Summary of Undisclosed Agents Podcast #51 Bob Ryser - Leading by Example

Overview of Undisclosed Agents Podcast #51 — Bob Ryser — Leading by Example

This episode features Chief Bob Riser (fire chief for a Northern Nevada agency) interviewed by the Hortons & Hunt crew. The conversation centers on leadership, continuous improvement, training culture, mentorship, the pros/cons of social media in the fire service, education versus experience, and practical steps chiefs and line firefighters can take to lift individual and organizational performance. The tone mixes practical lessons (hands-on training, scheduling, funding use) with cultural advice (brotherhood, accountability, honesty about realities).

Guest snapshot

• Chief Bob Riser — Chief for Story County (Northern Nevada) Fire (noted for hands‑on leadership and blue fire engines).
• Background highlights: former battalion chief responsible for training; 15+ years as an instructor with the Nevada State Fire Marshal; academy commander experience; AA in fire science, BA in English, completed National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program (2019).
• Reputation: mentor-focused, values credibility through doing the work alongside crews.

Key topics discussed

1% Better (daily incremental growth)

• Riser promotes small, daily improvements across three domains: personal (relationships), education (knowledge/emotional intelligence), and fitness (physical readiness).
• He uses odd, practical drills (gear on, rope climbs, NANS drills) and pairs hands‑on practice with lessons/podcasts/books to close gaps.
• Physical fitness is non‑negotiable: leaders must still be able to perform to retain credibility and to be an “asset” rather than a liability.

Mentors — why they matter and how to find them

• Mentorship is essential; mentors can be local or national. Many will respond if you reach out.
• Create a “book of mentors” (reference: Eric Wheaton’s project) — research, reach out, and document.
• Don’t overlook mentors inside your own house or region; local senior personnel often taught the most meaningful lessons.

Social media — benefits and downsides

• Benefits: access to information, networking, marketing/training reach, easier to contact experts.
• Downsides: highlight reels create unrealistic expectations for recruits; 15‑second clips often lack context and can misrepresent skills/teaching; keyboard sniping fosters negativity.
• Advice: use social media as a tool (not a truth machine). If you see a clip you disagree with, investigate or engage constructively — better yet, attend that person’s class and have the conversation in person.

Education vs. Experience (Peter Principle / imposter syndrome)

• Education and experience are complementary, not mutually exclusive.
• Experience builds practical competence; education (formal or informal) builds the administrative, HR, grant-writing, and strategic skills needed higher up.
• Leaders should encourage “learning how to learn” — support varied learning paths (online, degree programs, conferences, mentorship).
• Beware “paper tigers” (credentials without competence) and conversely undervaluing degrees that can lend credibility in interagency settings and leadership forums.

Training outside your fishbowl

• Training only inside your organization leads to recycled, anecdotal practices — “drinking your own shit.”
• Pressure-test SOPs and tactics by attending outside classes, conferences, and multi‑agency events.
• Outside training builds technical skills, allies, confidants, and the brotherhood; it also provides safe spaces to vent and problem-solve with peers who won’t report back.

Killing barriers to training / using training funds

• Make training access simple: departments should pre-pay registrations/hotels and recover costs if people don’t attend.
• If your organization offers training stipends and you don’t use them, take advantage — use the money to improve.
• Leadership should remove administrative hurdles and encourage personnel to go learn.

Leadership by example & fitness

• Chiefs and senior officers should keep doing the work (gear up, train, participate) — credibility matters.
• Scheduling discipline is essential: make time (early mornings) instead of waiting for “found time.”
• Promotion is a responsibility to do more (not an excuse to do less).

Taking care of each other / brotherhood

• Reinforce the human side: say “I love you” in the sense of caring, hold people to standards out of that care, and cultivate tough love when needed.
• Invest in wellness, accountability, and culture, not just operational metrics.

Main takeaways / actionable recommendations

• Train outside your fishbowl regularly — pressure test SOPs and bring back practical improvements.
• Build and maintain mentors (local + national). Reach out — many leaders will help. Consider creating a mentor book.
• Prioritize daily, small gains: 1% better across physical, intellectual, and personal domains.
• Leaders must remain operationally credible — keep gear on, train hands‑on, and model fitness.
• Use social media intentionally: showcase context, troubleshooting, and learning — avoid sniping.
• Blend education and experience: support varied learning paths and “learning how to learn.”
• Use your department’s training funds. If the agency makes training easy, don’t let it go unused.
• Remove barriers to people attending conferences or classes: pre‑pay, make attendance part of development plans.

Notable quotes / memorable lines

• “You should be a monster. … And then you should learn how to control.”
• “Education without experience is just theory.”
• “If you only train inside your fishbowl, you’re drinking your own shit.”
• “Use social media as a tool… it can cook your dinner or burn your house down.”
• “Your promotion is not the opportunity to do less. It's the obligation to do more.”

Resources and references mentioned

• Eric Wheaton — Book of Mentors (podcast reference / resource to compile mentors)
• National Fire Academy — Executive Fire Officer program (Riser completed in 2019)
• Firefighter Mayday Survey / Data-not-Drama concepts (referenced as data sources vs. drama)
• Training conferences (Fire Shows West / regional conferences referenced) — recommended for technical skill and networking

Who should listen

• Firefighters and line officers looking to strengthen tactics and leadership credibility.
• Company officers and chiefs focused on culture, training budgets, and retention.
• Training officers and combined‑agency planners who want practical guidance on removing barriers and improving training ROI.

Overall, the episode is a practical call to blend humility, hands‑on competence, continuous learning, and human care — led from the front by leaders who still do the work.