Never Delegate Understanding
I’m on a plane home from an inspiring three days of executive meetings for North Highland. It is an event I look forward to each year and find both inspiring and energizing.
As I was in an Uber to ATL from the hotel where the event was held my phone rang. It was the other half of my life checking in. It was about an ambulance call, and it was one of the three Lieutenants for Weston Volunteer EMS. Two years into my tenure as Chief I’ve learned that when she calls on a Saturday afternoon I better answer.
I had a sense about why she was calling me, as my iPhone has a tool which keeps me appraised of all ambulance calls we respond to as a department.
The Lieutenant calling happened to be our Training Officer, but that wasn’t the source of her call. The issue was not one of training, but tragedy. In fact, as she detailed our response, and I reviewed the digital patient care report from my iPhone, I could tell that the Weston public safety apparatus, from the 911 dispatcher, to the Deputy Chief of Fire who responded to the scene first, to the police officers, EMS members, and Paramedic fly car, all did their jobs with the expectational professionalism and precision I expect, and in fact demand, of them.
With all that, the patient died.
Then I did something I try to avoid for many reasons, not the least of which is what was about to happen; I looked at the patient name. I know the family. I knew the patient. This is the proximal risk and oftentimes and great reward of community EMS. At Weston Volunteer EMS we are neighbors helping neighbors. That is our stated mission.
I was struck dumb. I silently prayed for a moment. יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא
I told my Lieutenant I knew the family. She was silent. We’ve both been there. We understand.
Two weeks ago we had similarly extreme ambulance call which was stressful to the crew and to me as the Chief. As in today’s instance, the crew did their job with precision and professionalism and the outcome was then opposite. The patient was revived.
Fate and medicine are fickle things.
Back to my executive meetings for a moment, and the whole topic I'd intended to write about.
What inspired me most about the last three days was a series of statements by three of the topmost executives at North Highland. Charles Vivian, the Managing Director overseeing the vast majority of clients I support gave a synopsis of a larger message he had given at a client event in September. He has a unique ability to explain and inspire that I enjoy, and frankly envy. Our leaders had digressed a little, and Charles brought us back quickly and concisely by elevating our understanding returning us to our purpose. He demands understanding of his peer and subordinate leaders. Earlier in the week, Alex Bombeck, a decades long mentor and friend, the President of North Highland and another Managing Director, opened the session with a deeply personal story about the career and journey that led him to North Highland, his optimism, his rationale for decisions, and approach to purpose. Like Charles, Alex requires understanding of his peers and subordinates. The closing speaker for the event was our CEO, Dan Reardon. If Charles is a comfortably fast and loose speaker, and Alex a curated and thoughtful presenter, Dan is self-effacing, measured, and detailed. He, most of all, expects we, as subordinate leaders, understand his process, thinking, and how we as leaders will drive North Highland forward. He “gets it” but also makes sure we both “get it” and get how he got to “it.”
So, just before the fateful call about the aforementioned EMS response I was reflecting on leadership and the Eamesian Parables; specifically number 7 - Never Delegate Understanding. My plan was to write about the meetings this week and the parable, and my inspiration and energy. Obviously, this piece has morphed, but the point remains the same.
As a leader in a world-class professional services firm I am in a constant search for understanding. In my role as a servant-leader of my coachees within the organization I need to both understand their current role, and their future goals and aspirations so I can help them realize both their professional calling and client commitments. As a client service executive I need to deeply ingrain myself in the culture of my clients’ organizations and industries to enable their progress. I know and care about the people I work with and work for, and I pride myself on that.
As the Chief of Weston Volunteer EMS I also have to have a depth of understanding of my people, my peer public safety organizations, and the community we serve as an organization. In a town of less than 12,000 residents I have to accept and understand that I’m overtly responsible for the wellbeing of my friends and neighbors. I’ve laughed with them at their foibles (you were cutting a bagel with a machete?!), held their hands in moments of fear (the ambulance will be here momentarily), and explained to them that we are working as hard as we can on their loved one, are using both state of the art training and equipment to treat their family member, but that the situation is quite grave and that they need to understand that. They should get a neighbor to drive them to the hospital to meet the ambulance, as I don’t want them driving right now. I call that last bit “the talk.” It is a hard talk to have, but one imbued with understanding on multiple levels. First, you must understand the patient care situation and have a realistic view of the potential outcomes. Second, but you understand the humanity and depth of this event to a friend or family member of a critical patient. If you miss one or both you can not lead through that moment.
As part of my role as the ultimately responsible leader when it comes to quality, I read every patient care report for every emergency medical call we respond to. Every single success I celebrate. Each teachable moment is addressed by our Operations Committee, through a formal, repeatable, and measurable QA process and training. I feel pride and purpose as a member and leader of Weston Volunteer EMS. Every time I hear the crackle of my radio and the words “stand by Weston EMS” I understand that that moment matters and may be a pivotal moment in the life of that caller or patient. It may even be their last moment. It is no small burden, and to lead an organization where the stakes can truly be life or death is something I take more seriously than I can express. It has informed and expanded my perceptions of leadership and followship, and especially how to delegate.
Leaders must always delegate to be effective. I can no more go on every ambulance call as I can singularly respond to every client request from start to finish on my own. Effective sharing of responsibility and work, true delegation, comes from both vulnerability and trust. The vulnerability is the willingness to give it up. Leaders who insist on micromanaging or taking on everything themselves aren’t leading. They are just loudly declaring their lack of trust and ability to mentor and grow a team. Leaders must always delegate work. Often they delegate a lot more than they seem to do!
However, leaders must never delegate understanding.
Understanding is the Why, and I think Leadership is the translation of Why into Action.
I am the Chief of Weston Volunteer EMS. I have tied my identity to that role as much as any role I have had in my life. Thus, while it is possible to never look at the name on a patient care report, it would mean I’m not leading authentically from my heart, and being engaged on a human level with my team.
I’m told we are landing, so that’s all for tonight.
HR Executive | Strategic Workforce Planning | Future of Work | Analytics | Strategy, Planning & Operational Excellence
5yThought provoking... thank you for sharing... and thank you for all that you do to support your community!
Very well said Mike. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article.
Transformative CMO | Data-Driven Demand Gen Architect and Customer Champion | 2024 Gartner CMO of the Year Finalist | Chief Product Owner
6yReally powerful article Mike. Enjoyed spending some time together this week.