Give a Damn

Caring for your company or organization can mean a world of difference

All it take is for everyone to just give a damn. I see essentially two types of leaders: those who give a damn, and those who do not.

Let’s start with the “do-nots”. A leader…no, let’s use the term “boss” because leaders give a damn. Bosses who don’t care only see what’s in it for themselves. They focus on short-term, personal benefits and not on the organization as a whole. Recall a few years ago some “boss” claimed he was self-made, he got where he was on his own with no one’s help? His “me” focus discounted his family, his teachers, the bank that approved a loan on his house, car and maybe even his business. He’s the type guy who would allow his employees to be put in harm’s way because being safe costs too much.

Locally, there’s a construction project run by a boss. I’ve seen workers 30, 40 feet up on top of walls without fall protection. Falling is an obvious issue. Dying due to a fall from those heights is almost a given. Yet, the project manager, the boss, allows it to happen. Being safe takes too much time; training takes too much effort; equipping workers with safety equipment takes too much money. Money that’s better used to contribute to his (or her) bottom line, his profit, his truck payment, his swimming pool. Bosses (Think Snidley Whiplash – are you old enough to know him?) are basically…evil. That deserves an example….

Hanging trusses. No fall protection. No hardhats. No one giving a damn.

Roofers up in the air. Again - still - no safety concerns, no one giving a damn about everyone going home at day’s end.

Several years ago a boss of a steel erection company (that’s the folks who build the frames for buildings like condos and hospitals, for example) called me on a Wednesday asking for fall protection training ASAP, Monday if at all possible. I couldn’t accommodate him but offered to find another resource for him who could. “Why the rush?” I asked. Pregnant pause…. “We had a guy fall and die last week.” So, he was fine knowing that his employees were taking unnecessary risks until it was too late. Shame on him.

Leaders who care, who give a damn take action. (I envision “caring” as a lovey-dovey concern we all benefit from but “giving a damn” is a more assertive term, a verb, something one does. Caring makes one feel good (Thanks, Mom); giving a damn keeps them alive.)

Now, there are many leaders who are ignorant of what’s needed, one doesn’t know what one doesn’t know, so to speak. I get that. I’ve seen it in my classes over the years, that look on a student’s face that belies surprise, that “really?” epiphany. I live for that.

So, what do leaders do? They analyze the job, they ask questions, they look for help even when they “know” they don’t need it (back to that not knowing thing).

A leader will see, will recognize, that a process could cause harm and will take action to either ensure precautions are taken or seek out help to determine the best course of action. At the very least a leader will ask for help from a professional who can provide guidance. Realistically, if you’re in charge, wouldn’t you be expected to understand what’s going on? I should think so.

Okay, now I’ll cut this short but provide an example of a leader.

The solid waste manager of a local city contacted me to evaluate the operation of a piece of machinery to ensure his crew was taking the right steps to ensure their safety. Had they had an accident? No.  Did they follow the manufacturer’s directions and adhere to its precautions? Yes. But still, he wanted an outside consultant to evaluate their operation to make sure they were safe.

Now, that’s leader. He gives a damn.