If They Took Off My Leash, I Would Run Away...Phyllis

“This is a very exciting time for our industry. If you are just here for a paycheck, then you might as well walk out the door right now.”
Our boss was giving us our monthly pep talk.

He was serious. It probably is a very exciting time for him. The industry is changing and growing. He and his peers move around freely, discussing policy, procedures, innovation, implementation. They work hard, they act and move. They are responsible for results and they need their freedom to fully develop their ideas. …They put policies and procedures in place.

The rest of us carry around little timers on our breaks and lunches. There is a weekly report that shows up red if you are one minute late getting back to your desk. If you are ten seconds late, it shows up yellow. Sorry sir, but this is not exciting or fun. Our production is monitored electronically, and so every move we make, everything we do is watched and recorded.

This is a boon for supervisors and managers. They don’t have to lead or motivate. They can pay lip service to leadership and motivation. But just in case they fail, they have reports to keep people in line with. “I want you to be free and independent, but I’m going to put this leash on you so you don’t go too far. Still, I want you to think big, have big ideas, and keep your eye on your timer, too. Do exactly what I tell you to do. Think outside the box, but don’t go outside the box.”

Like dropping a baby into a pool…he’ll either sink or swim. But sinking is out of the question. Sinking is not an option. So I’m going to put this floatie vest on you. You can’t sink. You also can’t dive or swim or go very far. But you can float and I can pull you around.

To be fair, I need a leash at work. I could easily spend my ten-hour shift reading and drawing pictures, discussing current events, playing practical jokes, planning my garden for next year, surfing the internet…if they took off my leash, I would run away.