www.arborage.com Arbor Age / July 2014 17
I
f any of the insects present during a tree crew's lunch break
ever gain the ability to speak and share the conversations
they have overheard, the amount of time spent by tree per-
sonnel discussing their leaders is likely to be quite impres-
sive. Although there is a wide variety of classes, training,
and education available for the myriad tasks that make up a
modern tree worker's day, opportunities for training and edu-
cation in workforce management and leadership are few and
far between — particularly specifi c to the tree industry. Al-
though reading a column in a magazine is certainly not going
to transform Johnny B. O'Doughnuts the brush hauler into a
stellar crew foreman or operations manager, an introduction
to, and explanation of, some of the basic principles, skills, and
even techniques of workforce manage-
ment can help begin the process of ex-
panding Johnny's mental toolbox with
some tools that may help his career, and
crews, down the road.
Basic structure
Few tree workers would disagree that
being reprimanded or disciplined for no
apparent purpose or reason is frustrating
and damaging to their morale. Provid-
ing a basic structure, protocols, and/or
standard operational procedures can go
a long way toward avoiding this leader-
ship error. Obviously, every tree job is
not going to fi t inside the parameters of
the company or crew's standard proce-
dure, but many will; and not only will
safety and effi ciency be well served by the existence of these
protocols, crew members will perform better knowing what is
expected of them in a given job or situation. These structures
or protocols should not be "written in stone" though, as the
one of the few things that can be depended upon in tree work
is change — whether it be changes in gear, equipment, or
regulations — and no one is helped by a standard procedure
that is outdated, ill designed, or frustrating. Simple, straightfor-
ward, standard operating procedures regarding common crew
tasks such as takedowns, clean-up, truck/chipper placement,
etc., will go a long way toward helping crew members know
their tasks, and crew leaders recognize where they might need
to "step in."
TRAINING & EDUCATION TRAINING & EDUCATION
B y M i c h a e l " H o u s e " T a i n
Leadership
is Not for the
Faint of Heart
Frank and open conversation between a leader and the crew members is key to success.
Photo by H. Neustaeter
