What is our model of leadership of emergency services operations as we move forward into the 21st Century? Major disaster’s and subsequent inquiries challenge our thinking about leadership. Unfortunately, sometimes there is a temptation to look longingly at private sector models of leadership. The hard truth that often conflicts with popular sentiment is that public service trumps competition. A more fruitful place to look for emerging leadership models are military organizations rather than corporate board rooms. This paper will explore the concept and practice of Mission Command in U.S. and Australian defense forces for its continued evolution as it is applied to wildland fire management. Current military theories and practices of command and control, which contradict common stereotypes, are especially important. The Australian Defense Doctrine Publication (ADDP 00.6) defines leadership as the process of influencing others in order to gain their willing consent in the ethical pursuit of missions. Building on this definition, this paper will also explore the importance of power, the ability to accomplish goals and objectives such as transformational change. Both Greenleaf’s categorization of coercive, manipulative and persuasive power and Torbert’s unilateral power and mutuality will be explored for its potential application to wildland fire management operations. A study of power dynamics brings us to the essence of leadership: the capacity to be vulnerable in order to learn in real time.