Shane Fitzsimmons, a name that became synonymous with leadership during Australia's devastating 2019-2020 bushfire season, has undergone a remarkable evolution in his personal brand.
From being widely recognised as "the fire guy" to becoming a respected advisor and leader across various sectors, Shane's journey shows us the power of authenticity, consistency, and values-driven leadership.
Shane reflects on this transformation, noting, "Particularly through the 2019-20 fire season, which was unparalleled for New South Wales and in so many ways for the nation, I was rather prominent in radio, TV, online forums, and those sorts of things."
This visibility led to widespread recognition, with people approaching him in airports and public spaces, identifying him as "the fire guy from New South Wales."
However, Shane's brand goes beyond mere recognition.
It's rooted in the perception people have formed about him based on his conduct during those challenging times.
His brand's evolution didn't happen overnight. It results from decades of consistent behaviour, authentic leadership, and a strong foundation of values.
As we delve deeper into Shane's journey, we'll explore how his personal brand has been shaped by his early life experiences, his career in emergency services, and his transition into broader advisory roles.
We'll examine the values that guide his decision-making, his approach to leadership, and how he's steered the challenges of maintaining genuineness while adapting to organisational and societal changes.
Shane's story offers both knowledge and wisdom for anyone looking to build a strong, authentic personal brand that can withstand the test of time and evolve with changing circumstances.
The Leadership Ingredient More Powerful Than Experience or Talent
At the core of Shane Fitzsimmons' leadership philosophy lies a robust foundation of values, shaped by his early life experiences and refined through decades of public service.
These values not only guide his decision-making but also form the bedrock of his authentic leadership style.
Shane reflects on the origins of his values, stating, "There's no doubt that those values started at home."
Despite a "fractured" home life with early parental separation, he credits his family, including grandparents and close family friends, for instilling core values.
He shares a family adage that has guided him: "Manners cost you nothing, but the lack of them can cost you everything." - a principle has proven invaluable in his leadership roles, especially during challenging discussions and debates.
Shane acknowledges that values are not static but evolve through life experiences.
He explains, "I think we live through life, through conditioning, experiences, influences, and exposures to different things." This perspective allows him to adapt and grow while maintaining his core principles.
According to Shane, the true test of values comes when they are challenged.
He recounts a particularly difficult situation involving a young volunteer firefighter lighting small fires to feel more connected to the brigade.
The incident forced Shane to balance his empathy for the young man's difficult background with his responsibility to uphold the organisation's standards.
He reflects, "My values were completely conflicted. Here I am, on the one hand, how do we look after the welfare of this young man, but on the other hand, I can't ignore the responsibilities of quite serious offences."
Shane's leadership has been marked by his ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas while remaining true to his core values.
He stresses the essence of understanding one's own strengths and limitations, advocating for continuous learning, and surrounding oneself with team members who complement one's skills.
Shane's value-driven leadership approach also extends beyond his professional life.
In his current roles, including his work with the Youth Insearch Foundation and the New South Wales Connectivity Innovation Network, he continues to seek opportunities aligned with his core values of making a positive impact and serving the community.
When Shane consistently demonstrates these values in both his words and actions, he has built a leadership brand that resonates with people across various sectors.
His story reminds us that effective leadership is not just about skills and strategies but also about the fundamental values that guide one's decisions and interactions.
The Surprising Professionalism of Everyday Volunteers
One of Shane Fitzsimmons' most passionate beliefs is that professionalism is not determined by whether one is paid for their work but rather by the quality and manner in which the work is performed.
He has developed this philosophy over decades, challenging the common misconception that volunteers are somehow less professional or capable than their paid counterparts.
Shane articulates this belief succinctly: "My philosophy is very simple. Professionalism isn't about whether you are paid for what you do. It's about what you do and how you do it."
This perspective emerged from his frustration with the characterisation of volunteers as "amateurs and would-be hacks" while those in paid positions were automatically deemed professional.
To illustrate this point, Shane recounts a powerful anecdote from his time leading the Rural Fire Service.
When Australia was asked to send highly specialised wildfire firefighters to Canada, they identified 100 suitable individuals - most of whom were volunteers.
However, they encountered resistance from Canadian authorities, who initially refused to accept volunteers, insisting on "paid professionals" only.
Undeterred, Shane and his team devised a creative solution.
He recalls, "We actually said to all the volunteers, 'Look, something strange is going to happen. When you get off the plane in Canada, we'll pay you a daily allowance. So you tell everyone when you get to Canada that you're a paid member of the Rural Fire Service.'"
The Canadian authorities' feedback about the Australian firefighters was overwhelmingly positive, praising their skills, resourcefulness, and adaptability.
Shane notes with pride, "All I could write back and say was, 'We love our volunteers.'"
This experience reinforced Shane's belief that professionalism is about mindset, training, skills, equipment, and procedure adherence - not payment.
He extends this philosophy beyond emergency services, noting that volunteers underpin many successful community initiatives, from sports to education to care for the elderly and disabled.
It challenges organisations and society at large to reconsider how we value and recognise the contributions of volunteers.
It also highlights the value of providing proper training, equipment, and support to volunteers, guaranteeing they can perform their roles to the highest standards.
Through championing this view of professionalism, Shane not only elevates the status of volunteers but also challenges paid professionals to ensure their work lives up to the title.
How to Navigate Career Transitions and Find Your Purpose
Shane Fitzsimmons' career trajectory proves to us how valuable adaptability, self-reflection, and purpose-driven decision-making are.
His journey from the Rural Fire Service to broader advisory roles offers worthwhile wisdom in navigating career transitions while staying true to one's values.
Shane reflects on his transition, saying, "I think the last 18 months or so, particularly, has been a time for a lot of fresh reflection, a lot of contemplation. And trying to understand what next, and how I will get a level of satisfaction, but a level of life balance that I haven't previously had, you know, necessarily."
This period of reflection came after a significant career shift.
Shane had initially planned to step down from his role as Commissioner of the RFS prior to the 2019-2020 fire season. But sensing that the timing wasn't right, he stayed through what became one of Australia's most challenging fire seasons.
He notes, "Ironically, as draining emotionally and physically as that fire season was for everybody involved, I know personally, I think I would have been more adversely affected had I'd left just before the fire season and not been there with the team through it."
Following this, Shane transitioned to a new role in government, which he describes as "an interesting transition because I got out of something that I knew extremely well in industry to something quite new, standing up a new organisation, new expectations of government, etc."
But this wasn't the end of Shane's career evolution.
He shares, "I've worked out in life that I really like to be connected with people and organisations that are driven by purpose to make a difference, to make a positive, indiscernible difference in society without ripping everybody off."
This realisation led Shane to set up his own company, allowing him to contribute to the emergency services sector while also exploring new areas.
He explains, "I'm working for myself, and I'm working in partnerships with others, where I can still connect with and contribute to the sector that I've been a part of for so many decades, but also explore and join sectors, organisations and industry groups that are trying to look for and make a difference more broadly, across New South Wales and further afield."
Shane stresses aligning career choices with personal values and societal impact.
He says, "I'm not driven by wanting to be part of a profit over purpose organisation. So if the whole, every organisation needs to be profitable, they need to be successful. But at what cost?"
Shane’s approach has led him to take on roles such as Chair of the Youth Insearch Foundation and the New South Wales Connectivity Innovation Network and advisory positions with organisations like Fire Ant.
Each of these roles aligns with his desire to positively impact society.
The Role of Mentorship in Personal and Professional Development
Throughout his career, Shane Fitzsimmons has recognised mentorship's profound impact on personal and professional development.
His approach to mentorship is unique and multifaceted, drawing lessons from various interactions and experiences.
One particularly moving memory Shane shares is from his primary school days.
During a T-ball game, he comforted a classmate who was upset after striking out, saying, "Don't you worry about that, all any of us can do is our best."
His teacher recognised this act of kindness and praised him at the next school assembly. This early experience highlights an important aspect of Shane's approach to mentorship: the power of small gestures and words of encouragement.
He says, "I've learned through mentors that the little things we do make all the difference. Not the grand gestures, not the big strategies, or the big programs, or the big bodies of work. But it's those little things."
Shane's perspective on mentorship is both inclusive and discerning.
He explains, "I unashamedly seek to learn as much as I can from nearly everybody I interact with or observe in one form or another." This openness to learning extends beyond positive examples.
He also notes, "Often in the same person, there are behaviours and things that that person does that I don't like, or that often can incense me. And I say to myself, I don't really like that... How do I make sure that I don't emulate that?"
A balanced approach to mentorship allows Shane to glean valuable insights from both positive and negative examples.
He strives to understand not just what people say or do, but how their actions make others feel. "You don't always remember what is said or done at a particular time. But you remember how that circumstance made you feel," he observes.
Shane's mentorship philosophy extends to his leadership style as well.
He creates a safe and supportive environment for team members, both physically and psychologically, to foster an atmosphere where people can grow, learn, and contribute their best.
As he's transitioned into new roles and advisory positions, Shane continues to value mentorship and learning opportunities.
He sees his current work with organisations like the Youth Insearch Foundation and the New South Wales Connectivity Innovation Network as a chance to both mentor others and continue his own growth.
How to Build and Maintain Long-lasting Relationships
Throughout Shane Fitzsimmons' career, one of the most striking aspects has been his ability to build and maintain long-lasting personal and professional relationships.
His social skills are not just evidence of his interpersonal abilities but also a reflection of his core values and consistent approach to life and work.
He notes, "I think consistency is very strongly aligned to authenticity. So people know who you are, know what drives you, know what motivates you."
Shane’s consistency allows people to trust and rely on him, knowing that his behaviour and values remain constant regardless of the situation.
Another particularly noteworthy thing about Shane is the longevity of his relationships.
He reflects, "If I think about our closest friendship circle, they're friendships we've had very close for many decades, you know, since we were teenagers. And if I think about professional relationships, it's the same."
Shane attributes the strength of these relationships to his core values and his commitment to being true to himself.
He believes that shared values often form the foundation of strong, lasting connections. This is prominent in his choice of partnerships and projects, where he seeks out organisations and individuals whose values align with his own.
Shane also recognises the role of adaptability in maintaining relationships over time. He acknowledges that as people grow and mature, they may change in some ways.
However, he believes that one's authentic self and values-driven approach should remain consistent at their core. He explains, "I think we all accept that as we grow and mature, and as we focus on building new learnings, new skills, new experiences, we will change in some way. But at the core essence of it, we're not materially shifting from what we believe is our authentic self, our values-driven self around the things that matter."
The balance between consistency and adaptability has allowed Shane to navigate various career transitions while maintaining and building upon his existing relationships.
Whether in his role with the Rural Fire Service, his time in government, or his current advisory positions, Shane has carried forward the relationships he's built, leveraging them to create new opportunities and partnerships.
The Balance of Purpose and Profit in Professional Endeavors
Shane Fitzsimmons' career trajectory, particularly in recent years, offers priceless awareness of the delicate balance between purpose and profit in professional efforts.
His transition from government roles to private advisory positions demonstrates how one can commit to societal impact while navigating the business world.
Shane articulates his philosophy clearly: "I've worked out in life that I really like to be connected with, you know, people and organisations that are driven by purpose to make a difference, to make a positive indiscernible difference in society without ripping everybody off in society."
His statement encapsulates his approach to balancing purpose and profit, creating value for society while maintaining financial sustainability.
He acknowledges the necessity of profitability in business, stating, "I don't mean that people can't be profitable, and organisations can't be proud. They need to be by their very nature."
However, Shane underscores the importance of getting the balance right: "But what they need to do is make sure they've got the measure right, that it's purpose over profit."
His philosophy has guided his choices in his post-government career and he reflected on his next steps after leaving his role with Resilience NSW.
He shares, "I've actually ended up setting up my own company. And I'm working for myself, and I'm working in partnerships with others, where I can still connect in and contribute to the sector that I've been a part of for so many decades, but also exploring and joining with sectors and organisations and industry groups that are trying to look for and make a difference more broadly, across New South Wales and further afield."
Shane's approach to selecting partnerships and projects is deeply rooted once again in his values.
He explains, "I'm not driven by wanting to be part of a profit over purpose organisation." This stance has led him to take on roles aligning with his desire to positively impact.
The Youth Insearch Foundation, for instance, runs a peer support program for young people facing adversity.
Shane notes the gravity of the issues they address: "Sadly, until you get involved in an organisation like that, or a sector like that, you don't realise that suicide is the leading cause of death in young people."
His involvement in such organisations exemplifies his commitment to purpose-driven work, even as he navigates the private sector.
Similarly, his work with the New South Wales Connectivity Innovation Network showcases how he balances purpose and profit.
The network aims to improve connectivity in rural and regional areas, bringing together government, academia, and businesses to drive innovation and economic growth while addressing critical community needs.
Shane also provides advisory services to organisations like Fire Ant, aligning with his emergency services background while exploring new technological solutions. This work allows him to profitably leverage his expertise while contributing to public safety.
Shane's journey inspires professionals at all stages of their careers, showing that with careful consideration and a strong moral compass, one can navigate the business world while making a meaningful contribution to society.
Final Words
As Shane Fitzsimmons continues to evolve his brand and take on new challenges, his journey inspires and provides a roadmap for all of us who want to develop our authentic personal brands.
His story proves that with a strong foundation of values, a commitment to authenticity, and a willingness to adapt and grow, it's possible to build a brand that achieves professional success and makes a meaningful impact on society.
In the end, Shane's brand is not just about recognition or success – it's about the positive impact he's made and continues to make in various spheres of society.
It's a brand built on trust, respect, and a genuine desire to make a difference.
If you'd like to learn more about developing your personal brand, visit garrybrowne.com.au to get in touch or grab a copy of Brand New Brand You.