Lessons Learned. (From the ring to employee and leader) - Second Installment

Take Care of Your People (or Horse) First

Having grown up on a farm, I always had the chore of feeding the animals. Depending on the year, that ranged anywhere from 4 horses, a couple of cows, an assortment of chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, and peacocks, some rabbits and guinea pigs, oh, and some sheep, goats, and pigs. It could sometimes take awhile, especially when you add cleaning and filling water buckets to the mix. Did I mention it had to be done before dinner?

Horse shows were (and are) still the same way. My horse can’t fend for himself, so it’s up to me to make sure he has his water, food, and is cooled out and brushed before I leave him for the night. That means putting his needs before my own, and let me tell you, during summer shows, the first thing you want to do is get out of the layers of long-sleeves and pants/chaps you’re wearing and guzzle a gallon of water, but you always un-tack and thank your horse first. 

This lesson of putting others’ needs before your own transfers well to the work world. As a supervisor to an outstanding team, it’s my responsibility to put their needs first (a challenge I work to improve upon every day). That doesn’t just mean when we have food in the break room to let them eat first (they know better than to wait too long or else I’m jumping in line. My coworkers are well aware I’m a fatty at heart and not waiting too long before eating), but making sure they have the tools, training, and props they need to do their jobs and serve our students to the best of everyone’s ability. It’s offering to teach the late night or weekend sessions so they can go home or offering them the same sessions because they need to work a little extra or want to earn some comp time for vacation. It’s also making sure they have opportunities to grow and receive recognition for their efforts. 

For example, our graduate assistant has taken on our social media and while struggling with it at first, she is now on top of our social media game! She sets up timely posts to go out each week, creates new content, keeps everything within the marketing standards for the college (something I’m terrible at adhering to), and has really gained some new transferable skills she can take to her next position. My other staff members have really stepped up to the challenge of going virtual as well with ideas such as podcasts and creating recordings in IMovie for students to view on their own time. One is even taking on a new role as a First Year Experience instructor, offering a freshman course related to career development. They’ve stepped to the plate with a summer professional development series for our students who have had to put new jobs and internships on pause because of COVID. It’s through opportunities such as these that you can put your team first, grow their skills, and give them a chance to shine. 

In his book, Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For, William Gentry talks about “flipping your script.” Once you’re in a leadership role (whether taking care of employees or your equine partner), it’s not about “me” or “I” anymore - it’s about “you” and “we.” What you can do on your own no longer matters, but what you can do as a team does. For instance, it doesn’t matter if I know how to complete a pattern if I haven’t prepped my horse to run through the maneuvers as well. Just like it doesn’t matter if I know what goals I have for our department without sharing them with my team and making sure they have the resources and know-how to help us meet them. Again, it’s not about your skills or abilities anymore, it’s about training others to have the skills, knowledge, and abilities now to win the blue or meet divisional goals. So take a moment to thank your horse and your team and brainstorm ways you can help them to improve, be better, and enjoy their work.