Creating and Leading High-Performance Organizations

"Creating and Leading High-Performance Organizations" by Buddy Martinette is a compelling book that guides leaders in building and leading organizations that excel in performance. With his transformative leadership approach, Martinette shares his firsthand experience of transforming the culture of the Wilmington Fire Department, shifting it from a rule-driven and authoritarian organization to one driven by core values, empowerment, and trust.

Throughout the book, readers will discover the building blocks necessary to cultivate a high-performance leadership culture within their own organizations. Martinette emphasizes the crucial interplay between personal and organizational aspects of leadership, illustrating how they work together to create an environment conducive to high performance. The concepts presented in the book are applicable to leaders at all levels, recognizing that effective leadership extends beyond the chief or CEO.

By providing a framework that aligns goals and actions, "Creating and Leading High-Performance Organizations" enables leaders to drive their organizations toward exceptional performance. Readers will gain practical strategies, rooted in real-life experiences, that support the development of a high-performance organizational culture.

Cecil V. “Buddy” Martinette Jr. is owner of PB&T Consulting, and former chief executive officer, and founding member, of Spec Rescue International, a specialized rescue training and consultation company headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Prior to this position, Buddy served in the public sector as chief of the Wilmington Fire Department in Wilmington, North Carolina (retired); assistant county administrator in Hanover County, Virginia; and chief of the Lynchburg Fire and EMS Department in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Buddy started his career at age 15 as a volunteer at the Thalia Volunteer Fire Department in Virginia Beach and 4 years later joined Virginia Beach Fire Department, where he spent 25 years as a firefighter, battalion chief, and chief fire marshal.

Buddy is a former instructor with the State of Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Rescue Specialist instructor, and Incident Support Team operations officer and task force leader for Virginia Task Force II of the FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Program. His Urban Search & Rescue experience includes the Colonial Heights Walmart Collapse; deployments for Hurricanes Floyd, Fran, Frances, and Ivan; the Murrah Federal Building Bombing; and the Pentagon terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Buddy was appointed by Governor Pat McCrory in 2016 to serve as a commissioner on the North Carolina State Emergency Response Commission and by the North Carolina General Assembly to serve on the State of North Carolina 911 Board. He is also a past first vice president of the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs and past first vice president of the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs. Buddy is also the past president of the Wilmington Central Rotary Club.

Buddy has written numerous articles for the fire service and frequently lectures on organizational leadership and specialized rescue operations to public safety, military, industrial, and law enforcement organizations. Buddy is the author of the first, second, and third editions of the Jones & Bartlett book Trench Rescue: Principles and Practice to NFPA 1006 and 1670. He was also awarded a design patent for his nut, bolt, and drill bit sizing tool called “Sizing Buddy.”

Buddy has a bachelor of science in fire administration from Hampton University and a master’s in public administration from Troy State University. In addition, he is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program, where he received the Outstanding Research Award in leadership. He has also received the designation of Chief Fire Officer by the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation.