Bird-Dogging Process

Humility, Part 4 by Doc McIntyre

No self-respecting Type A person wants improvements to happen slowly.? ASAP is the goal, and Right Now! is even better.

But… and here’s the part Type A’s are going to hate… big improvements take time.? To come up with the plan, to get the pieces together, and to struggle for a little while.

Your sheer force of will is not going to make the process faster and will probably make the process more painful.

So, buckle up for the long haul, and work your plan.

“The key to everything is patience.

You get the chicken by hatching the egg,

not by smashing it.”? -Arnold Glasow

Thanks to my friend Ray for sharing this quote.

Bird-Dogging Process: Why It’s Not Effective in the Long-Run

Bird-dogging might feel productive, but it’s just a Band-Aid. It doesn’t tackle root issues, nor does it foster sustained success. It builds dependency and is very frustrating for your employees. This isn’t the GSD way. If we want to Get Sh!t Done well, we need empowered teams who understand the process and can confidently handle issues as they arise.

True process improvement starts with clarity. A well-defined goal and objective that explains: “What are we trying to do?? Why does it matter?”. It’s not about controlling every step; it’s about giving teams a clear objective so they can handle challenges independently. This builds your team and enables them to operate with confidence and solve problems without waiting for a supervisor to intervene.

Your job as a leader is to help your team see “What needs to be done, and why it matters.”? Then, you need to get out of their way to figure out HOW to do it while you remain interested, involved and empowering…not lurking over them like some over-protective parent.?

Before you go too far about working in the weeds and micro-managing, spend some time in the mirror to ensure that you’ve done an effective job at explaining the mission.

Love these leadership nuggets? If so, check out Doc's book, Shipload of Leadership Nuggets, here!