I'd like to reference part of your essay in an article I'm writing on Leadership for my LinkedIn Newsletter. I may also re-post it here on Substack. Would I have permission to quote you and include a link?
Brilliant. I'm reminded of the centurion's comment to Christ, "I, too, am a man subject to authority. I say to this man "Go" and he goes, and to this one "Come" and he comes. I can tell you are a man subject to authority and have actually lived the words you're writing because I've been there too.
I run a small business subcontracting in the construction industry; commented here once before. I've tried to make job supervisors understand that they would be amazed at how productive they would be if they viewed their main job to be smoothing the path of their subs, rarely with success. But I can make my own foremen understand that's their job in relation to the men under them by being the foreman and showing them. You only ask a man to do something he isn't good at, doesn't enjoy, in an absolute emergency with no other choice. And you make it clear you'll have his back if something goes wrong. I've made that exact statement to guys dozens of times; "There's nothing you can mess up that can't be fixed."
It's part of the leader's job to figure job to figure out where each man under his authority fits, not to cram square pegs into round holes. Place a man where he can earn the respect of other men and he most often will. The ones who can't often don't need to be fired because they leave of their own accord.
There is really only one type of guy you have to let go (a totally different category than firing); those that simply can't do the job because they don't have the skills. This is usually pretty easy and there aren't many sparks. They know they're not cut out for it. The guys you have to fire are always dishonorable in some way and you just can't allow that. It brings everyone else's morale down. They might be lazy and trying to hide the fact that they don't do much, often taking credit for other's hard work. "If the boss asks, me and you got this done." These guys whine when you fire them. The worst guys to fire , in my experience, are the prima donnas. These guys are great at what they do and could really earn respect, but instead create division by lording it over everybody else. They question what you pay other people, because they deserve so much more. They ask you how you could let so and so get away with such and such. These are the guys that will want to fight you when you fire them. The best way to fire these guys is in front of the whole crew. It curbs their desire to get physical, and shows the rest of the crew that everyone is replaceable and you'll fire them if that's what they want.
Well, you know what I’m talking about. Funny how similar we are in leadership style. One difference: I had a prima donna who really got annoying and I ended up giving him all of my own projects: stairs, rake walls. finish. That shut him up. Thanks for reading!
Haha, great if it works out like that. A lot of times I have to choose smaller, detail jobs, that I can pull out of if I need to go put out a fire somewhere. 🤣
(Somehow the rest of my comment got lost, when I posted my own early leadership experience.)
This is such a great piece of writing, and captures so much leadership wisdom in one place that I'm going to use it in developing my own team. I've written a couple of hundred posts that could all be distilled in this one. Bravo!
Sorry, Tony, I didn’t catch that part of your comment, though I do know this is your interest. Thank you very much for the high praise. There was never much of a crisis moment for me in telling others what to do. Having so recently been a rookie myself, I think I had a pretty clear idea of how I myself would want to be treated. Thanks again!
I’m enjoying this series. I recently retired after 34 years in the business and four in the Marine Corps and something you said in an earlier chapter really rang true how men …especially in that industry…were just men and didn’t really think about masculinity or all that went with it and now there’s YouTube channels dedicated to teaching people how to be men. Pretty strange phenomenon
Absolutely. None of the men I knew felt like they had to think about what it meant to be a man. They would have been embarrassed. Men can be vastly different from each other and all be men. No need to think about it. Better not to think about it. Thanks very much for reading!
I've been self-employed for 25 years now and I've never really had a boss other than my father growing up, but I would have enjoyed working under you. Thanks for the stories.
Loved read this and your other essays; I worked in home construction years back - mostly kits in containers, and so much of what you wrote rings true. Thank you for your efforts.
"It was my opinion that human beings felt their freedom keenly, that authority does not often know its own weight, that the work was hard enough."
"I learned most men were not only fine with being told what to do, if done considerately, but they were often relieved to be shed of the burden of figuring it out for themselves."
Most of all, I like your comment that if you assign a man to do a job he’s not able to do, that’s your mistake not his. Also, if you need to point out a mistake do it in private. Simple but critical points.
This is a fantastic description of leadership - all great point but the #1 is to remove slackers quickly to demonstrate that you have the expectation of diligence and team work. I am in IT and I have the same philosophy to building high performing teams.
I think your summary is correct. A slacker demoralizes everyone, and a housebuilding crew lives and dies on the spark of its own energy. Momentum for the sake of momentum drives a good crew. It’s not just efficient-—it’s more fun. Sure, sometimes you just have to dig in, but you do it jonesing for the next high.
Very wise words on leadership! I was going to say that I wonder how many in construction were ready and/or sure of themselves when a promotion came, but then I see another commenter here was.
One thing I learned for those moments when the entire crew was standing around looking at me was to get them going in the direction that seemed to make the most sense. Oftentimes, even if it was the wrong direction, it revealed the proper direction which became clear to everyone. Inaction in these moments was just not tolerable.
Thanks John! I think you’re right: a mistake executed with self-confidence invariably led to the correct course of action. I miss those days and I bet sometimes you do as well.
There is some very good advice about being a foreman. My foreman days started when I was 24 years old. No training, I was just handed the plans and a "here you go." But I wanted the promotion and it was a good thing I paid attention. My philosophy is similar to yours. Lead by example and know what you're doing.
I always resent having to let people go if I did not hire them. I work for big contractors with many jobs going on at the same time. So there is a superintendent that is my boss. My very first "super" was a little man with the aura of authority. He did a wise thing, on payday he would personally hand everyone their check. That way everyone knew who was boss. Today my boss just hands me everyone's checks. We'll, Lunch is over. Back to work. Take care.
“My very first "super" was a little man with the aura of authority. He did a wise thing, on payday he would personally hand everyone their check.”
I love that. Very smart. Thank you, David. “Lead by example and know what you’re doing.” After that, it was pretty much effortless, and you’re humbled by the uncomplaining willingness of a man to do what you ask of him.
This was a beautiful reflection on leadership. Thank you.
Thank you very much for reading!
I'd like to reference part of your essay in an article I'm writing on Leadership for my LinkedIn Newsletter. I may also re-post it here on Substack. Would I have permission to quote you and include a link?
You’re very welcome to it!
Thank you!
Brilliant. I'm reminded of the centurion's comment to Christ, "I, too, am a man subject to authority. I say to this man "Go" and he goes, and to this one "Come" and he comes. I can tell you are a man subject to authority and have actually lived the words you're writing because I've been there too.
I run a small business subcontracting in the construction industry; commented here once before. I've tried to make job supervisors understand that they would be amazed at how productive they would be if they viewed their main job to be smoothing the path of their subs, rarely with success. But I can make my own foremen understand that's their job in relation to the men under them by being the foreman and showing them. You only ask a man to do something he isn't good at, doesn't enjoy, in an absolute emergency with no other choice. And you make it clear you'll have his back if something goes wrong. I've made that exact statement to guys dozens of times; "There's nothing you can mess up that can't be fixed."
It's part of the leader's job to figure job to figure out where each man under his authority fits, not to cram square pegs into round holes. Place a man where he can earn the respect of other men and he most often will. The ones who can't often don't need to be fired because they leave of their own accord.
There is really only one type of guy you have to let go (a totally different category than firing); those that simply can't do the job because they don't have the skills. This is usually pretty easy and there aren't many sparks. They know they're not cut out for it. The guys you have to fire are always dishonorable in some way and you just can't allow that. It brings everyone else's morale down. They might be lazy and trying to hide the fact that they don't do much, often taking credit for other's hard work. "If the boss asks, me and you got this done." These guys whine when you fire them. The worst guys to fire , in my experience, are the prima donnas. These guys are great at what they do and could really earn respect, but instead create division by lording it over everybody else. They question what you pay other people, because they deserve so much more. They ask you how you could let so and so get away with such and such. These are the guys that will want to fight you when you fire them. The best way to fire these guys is in front of the whole crew. It curbs their desire to get physical, and shows the rest of the crew that everyone is replaceable and you'll fire them if that's what they want.
Hey gotta go, good piece.
Well, you know what I’m talking about. Funny how similar we are in leadership style. One difference: I had a prima donna who really got annoying and I ended up giving him all of my own projects: stairs, rake walls. finish. That shut him up. Thanks for reading!
Haha, great if it works out like that. A lot of times I have to choose smaller, detail jobs, that I can pull out of if I need to go put out a fire somewhere. 🤣
I tried to save up low-supervision jobs for them, so when i needed to focus for a day or two, I could get them off my back.
(Somehow the rest of my comment got lost, when I posted my own early leadership experience.)
This is such a great piece of writing, and captures so much leadership wisdom in one place that I'm going to use it in developing my own team. I've written a couple of hundred posts that could all be distilled in this one. Bravo!
Sorry, Tony, I didn’t catch that part of your comment, though I do know this is your interest. Thank you very much for the high praise. There was never much of a crisis moment for me in telling others what to do. Having so recently been a rookie myself, I think I had a pretty clear idea of how I myself would want to be treated. Thanks again!
I’m enjoying this series. I recently retired after 34 years in the business and four in the Marine Corps and something you said in an earlier chapter really rang true how men …especially in that industry…were just men and didn’t really think about masculinity or all that went with it and now there’s YouTube channels dedicated to teaching people how to be men. Pretty strange phenomenon
Absolutely. None of the men I knew felt like they had to think about what it meant to be a man. They would have been embarrassed. Men can be vastly different from each other and all be men. No need to think about it. Better not to think about it. Thanks very much for reading!
I've been self-employed for 25 years now and I've never really had a boss other than my father growing up, but I would have enjoyed working under you. Thanks for the stories.
Loved read this and your other essays; I worked in home construction years back - mostly kits in containers, and so much of what you wrote rings true. Thank you for your efforts.
Thank you for reading!
https://open.substack.com/pub/tonymartyr/p/the-kindness-of-strangers?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2jswp
This is insightful, fine writing!
"It was my opinion that human beings felt their freedom keenly, that authority does not often know its own weight, that the work was hard enough."
"I learned most men were not only fine with being told what to do, if done considerately, but they were often relieved to be shed of the burden of figuring it out for themselves."
I really enjoyed that. Thanks
Most of all, I like your comment that if you assign a man to do a job he’s not able to do, that’s your mistake not his. Also, if you need to point out a mistake do it in private. Simple but critical points.
Thanks for reading.
This is a fantastic description of leadership - all great point but the #1 is to remove slackers quickly to demonstrate that you have the expectation of diligence and team work. I am in IT and I have the same philosophy to building high performing teams.
I think your summary is correct. A slacker demoralizes everyone, and a housebuilding crew lives and dies on the spark of its own energy. Momentum for the sake of momentum drives a good crew. It’s not just efficient-—it’s more fun. Sure, sometimes you just have to dig in, but you do it jonesing for the next high.
Very wise words on leadership! I was going to say that I wonder how many in construction were ready and/or sure of themselves when a promotion came, but then I see another commenter here was.
One thing I learned for those moments when the entire crew was standing around looking at me was to get them going in the direction that seemed to make the most sense. Oftentimes, even if it was the wrong direction, it revealed the proper direction which became clear to everyone. Inaction in these moments was just not tolerable.
Thanks John! I think you’re right: a mistake executed with self-confidence invariably led to the correct course of action. I miss those days and I bet sometimes you do as well.
I miss the guys and sometimes have nightmares about the work.
There is some very good advice about being a foreman. My foreman days started when I was 24 years old. No training, I was just handed the plans and a "here you go." But I wanted the promotion and it was a good thing I paid attention. My philosophy is similar to yours. Lead by example and know what you're doing.
I always resent having to let people go if I did not hire them. I work for big contractors with many jobs going on at the same time. So there is a superintendent that is my boss. My very first "super" was a little man with the aura of authority. He did a wise thing, on payday he would personally hand everyone their check. That way everyone knew who was boss. Today my boss just hands me everyone's checks. We'll, Lunch is over. Back to work. Take care.
“My very first "super" was a little man with the aura of authority. He did a wise thing, on payday he would personally hand everyone their check.”
I love that. Very smart. Thank you, David. “Lead by example and know what you’re doing.” After that, it was pretty much effortless, and you’re humbled by the uncomplaining willingness of a man to do what you ask of him.
Absolutely wonderful writing!
My goodness! Thank you so very much for reading!