The effect leaders caused by treating me as a “package”

I am approaching a key milestone of working at a package delivery company for nearly a complete decade. During that time, I must have seen millions, perhaps even billions of parcels. Typically, we deliver 22 million parcels a day. Throughout my life I have worked at a lot of different organizations, and there were times at some of these organizations where I felt that my leaders, or better said, my bosses treated me as if I was just like a parcel and on some occasions even less than that, like in every other organization. Nevertheless, they all have taught me a thing or two about leadership. Sometimes they have shown me the type of leader that I wished to become and on other occasions the type of leader I didn’t wish to become. What I’d like to give some consideration too, is why did some of my leaders give me the feeling that they valued the packages of our customers, much more than they valued me? Indeed, are there any constructive lessons that I can learn from this whole experience? To understand my feelings further, I’d first like to explore and explain the due process of packages going through the system of a package delivery company. 

Parcels come in all different kind of shapes, sizes, weights, colors and materials, with all different values and contents. Sometimes they consist of dangerous goods. But one of the things that these packages have in common is the fact that we have to handle all those parcels in a very careful manner. Parcels are transported from one location to another in a safe, effective and productive way to meet the customer demands. Meeting exacting customer demands by raising the bar of our performance helps an organization to grow and to be more profitable. But in order to do so, there are some key elements we need to consider. The journey for any parcel begins with the selection of the right type of packaging, which is dependent upon the specific contents. We cannot choose to save costs by choosing an inferior type of packaging. If we want to get the job done in a safe, effective and productive way, we must get the right type of packaging for the job. For example, when transporting dangerous goods, the packaging must meet regulation standards determined by legal practices. In the end, we want the contents of each package to reach its destination in the same condition, as it left from its journey origin.

Before a parcel enters into the network of a package delivery company, it is imperative that it’s labeled with its exact destination. Each parcel will need an initial check before entering the network. Everyone who handles a package will need to know its destination. Also other factors have to be considered, including the condition of the package, plus the weight and also the distribution of the weight, plus if it is moveable. By completing these simple actions, packages can be guided in a safe, effective and productive way towards the right destination.

Whenever a label of a parcel in a network gets damaged, lost, or is missing or containing wrong information, we will endeavor to recover the necessary information from the customer as soon as practically possible. The sooner we get the necessary information, the sooner the package can continue its journey to its destination, hopefully without delay.

Organizations spends billions of dollars in research and development, technology, equipment, systems and training, with the one sole objective to augment the transportation of these packages in a safer, more effective and more productive way. Everyone who handles these packages should be trained accordingly multiple times a year in various methodologies as to how to handle these packages safely, effectively and productively.

At most package delivery companies, packages are scanned by everybody handling the package. No matter if ‘handle with care’ is printed on the package, all packages will have to be handled with care. They shouldn’t be thrown in our trucks and containers, but being placed with care in an attempt to build the perfect package walls. We should load these packages in containers in such a way to prevent packages from falling. Further, we should try to use all available space and don’t leave unused empty spaces. So sometimes it is like playing real life Tetris. Every package in this “wall” has to be placed appropriately in the right position, building perfect package walls. For example, we don’t load heavy packages on top and further, dangerous goods are loaded on the bottom. A good package wall starts with a good corner stone. It should always be built on a solid foundation and stands firm and immovable to prevent it from falling throughout its journey.   

When each parcel has been handled and scanned, we can determine its exact location at any time by tracking & tracing, thus determine its progress towards its destination.

Everyone who handles packages should be held accountable for each parcel. Every package should be treated carefully, for instance we should not be throwing the packages of our customers around. But whenever anything under our supervision does go wrong with a package, or it gets damaged, there are missing scans, or went to the wrong location, or even arrived at its destination too late, we should have to do an investigation to determine the root cause of the error. On each and every occasion, the root cause will teach us where and how to improve our operations. We should be held responsible and accountable. Subsequently the right type of action will have to be taken to regularly evaluate and if necessary, adjust the modus operandi until the root cause is identified and resolved.

Now that I have generally explained the journey of a package through the system of a regular package delivery company, I would like to share the positive and constructive twist I gave to the fact that sometimes I felt treated like a package instead of a peer and human being with feelings. 

Like the packages that are being handled every day by all different kinds of package delivery companies, all their employees come in all different kind of shapes, sizes, weights, colors, etc. Everybody is unique with his own ethnic background, educational background, experience, gender, orientation, religion, talents, capabilities etc. It is our responsibility to foster an environment of diversity and inclusion. Everybody can be of great value, but like the most suitable type of packaging, which depends on the contents to be sent, we have to select the appropriate or correct employee for each and every job. By choosing the right type of packaging we take the first important step to get the content on its destination and in the condition we desire. In a like manner, when we determine the right employee for each task - in order to get the job done correctly - we also take the necessary first step to control the desired condition or results we want to receive. Failing to do so is also failing our employees and potentially “damaging” them and the tasks we assigned to them to complete. It is of the utmost importance that we know our employees well enough so we can determine the best suitable role they can fulfill. Knowing their capabilities, limitations and potential will place us in a position where we as leaders can give them appropriate assignments, “handle” them in the best possible manner and help them reach their full potential. This way we increase the value of our employees, increase the value of our relationship with our employees and add value to our organization.

After the right type of packaging has been selected and is filled with its content, we then take the second step, which is to formulate the destination with all its necessary information on the shipping label and select the best route to its destination. Similarly, to maximize potential of our employees, we will have to determine their “destination” and the best route or journey available for each of them to reach their destination safe, effectively and productively. It starts by providing them with the necessary information through adequate training, equipment and building capability and confidence. We invest in our employees one by one, by considering the channels they travel, the technology and in addition the equipment they will need for a safer, more effective and productive journey to reach their full potential.

Every package is scanned in order to be able to track & trace it and adjust its route when errors occur. Likewise, we give the right attention to our employees in order to track & trace their progress periodically, providing them with guidance and coaching as required. The investment in our employees is a step leaders will take to improve performance. But that’s not all, in addition leaders also have a great influence on the return on investment. Leaders must be held accountable for employees and their development. In case of any error, delay or damage occurring, it’s a leader’s responsibility to investigate and find the root cause, to be able to take the appropriate type of corrective action.

I have also tried to be grateful for the leaders I have had who treated their employees like they were packages. It is their attitude and my positivity that placed me in a position to approach it constructively and create a whole other perspective. I understand that ‘in our business, focus is always on the box (package, of course), but what really brings value is our thinking outside of the box’ (Fiona Govan, Vice President Client Relations, Shipco Transport).

Although I’m fulfilling a role as a leader, I am also “just” an employee, just like the employees I am responsible for. No matter our position within an organization, in the end we all are just employees, serving different roles with our personal differences. We all have our own ideas and opinions, talents, responsibilities, knowledge, experience and capabilities. But all together we can create an environment where we as a whole can excel. As leaders we will have to take the initiative to create a culture of solidarity, instead of self-interest and lead by example.

No matter the fact that I’m “just” a package, I do really want to become a great leader as the “package” I am. This is honestly not because of the results I might receive, but because my employees deserve a good leader. I truly believe that a good leader would consider himself also as a “package”. A good leader doesn’t boss around ‘throwing’ them around, but will handle them with care. A good leader serves himself as a good cornerstone for his employees. Placing themselves at the bottom of the package wall and keeping their employees up with the right support to keeping them safe, preventing them from falling and accompanying them throughout their journey towards their full potential. Placing ourselves above our employees with our functional weight, will do more harm than good to our employees. Leaders should not exercise power over their employees, but should empower them. In the end, we all have our own position and role in our teams and only together with our employees we are able stand stronger and accomplish greater things.