The 3 T’s- Tools, Train, and Trust

Years ago I was fortunate enough to be a part of a great crew aboard the best Submarine ever, the USS PARCHE.  As stories of our crew were often embellished, it was true that we had some of the finest Submariners ever.  With that being said, we also had bright young men, who maybe only six months before were working on their family farm in Iowa, probably having never been outside their county limits.  Now, they find themselves on a multibillion dollar platform whose complexity rivals that of the space shuttle.  These young men were the drivers of the boat.  We performed some of the most intense and arduous operations ever, where their precise driving skills were put to test every day.  How did they learn to drive a submarine in the toughest of conditions, with crew-members lives at stake, without failure?  I mean, they had only been attached to a submarine for maybe three months. 

Tools:  First thing a good leader does is providing their people with the right tools to perform their job.  These could be actual tools such as a hammer, or they could be offering references to learn or knowledge they will gain.  In this particular scenario, we gave them books to gain knowledge.

Train:  After providing the ‘Tools’ to perform their duties, we then should train our people.  Training through repetition is one method so employees can tie their gained knowledge to a specific skill set.  Training can performed in many ways—and should be.  Not everyone learns the same way.  Some learn requiring physically performing a duty, while others are observers first.  You must adapt your training to the individual to achieve the best outcome.  Come up with a training plan, so that way the trainee can get the most out of the training, without delays as you train “on the fly”.  Training should include drills where the individual performs the task without interruption while you, or someone designated, is observing.  When the drill or practical is complete, sit down with the individual and critique their performance.  You must remember that at first you are training fundamentals, so ensure you support your criticism with facts, such as “in accordance with this procedure, paragraph, …” This gives them a reference to fall back on.  After some time, come back to another drill and then your criticism can include such things as “I have done it this way, and it has worked better; or, have you thought about taking this approach…” You can provide some subjective feedback to hone their newly developed skills.

Trust:  This is by far the most important lesson I have ever learned.  Trust your people to do their job.  This goes a long way with your relationship with this person and their ultimate success.  I have discovered that 99% of us do not want to fail on purpose.  We especially try not to purposely fail our bosses.  If you show trust, then any failures your people make are probably the outcome of a failed process, not a failure caused by a malicious person.  Also by showing trust, you will find your people feeling empowered in their job, happier in their job, and they will surpass your expectations.  It is amazing to watch how hard they will work for you when you show trust.

Ultimately, through providing tools, giving proper training to the individual, and showing trust, you will have a workforce of young men and women who will get the job done right, usually the first time.  This will increase productivity and efficiency of any group you work with.  Trust me.