Don’t be a Pigeon

We’ve all had them, those bosses. For weeks or months they’re nowhere to be found.  Completely absent.  Then, one day, out of the blue, there they are.  They show up, crap all over everything, and disappear just as quickly.  Just like a pigeon.

I’ve worked with a lot of great bosses.  Bosses who were engaged, cared, and would be in the trenches right next to me putting in the work.  Some people call them servant leaders.  I spent 13 years as a cop and if there was one thing I learned, it was that I didn’t really care what type of work I was doing.  Sure, I had my preferences, but in the end, it was the people that mattered.  A good boss may not be able to make the most miserable work amazing, but a bad boss sure can make the best work miserable.

When I became a Sergeant, I only had two rules for my Officers. That’s it.  Sure, the department had thousands of pages of rules and regulations, but beyond that, I only had two.  I adopted them on my first day as a Sergeant and never saw any need to change them.

Rule #1 No Secrets

This is important, and it goes both ways.  They couldn’t keep secrets from me.  If you work for me and you screw up, I need to know about it.  I can’t help fix it if I don’t know.  I also applied it to myself.  Everyone who worked for me understood exactly where they stood and what I thought.  When it came to annual reviews, if someone is surprised, then I failed.  Set clear goals and benchmarks and provide feedback often on where someone stands.  If they aren’t making the cut, tell them, then help them get better.

Rule #2 You’re an Adult, Make a Decision

There are some circumstances where, as the boss, you have to make the call.  But that isn’t all, or even most, of the time.  Empower your people to make decisions.  Provide advice and insight when they ask, but don’t tell them what to do.  Tell them what you want and let them surprise you with how they figure out to get it done.  It’ll make you look good when they discover new ways to get things done.  Remember though, if they screw up, that’s on you too.  You need to stand right there next to them and accept the consequences.  Then, sit down and discuss what went wrong and how to do better next time.

Be engaged with your people.  Empower them to get what you need done, then get out of their way.  Check in regularly, provide good feedback, find out what you can do for them.  But don’t just show up once a quarter, and complain about the work they did.  Don’t be a pigeon.