A stormy Halloween night...

Not so long ago, at a local school, the Premises team gathered to celebrate the successful completion of a project with a work party. The pupils were on half-term and due back in less than a week, and the project had been completed on time and within budget with no major headaches. As it was Halloween, the team went out decorating with pumpkins and scary props, and some of them also had fun with costumes and fake blood. But despite the celebrations, a sense of anxiety lingered, there was an underlying tension.

This year, a new manager, Alec, pushed them hard to complete the project before the pupils returned and kept the Head Teacher happy. Alec was smart, friendly, and had all the qualifications, but he was clearly feeling tense and anxious despite the project's success.

Since joining the school, Alec often hesitated when giving directions and instructions and increasingly avoided difficult conversations with the team.

Alec lacked confidence in himself and his role, and the team could sense it.

As the party wore on, the team started sharing ghost stories, and when it was Alec's turn, they nervously laughed and tried to brush it off. But one of the team members, seeing this as an opportunity, playfully suggested, "Come on, Alec! Tell us about the scariest thing you've ever faced as a manager!"

After an awkward pause, Alec took a deep breath. "Well... I guess it's this fear that if I get something wrong, the team or the bosses will lose faith in me."

He looked around the team and said, "I worry that I'm not doing the right thing or giving you enough clarity on what we need to do, and I think it's affecting everyone."

At that moment, a knock on the door startled everyone. The entire team froze, looking around in fright until Alec, taking a breath, went to the door, opened it, and revealed… the pizza delivery person. Everyone laughed, and Alec felt a little surge of courage.

With renewed confidence, Alec said, "I realise I've been like that all along, letting small fears hold me back. But I'm going to work on it—starting now."

This was an honest share from their new manager and different from what the team expected. As the party started to wind down, they all assigned tasks for wrapping up the event, each with clear instructions.

As the school returned to a hive of activity, with the pupils working hard, the team noticed a change of approach from Alec. His change of tone and the certainty in his instructions and conversations really aided them with clarity, making for a more secure team. Alec was stepping up, and the lingering anxieties previously felt faded like ghosts at dawn.

From that Halloween celebration and honest share from Alec, there were no tricks; it was just the treat of Alec becoming a more confident and assured manager. ??

What can you learn from Alec?

#management #confidence #buildingtrust #halloween