Boss #4 You'll Meet in Heaven: Team-Building Todd

In December 1988, I transferred to my second duty station at Naval Hospital Long Beach in Southern California. I was in great shape both physically and professionally. The previous two years working with “Generous” Greg Nelson got me to a very good place and as a wonderful parting gift, I found out I had been selected for promotion to E-5. Long Beach was near my hometown of Santa Ana and we would be stationed near family and friends. I wasn’t sure what my job would be in the dental department but was excited just to be home and near the local college so I could continue my preparations for dental school.

Things did not go as well as planned. I ended up working as an oral surgery assistant to a Navy captain who was a tyrant in the operating room. His name was Joe Anderson. If something didn’t go right during one of our marathon, 7-hour orthognathic surgery cases, Captain Anderson would yell and scream and throw instruments. I hated the stress and often was sick to my stomach the night before O.R. cases. Things were not going well at home either between the stressful job and spending four nights a week in school as well as every other weekend.

Mercifully, Captain Anderson retired, and his replacement was very different. His name was LCDR Todd Graef.

Dr. Graef was the opposite of Captain Anderson in every way. He gave us better training and more opportunities to give input during those long O.R. cases. He purchased modern equipment and made us part of a functioning team. Wednesday O.R. days became something to look forward to, from operating with music in the background (2 Live Crewand AC/DC) to relying on us to become a partner in the surgical cases. We thought and operated like one efficient person. He trained us well enough that if he dropped dead in the O.R., I believe we could close the case without him.

Outside of the O.R., he was a great boss too. Todd had an antique 50lb dumbbell in his office and would often challenge us to a one-armed press contest. He was professional, yet unconventional and each day was something to look forward to rather than dread. He got rid of people who were grounded in the old ways and had a nickname for everyone we dealt with around the hospital that gave us almost our own language to communicate with (Humpty, HOTBOP, Steiney, The Hool, etc.) It was the first winning team I’d ever been on and it was due to his leadership. It was a great way to wrap up the years I did in patient care.

We often talk about winning teams, but as The Boss, are you building your own winning team? Here are some suggestions if you want to do it.

1. Build the individuals first. Find the strengths and weaknesses of everyone and learn to work within and around them
2. Show everyone respect.  There are times to crack the whip, but it should never be done in a demeaning way in front of others.
3. Train your team. Working well together doesn’t happen automatically. Be sure to leverage the strengths of each member and put them in roles that complements those strengths.

A great boss not only builds individuals, but also their ability to work together. How are building your team this week?