) program, an extreme experiential training program in Fire and Emergency Management. I have since published a book that includes the research I did for my doctorate and the additional research I did with GSD. That book, Flow-based Leadership: What the Best Firefighters Can Teach You about Leadership and Making Hard Decisions, was named #1 in Fire Chief Magazine's 9 Best Public Service Leadership Books of 2016. I have also completed two collaborative books with a group of other academics and industry leaders as a contributor and an editor. The first, Visionary Leadership in a Turbulent World: Thriving in the New VUCA Context, made Forbes' 2017 Summer Reading List. The second, Exceptional Leadership by Design, will be published sometime the summer of 2018. I have recently started the Center for Flow-Based Leadership®, a division of MentorFactor, Inc., to offer educational and consulting services to help organizations prepare for the unexpected by facilitating flow-based work environments. My Ph.D. in Transformative Studies has opened doors for me and given me a level of confidence and credibility I never expected. My work is crossing boundaries. I know that I'm making a difference. This is what this program has done for me.
The Path of the Razor's Edge: An Examination of the Flow Experiences of Firefighters
This was a study critical decision making in the midst of critical incidents in Fire and Emergency Services. I looked at how being in a state of "flow" impacted the ability to make appropriate decisions. I found that being in a flow state positively impacts decision making when the person has had proper training and enough experience.
