Culture.

"Let us strive to finish the work we are in...." A. Lincoln

The last echoes of Lincoln’s voice had barely faded before his life was taken in ?contempt. During his second inaugural address, Lincoln used his position to set the stage for the eventual reconciliation of the states. Yet even while many labored to “bind up the nation’s wounds”, other parties worked to stimulate the angst that had pitted brother against brother. These same personalities exist to this day.

Over the past several years, NENA has put forth great effort and investment into building a culture of collaboration. Through our work as an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization, in our development of industry leading training and education, to the support of the needs of our chapters and members, NENA has labored intensely to fill every need of the 9-1-1 industry. NENA’s value is evidenced in the continual growth in our membership and conferences, and in the deep trust of our public safety partners.

Every collaborative process requires an open dialogue that may include varying opinions. That process is the stone that sharpens our resolve to always deliver our best to our industry. The collaborative process must be free to grow and evolve, understanding that the outcome may never be perfect, but must always be pertinent. Lincoln referred to this as “a course to be pursued … fitting and proper.”

The antithesis of our culture of collaboration would be unilateral decision-making. As an organization, our founding documents provide the necessary checks and balances to ensure that no singular individual may steer the course for our future. While this may feel clumsy at times, it is necessary to ensure the needs of the membership come first. In fact, any organization that truly places the needs of the membership first, must always place the singular desires of the leadership last.

A primary example of the benefits of a culture of collaboration are uniquely expressed in our joint committee work. Noteworthy, industry-leading, collaborative successes include:

·        National Joint TERT Initiative

·        NG9-1-1 Emergency Information Data Document

·        Detailed Functional and Interface Standards for i3

·        Minimum Training Standard for TTY/TDD

Now, if we expressed contempt for any of our collaborative work, then we express contempt for all of our membership. 

How do the members of an association ensure that their leaders continually support the common mission? Accountability. Accountability is the singular tool to combat singular ideologies. Within any association, accountability is the antidote for a poisonous ego. Left unchecked, this disease becomes malignant to the membership.

There are also times when a culture comes under attack from the outside. Lincoln highlighted the individuals that would seek “to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation.” Many of our textbooks today do not highlight the herculean efforts of Lincoln’s cabinet to avert all-out warfare. But in the end, Lincoln “would accept war, rather than let {the nation} perish.” Lincoln’s battle wasn’t against a singular person, but for the entire nation. 

Likewise, NENA’s commitments today are not against any singular organization or person, but for our entire industry. We, as the 9-1-1 industry, and we as The 9-1-1 Association, should always fight to protect the culture of collaboration. At times, the difference between negotiation and capitulation can be a single word or phrase. It is in those moments that we must be fanatically committed to the protection of the culture of our industry.

To borrow from our most eloquent president, our continual work should be of public safety, by public safety, and for public safety. Anything less would be antithetical to our mission, and detrimental to our membership.

It has been my deep honor to represent our Association and our culture throughout this past year.

Very Humbly,

Jamison Peevyhouse, ENP.

NENA President: 2018-2019

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This reprint is from "The Call", the quarterly magazine of the National Emergency Number Association: Peevyhouse, J. (June, 2019). Culture. www.nena.org/page/TheCallMagazine