Leadership Conversations @ The Kitchen Table

Episode 87: Chief Siana Stallings-Ala’ilima – Servant Leadership
Date: November 30, 2025
Host: Berlin Maza

Episode Overview

This episode features Chief Siana Stallings-Ala’ilima, Fire Chief of the Tacoma Fire Department, as she shares her journey from Maui to Washington, her rise through the ranks, and her deep commitment to servant leadership. Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima discusses her experiences as a woman and person of color in the fire service, the evolution and necessity of diversity in public safety, and the mindset and actionable behaviors crucial for leaders at all levels. The conversation dives into actionable wisdom for both emerging and established leaders, emphasizing the contagious nature of optimism and the call to lead by example.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background & Upbringing: Foundation of Servant Leadership

• (02:55–05:31) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima shares her upbringing in Maui with a Samoan father and pastor parents, describing the “village mentality” of her childhood. Service to others was a way of life:

  “It wasn’t a name for it. It was just life… the village mentality where everything… it’s not about me, it’s about us.” – Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (03:32)

• She emphasizes the importance of respecting elders and mentoring younger family members, which ingrained the values foundational to servant leadership.

2. Entering the Fire Service: Diversity, Representation, and Mindset

• (05:32–11:43) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima explains her path to the fire service, highlighting a lack of visible women and minorities in the field, and how that shaped her experience:

  “I was raised in an environment where if you want to do something, try, because it’s better to have tried and failed than to just… not step through doors because you’re afraid of failure.” (07:13)

• She discusses the “rude awakening” of adjusting to a paramilitary firehouse culture after coming from a casual, familial community background.

• The hosts relate their own identity-driven journeys, underlining the importance of representation.

  "Sometimes when you could see somebody that you haven’t seen before, like, I want to ask you questions. How did you do it? ...It does matter." – Berlin Maza (10:01)

3. The Evolving Fire Service & The Strength of Diversity

• (11:43–16:10) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima highlights the transition of fire departments from firefighting alone to all-hazard response. She stresses diversity not just in terms of race/gender, but in background, experiences, and skills:

  “Diversity isn’t just race or gender... Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. And we all find our way. Very few people find their way the exact way and have all strengths the same. That’s what’s great about life.” (12:40)

• The practical value of fluency in community languages and varied life experiences is emphasized for solving complex, real-world problems.

4. Servant Leadership: Philosophy and Daily Application

• (16:10–22:07) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima describes servant leadership as her core style, rooted in upbringing—first for her crew, and now for the entire department.

  “From a long time, that’s just kind of how I’ve always felt. That’s the kind of leader I want to be.” (19:17)

• She describes the evolution from direct community service as a paramedic to an administrative perspective, focusing on improving systems and advocating for field crews. Servant leadership, she says, is “serving the community through all the crews in the field” (18:02).

5. Climbing the Ranks: Overcoming Comfort, Fears, and Barriers

• (22:07–29:15) The hosts discuss why few seek administrative roles. Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima addresses fear of failure and the value of “just trying”:

  “It’s better to have options and then say no… Not being afraid of taking those leaps.” (23:54)

• She describes her decision to vie for Fire Chief as rooted in a sense of family legacy and the importance of keeping the department’s leadership “in-house,” given their shared culture and history.

  “My generation… dropping the ball for a department that was started in 1880… I didn’t want to be the one… that dropped the ball because we didn’t succession plan well enough.” (29:15)

6. Lessons from Leadership and Administration

• (32:06–36:07) The transition to administrative work entails a challenging mindset shift: administrative change is slow, and leaders must manage expectations.

  “I finally… realized that like I can’t look at problems on day shift… like you do as a house fire… It’s going to take time… The wins, the wind is completely out of your sail by the time… it hits.” (35:02, 36:48)

• Administrative leaders must set long-term goals, build buy-in, and accept delayed gratification.

7. Actionable Advice for Emerging Leaders

• (37:37–41:13) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima emphasizes purpose and authenticity, asserting that leadership is determined by how one shows up daily—regardless of formal role.

  “Regardless of what position you’re sitting in… coming to work and being purposeful about how you show up… And coming in knowing that pessimism and optimism are contagious.” (37:37)

• She instructs new leaders to model themselves after role models’ values, but to “be your own” and “the best leader you can be.”

• On the influence of informal leaders:

  “Some of the people that I’ve admired the most on this job were not in formal leadership positions. They were amazing mentors… excited to teach.” (37:37)

8. The Power—and Risk—of Attitude

• (41:13–42:19) The contagious nature of optimism and pessimism in the firehouse:

  “Pessimism and optimism are so contagious… negativity is so much more powerful than positivity.” – Berlin Maza (41:13) “You can bring down the morale of your crew or you can lift it up by very, very simple things.” – Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (37:54)

• Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima notes that authentic leadership and emotional intelligence are more impactful than mere positional authority.

9. The Centrality of Respect and Expert Power

• (42:19–43:56) True leadership comes from earned respect and expertise:

  “The best leaders… were so well respected for whatever reason… Sometimes they’re those informal leaders… everybody wants to be like that.” (42:19)

• “Walking the talk” and consistently modeling professional behavior are non-negotiable.

10. If You Could Change One Thing: Mental & Physical Wellness

• (44:33–50:51) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima’s dream initiative is a robust wellness program—including mental health providers, on-site fitness, and accessible support structures.

  “If I had a magic wand, I would want a full… program. We don’t even do annual physicals… Those are the types of things that would be part of that package.” (46:58)

• She describes Tacoma’s peer support developments (e.g. Peer Connect app), noting the importance of immediate and trusted access to help.

  “When people are in crisis… it’s now and not two weeks from now.” (47:45)

11. On Servant Leadership and The Future of Leadership

• (51:02–53:13) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima recommends “The Future of Leadership: Elevate Your Influence, Navigate Disruption, and Bring Out Their Best” by Josh Metcalf & Seth Madison, highlighting its argument that hierarchical information hoarding is obsolete in today’s networked, collaborative environment.

  “Our workforce now… what they’re asking for from their employer is different… to be cared about, to be taken care of, to be brought in so that things are transparent… That’s actually servant leadership.” (52:01, 52:11–52:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Leadership Mindset:
  "If servanthood is below you, then leadership is beyond you."
  — Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (55:18)

• On Pushing for Change:
  "Change is really the only true thing that you can rely on."
  — Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (56:25)

• On Influence:
  "You’re not a leader if no one wants to follow you… climbing the ranks and not… building relationships and trust and leading by example, you’re kind of cutting your legs out from under you."
  — Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (43:15)

• On Taking Risks:
  "It’s better to have tried and failed than to just not... Step through doors because you’re afraid of failure."
  — Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (07:13)

• On Authenticity:
  "You don’t… try to be somebody else. Try to be the best leader you can be… People are going to see that and they’re going to respect that…"
  — Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima (40:18)

Key Timestamps

• 00:01 — Mentor influence, role models, and mentorship
• 02:55 — Chief’s upbringing and village mentality
• 05:33 — Initial challenges as a woman of color in the fire service
• 12:40 — The value of diversity, language, and life experiences
• 16:29 — Servant leadership philosophy and personal application
• 22:35 — Overcoming fear and encouraging advancement
• 29:11 — Keeping leadership in-house; legacy
• 35:02 — Administrative work is a long-game
• 37:37 — Simple daily leadership behaviors & contagious attitudes
• 43:15 — Authenticity, trust, and informal power
• 44:33 — Ideal wellness program vision
• 51:02 — Book recommendation & evolution of leadership
• 55:18 — Closing guidance for leaders

Leadership Challenge

(53:33–54:52) Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima challenges Assistant Chief Ryan McGrady, incoming Fire Chief of West Pierce Fire & Rescue, as a future guest to share his own leadership journey.

Final Leadership Thoughts

• “If servanthood is below you, then leadership is beyond you.”
• Embrace and lead through inevitable change; don’t fear it—lean in.
• Model the values and behaviors you want to see, every day, at every level.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Authenticity and self-awareness are the bedrock of sustainable leadership.
• Optimism and pessimism are contagious—choose what to spread.
• Lead by example—everyone impacts culture, no matter their title.
• Invest in wellness: it is foundational for individual and organizational success.
• Change is the only constant: adapt, grow, and mentor others to do the same.