The Joint Fire Brigade (Gezamenlijke Brandweer Rotterdam, abbr. GB) asked us to identify areas for improvement in the organization’s organizational culture and leadership. Because organizational culture is shaped by everyone within the organization, we adopted a broad research approach, including not only the Repression department (the 24-hour shift staffed by shift commanders and crew), but also the day shift team leaders, management team members, and the director.

In the first phase, we mapped the current situation by essentially capturing the performance of the GB and its employees across four themes: 1. Job satisfaction, 2. (social) safety, 3. Leadership, and 4. Identity and development. In individual interviews, we asked all respondents to share their experiences. As these experiences were articulated, personal stories emerged. The stories were understandable and concrete: they illustrated behavior, explained choices, and exposed tensions.

In the second phase, we identified needs on the Repression side. In an interactive session, crew members and shift commanders reflected on the stories gathered. What was truly needed? We used a metaphor for this: the shared success of Formula 1 teams. Using this metaphor, groups got to work. The collective reflection on the gathered stories not only gave meaning to (shared) experiences but also clarified differences in perspective and created cohesion.

In the third phase, we formulated concrete solutions based on identified needs. This marked the beginning of the “GB roadmap” for the coming years. The roadmap describes the path toward a desired organizational culture, which all employees of the Joint Fire Service identify with and are willing to contribute to. In the coming years, the employees themselves will develop the roadmap into concrete actions, interventions, and milestones that strengthen the GB’s organizational culture.