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Leadership Conversations @ The Kitchen Table

Leadership Conversations @ The Kitchen Table

Ep. 103: Dave Tait, Fire Chief - Succession Planning & Problem Solving

Aug 24, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min · 11 segments

Fire Chief Dave Tait of the City of Bellevue Fire Department in Washington takes us inside the world of leadership, problem-solving, and succession planning. In this episode, Chief Tait unpacks what…

Fire Chief Dave Tait of the City of Bellevue Fire Department in Washington takes us inside the world of leadership, problem-solving, and succession planning. In this episode, Chief Tait unpacks what he calls the **“monkey” in problem-solving**—the issues we can unintentionally take on ourselves instead of empowering others to solve them. He also shares his **“identify two people” method for succession planning**, a practical approach to developing future leaders and building organizational depth.

Fire Chief Dave Tait of the City of Bellevue Fire Department in Washington takes us inside the world of leadership, problem-solving, and succession planning. In this episode, Chief Tait unpacks what…

Speakers: Dave TaitGuestBerlin MazaHost

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈4 followers

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Seattle Mariners×5 Little League Baseball×5 Bellevue×8 Washington×2 Problem solving

Baseball, Family, and the Pacific Northwest1:31 – 3:21

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:31

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:32

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:32

Well, before we kick things off, how about those Mariners who is, I don't know, eight games under? Is that what it is?

1:38

Well, it's a rough one, but born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, so I'm not a quitter.

1:45

I'll still go to games.

1:46

I'll stay here a month.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:47

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:48

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:48

So I understand you are a, you're also a little league coach.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:52

Is that right?

1:53

Yeah, we're a big baseball family.

1:56

I've got four kids.

1:57

Two are grown up and married.

1:58

One's an ER nurse.

1:59

Another one's a kindergarten teacher.

2:01

But I've got two boys, 10 and 12, that are in the throes of Little League right now.

2:05

And so I've had the privilege of coaching for several seasons.

2:09

And it's just a blast.

2:11

It's funny how many lessons translate over from being a fire chief to a Little League.

2:16

head coach in many ways.

2:18

It's fun.

B

Berlin MazaHost

2:20

I can only imagine.

B

Berlin MazaHost

2:22

I hope some of your teams are a little bit less in the grind to get into the playoffs, or I'm sure you've had both.

2:29

You know, my son was on an all-star team this year, and they went to state and didn't quite make it.

2:36

They got knocked out in the first couple games, but it's been fun.

Seattle MarinersSports TeamBaseball team
97%5 mentions
Little League BaseballSports OrganizationNonprofit organization
92%5 mentions
BellevueCityCity in Washington State
86%8 mentions
WashingtonAdministrative AreaUS state
78%2 mentions
Problem solvingEntity
78%1 mention
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and WinBook
69%2 mentions
Emergency medical servicesOrganizationMedical speciality
64%5 mentions
Pacific NorthwestTourist AttractionRegion in British Columbia, Canada
58%2 mentions
Seattle SeahawksSports TeamAmerican football team
53%3 mentions
SnohomishCityCity in Washington State
47%1 mention
Jocko WillinkPersonAmerican author
42%1 mention
Matthew PeggPersonFirefighter
36%1 mention
Standard operating procedureEntity
31%1 mention
University of WashingtonCollege or UniversityPublic university in Seattle, Washington
25%2 mentions
Moses LakeCityCity in Washington State
19%2 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
14%1 mention
Microsoft PowerPointSoftware ApplicationSoftware
8%1 mention
SeattleCityCity in Washington State
3%2 mentions

Succession PlanningBusiness > Management > Human Resources > Coaching
EmpowermentEducation > Professional Development > Leadership Training > Mentorship
Leadership ChallengesHealth > Mental Health > Workplace Wellbeing > Stress Management
Problem SolvingPsychology > Behavioral Psychology > Motivation > Team Dynamics
Mental HealthHealth
Society
Leadership TrainingEducation > Professional Development
Public ServiceSociety > Community
Team DynamicsPsychology > Behavioral Psychology > Motivation
Behavioral PsychologyPsychology
ManagementBusiness
Stress ManagementHealth > Mental Health > Workplace Wellbeing
MentorshipEducation > Professional Development > Leadership Training
Human ResourcesBusiness > Management
CommunitySociety
Fire ServiceSociety > Community > Public Service
MotivationPsychology > Behavioral Psychology
Professional DevelopmentEducation
Workplace WellbeingHealth > Mental Health
CoachingBusiness > Management > Human Resources
LeadershipSociety > Community > Public Service > Fire Service
Health
Education
Psychology
Business

Baseball, Family, and the Pacific Northwest1:31 – 3:21

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:31

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:32

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:32

Well, before we kick things off, how about those Mariners who is, I don't know, eight games under? Is that what it is?

1:38

Well, it's a rough one, but born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, so I'm not a quitter.

1:45

I'll still go to games.

1:46

I'll stay here a month.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:47

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:48

Awesome.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:48

So I understand you are a, you're also a little league coach.

B

Berlin MazaHost

1:52

Is that right?

1:53

Yeah, we're a big baseball family.

1:56

I've got four kids.

1:57

Two are grown up and married.

1:58

One's an ER nurse.

1:59

Another one's a kindergarten teacher.

2:01

But I've got two boys, 10 and 12, that are in the throes of Little League right now.

2:05

And so I've had the privilege of coaching for several seasons.

2:09

And it's just a blast.

2:11

It's funny how many lessons translate over from being a fire chief to a Little League.

2:16

head coach in many ways.

2:18

It's fun.

B

Berlin MazaHost

2:20

I can only imagine.

B

Berlin MazaHost

2:22

I hope some of your teams are a little bit less in the grind to get into the playoffs, or I'm sure you've had both.

2:29

You know, my son was on an all-star team this year, and they went to state and didn't quite make it.

2:36

They got knocked out in the first couple games, but it's been fun.

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