Crew Leadership

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Crew Leadership

The numerous responsibilities befalling any leader are often unique to each situation. No one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. Sometimes, the best one can accomplish is to have tried and failed. No amount of training or experience can fully prepare anyone for the demands of leadership, but there are general guidelines...

Rise to the occasion!

1. SAFETY is the PRIMARY CONCERN!!!

YOU have to exercise what the law calls "due regard" for your crew's wellbeing otherwise, you could be guilty of criminal negligence.

This cannot be stressed enough as the hazards inherent to the practice of field research are numerous. Your workers are probably less experienced than you and may need a great deal of guidance on a number of issues. Their safety may well rest entirely on your expertise -- hence this web site.

2. Maintain your

Situation Awareness.

Situation Awareness (S.A.) is not only directly related to safety, it also has great bearing on your ability to lead with efficacy and accomplish your intended tasks. Warfare has proven time and again that the group with the best S.A. wins the battle.

A leader must be on top of things and that means you have to be well organized and aware of not only the big picture, but how the project’s details are being implemented. Be careful that you don't micro manage. Take an interest in what your crew is doing, but do not infringe on their responsibilities or accidentally imply that you feel they are incompetent.

Good leaders are always accessible because they're aware that they can't have total S.A. if they're not in communication with their crew. That means you have to make yourself accessible by either radio, hand signals, or some other form of communication.

You can leave a legacy of excellence...	3. Lead by example.	...or you can leave the world in ruins.
Sir Ernest Shackleton	You're a leader, not a dictator so don't expect your workers to do something you wouldn't. You must work harder and longer than everyone else. Inspire your crew and they will go to great lengths to satisfy the requirements of the task and often exceed your expectations. This rule is NOT to be broken.	Adolph Hitler

Sir Ernest Shackleton is one of the greatest expedition leaders the world has ever seen because he commanded the respect of his men and kept them ALL alive against some of the most impossible odds history has ever witnessed. To the contrary, Adolph Hitler was a tyrant who left half the world in ruins. He demanded the respect of his men and micromanaged an entire country into near oblivion.

The legacy you leave, whether good or bad, will be decided by those working for you. That's because people in any group are expert "boss watchers" and as they watch you lead they will be acutely aware of the following:

How you make and honor your commitments.
What you say in formal and especially informal settings.
What you express interest in.
Where you go and with whom you spend time.
How and when you take action.
Who you consult with.
Whether you welcome advice or other input.
How you organize your staff and physical surroundings.

People in

any group

are expert

"boss watchers"

4. Treat your crew VERY well.

Image -- Reuben Johnson at Kohunlich, Belize.

A day off and a field trip to Kohunlich, Belize.

Field work is taxing and they'll likely be working like slaves for you -- especially if they're volunteers. Ask yourself how you'd want to be treated, then pay them back by giving until it hurts; then give a little more. Special treats may include:

Providing excellent food while in the field.
A fancy dinner or two on the town.
A commemorative t-shirt or hat.
A bag containing a photo scale, grain size card, roll of orange tape, and other hard-to-come-by or useful items.
A special field trip to an area of interest.

Do several of the above treats all spread out over the trip. Use your imagination and the unique circumstances of your trip to make the entire experience fun.

Treating the crew to some fun helps develop and reinforce camaraderie.

5. Praise in public, correct in private.

Frequently and generously express your sincere appreciation to everyone on your crew and pay particular attention to accomplishment by rewarding it. Also, don't hesitate to speak highly about your troops to your boss and others too.

However, when problems need to be corrected (and they will), do so diplomatically and in the smallest group possible so as not to embarrass anyone. This is an opportunity to teach rather than scold or punish.

Dinner at a ranch house in Arizona. This was a real treat.

6. The crew comes FIRST.

Keep your primary focus on your people. As the leader, you don't eat until your ENTIRE crew has had the opportunity to eat. The same goes for water, shelter, toileting, safety, sleep, etc.

This rule is NOT to be broken.

7. Recognize your crew's needs, concerns, and skill limits.

Image -- Climber on a vertical rock face.

Climber on a vertical face in the Baraboo Hills of south central Wisconsin.

Hopefully you will have carefully assembled a qualified team prior to departing. Nonetheless, under certain circumstances, those working for you may have the legal right to refuse an assignment they feel is beyond their abilities or outside the realm of acceptable risk. If the job is an exceptionally hazardous one, consider using a liability release form.

On the lighter side, your crewmembers may not be well acquainted with each other at the beginning of the trip. In this case, consider using stick-on nametags in large groups.

8. Make your expectations clear.	Communicating well is frequently difficult and it's not uncommon to have to explain the same concept MANY times in a variety of ways to the same people. Be patient and expect things to take a few days before the crew is working up to its fullest potential.
Note too that this includes letting them know well in advance when and where they'll be working, what they'll be doing, what they should consider doing before departing, what gear to bring with them, etc. For example, let them know you expect them to bring and use sun screen.

9. You're the leader, so BE the leader.	NEVER try to please all the people all the time!!!
Democracy is a wonderful thing, but no one likes a chief who can't make a decision. As the leader, your crew WILL expect YOU to LEAD them. This means being decisive, so don't be afraid to make decisions on your own with confidence...
Have high expectations Set firm limits Make work assignments Decide the time table Direct activities Address problems quickly Manage disagreements	© 2001 Reuben Johnson Professor Phil Brown -- University of Wisconsin-Madison -- explains the day's activities at a morning meeting.
People are like dogs -- in the absence of true leadership, they'll follow anyone.
It's nice to be liked, but proper leadership creates a certain separation from one's peers. This comes from carrying responsibility that only you as the leader can carry. Consequently, being liked cannot be the controlling factor in your decisions. Rather, the purpose of your work must be the prime motivator, and as leader one of your jobs will be to cultivate enthusiasm and rally the troops behind your cause.

10. Keep an open mind.

surround yourself with people who are smarter than you

A strong leader is always seeking further development of his or her existing professional expertise. He or she will also be acutely aware of his or her own skills inventory and employ others whose skills exceed their own in specific areas.

The first thing you do after becoming President is surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are. Ideally, these people should foster a spirit of constructive discontent. That is, they’ll challenge you, and in the process, make the end result more robust. However, though you should seek out, welcome, and heed their advice, do not let constructive criticism stand as an unreasonable roadblock to progress.

11. Take full responsibility for your crew.	People will expect this of YOU.
It's a damn hard thing to do, but people will expect this of YOU. In the aftermath of a regrettable situation, no matter how bad things became, you'll always gain the respect of your peers and superiors by taking ownership of whatever went wrong. Remember -- unless all hands are to safety, the Captain goes down with the ship.

12. Be

consistent

and fair.

This is respectful to your staff as well as your personal integrity.

Practicing consistency and fairness often means you'll have to readily admit your own mistakes and sometimes make sacrifices yourself, but the respect you'll gain (or keep) will be worth it.

Being consistent includes showing strong commitment by your actions. A leader's time-worn demonstration of consistency is partly what creates a fully-aligned following.

In closing, consider the following...
We can’t always be in charge. Sometimes you may find yourself working under a less experienced or less qualified boss. That’s okay; part of being a good leader is knowing your place. Every good leader occasionally fills the role of trusted advisor, and in doing so, passes on the torch so that another may learn to light the way.
Leading a field crew is a wonderful opportunity to mentor and share your interests and know-how with untold numbers of willing volunteers. All you need to do is extend an offer.	© 2001 Reuben Johnson Field briefing in Belize.
Look to students (high school through college), friends, youth groups (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc.), or any other viable resource pool. The marriage of eager minds with a diversity of expertise may help shed new light on as yet unsolved problems. Besides, many hands make light work and you might even inspire a future scientist!