I can remember a time when I was a supervisor of an event team at a conference. We were hired as ushers, managed booths, and we practically oozed hospitality and professionalism and were all around the total package. We were scheduled for a 14-hour day, which was common in the event industry.
The event went smoothly as usual, and I prided myself at being a flexible and hilarious supervisor. The event employees could stand working with me and sometimes that’s all you need. The mistake that I made happened when the client shortened our shift saying that we were only needed for 10 hours instead of 14. This small administrative detail led to my demise as a well loved leader.
The event staff workers exclaimed that they had booked the time to be there for the 14 hours, so shouldn’t they be compensated for the time they had reserved for this job? That made sense to me. Having worked enough shifts to earn the title of “Shift Work President,” I knew the lifestyle. I understood that people who work shifts depend on the hours agreed upon.
It was part of my responsibility to get the timesheets signed at the end of the event. I nervously clasped the timesheets in my hands and, both sheepishly and somewhat bravely, approached the event contact. With the entire team watching from distance, I asked her if it was okay if I claim the full 14hours for the staff? She said yes, and I reported back to my team.
We haven’t quite arrived to the part yet where I reached my ultimate doom, but we’re getting closer… A week goes by, and the staff gets paid for the event.. but wait .. they only get paid for the 10 hours that they worked. They don’t get paid for the 14 hours that the client had agreed to… and this is where I prepare to meet my doom…
The event staff revolted and start complaining to my boss with such vigour that my boss has to call me to explain what has happened. The staff is insisting that “Jessica said we’d get paid for the full 14 hours!” “ Jessica said, Jessica said”. I explained that the staff had all made themselves available and cleared their schedules for the 14hours and that the client signed off on it. My boss’s disappointed tone had triggered feelings of guilt inside of me. I thought I must be the worst supervisor ever! How could I have done something so unethical? I felt so much guilt and shame that I couldn’t face my boss after that.
I also couldn’t confront the event staff because they believed that they would be paid fully for the event. And this is where things became difficult for me. I couldn’t persist. I lacked the resolve to choose a side and stick to my beliefs. I just shrank into nothing. I decided that it was time to move on and quickly found another job. I transferred out of my supervisory role, never to show my face again. Clearly I had no spine and running away felt like the honourable path.
I’m not entirely sure where this leaves me. This story that I’ve just shared paints a different picture of the type of leader I am, in contrast to the “What’s Your Leadership Style” quiz I did just now. My highest score on the quiz indicated that I have a dominant pacesetter leadership style. So, by the quiz, I’m a callous pacesetter who ignores feelings. However, looking at this real-life example, I can see that I really do take others into account when making decisions. Sure, I might not be good at spotting my own colossal mistakes, but In retrospect I can give myself Kudos for advocating for the workers. I gave it a shot. I got the details in writing. And I understand that my boss who I really loved had to say what she did. I guess I couldn’t face the fact that I had made a mistake or that I had caused tension or that something was unclear to me. This real-world experience taught me that clarity is key. If you want to avoid spiralling into your own guilt like a pathetic balloon that just deflates, always clarify and communicate as much as possible so that you don’t just end up shrinking away in your own feelings.
Therefore, if I rely on the quiz, I’m a pacesetter who doesn’t consider others’ feelings and only cares about deadlines, but if I reflect on the real-world example, I can see that I do advocate for others and do listen to them.
I guess that means I can pick between styles when called upon. What I hope for most, however, is to strengthen my ability to communicate clearly, with hope and conviction and to remain confident to stick to my point of view.