For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/339629
www.arborage.com Arbor Age / July 2014 19 front of others, in most cases they will gain pride from their job well done, while the leader reinforces the fact that good work is recognized. Being a leader is not easy Making it to crew leader, operations manager, or company owner does not mean nirvana has been achieved and the rest of the career is spent talking on the cell phone, carrying a clipboard, or updating Facebook status. In fact, a person put in a position of leadership with that kind of attitude will quickly fi nd themselves with a more mutinous crew than Captain Bligh, if they have any crew left at all. Leadership roles demand more from the person holding them than any role they have held before; and although the toll may be more emotional and intellectual than physical, it is still a toll felt every night when the head hits the pillow. Perhaps Johnny can grab the backpack blower toward the end of the job and cruise around aimlessly "taking some time off," but a crew/ company leader is on stage at all times; and the slightest hint of laziness, poor work ethics, or unsafe practices will be noted and discussed by crew members. Although it may seem unfair at times, leaders must expect and demand as much, or more, from themselves as they do from their crew regarding safety, attendance, timeliness, effi ciency, and the other components of a good worker. Obey and set the standard Any standard a company or crew has — whether it applies to safety, effi ciency, or even something as relatively minor as record keeping — has to be a standard that the leader keeps at all times. How hypocritical is it for the company owner to show up criticizing a crew's lack of PPE when they are absent PPE themselves? A leader is always setting the example; and sooner or later will have to talk to someone about a negative action. The conversation will go a lot smoother and be better received if the leader has done their best to uphold the crew's or company's standards at all times. Justice is blind Rules, regulations, company policies, whatever the standard may be, a leader must apply them equally to all crew members or employees. Few things are a poorer example of leadership, or more harmful to employee morale, than the recognition that "certain people" don't get in trouble for actions that "other people" do. Simply being the best climber in the company does not excuse missing every Monday because of the PBR fl u, nor does being an excellent salesperson/estimator mean one is too good to haul brush or feed a chipper. Every worker or employee needs to feel that the same standards are applied to each of them; and that they can expect the same rewards or discipline based on their actions, not some nebulous unknown such as "the boss just likes them better." Fairness in all things The majority of people in the world will respond well when treated fairly, though, of course, there will always be exceptions to this rule. While pay, benefi ts, bonuses, and other fi scal rewards will certainly affect the behavior and satisfaction of employees, poor, or even unfair or dishonest, leadership will sabotage a crew or company almost as quickly. While the "golden rule" may sound trite to many, as a leader one could do worse than trying to treat their employees as they would wish to be treated. Workforce management is a complex topic, one that con- tains elements of psychology, ethics, philosophy, and many other subjects. And although leadership is never easy, regardless of the profession or industry, it can be particularly challeng- ing in the tree environment where poor choices by a crew member can lead to an injury or death. Add in the likelihood that one is attempting to lead and organize a group of people who are probably individualistic problem solving risk takers by nature, and the complexity of workforce management among tree folk becomes apparent. The few basic principles and tech- niques discussed here provide a starting point to becoming a better leader, but true tree industry leaders are always looking to add to their mental toolbox. Michael "House" Tain is a contract climber, splicer, educator and writer associated with North American Training Solutions www.northamericantrainingsolutions.com and Arbor Can- ada Training and Education www.arborcanada.com. He is currently located in Lancaster, Ky., and can be reached via e-mail at house@houseoftain.com. A leader always pays attention. Photo by H. Neustaeter