December 1st fell on a Friday this year, so, technically, when this blog hits, we will be ending the second week of December, yet thankfully, the first full week. For those of us that celebrate Christmas on the 25^th, we have four full weekends in December this year to enjoy the holiday preparation and events before the celebration of the birth of our risen, living Savior, Jesus Christ.

While decorating our tree this past weekend in our traditional nautical theme, with ornaments gifted to us by loved ones over the years and those we have collected in our family travels, I unwrapped the seagull with the Santa hat ornament. I am not sure who picked the seagull ornament out, but it brought a chuckle inside of me as it made me think of the first time I heard the term “seagull management” and how hard I laughed at that term. When I share it with others today, it brings some humor to a not-so-funny topic when not addressed.

If you have not heard the term “seagull management”, it refers to a person who flies into the office, jobsite, whatever situation, craps all over the situation, and flies out. All of us who own companies, manage teams, and like action, detail, and results can be accused of seagull management at times. In my case, the accusation assumes reality when something appears to need fixing, and results aren’t happening fast enough for me. It turns into seagull management when my alignment or directive takes place without knowing all the facts first or understanding that my timing just happened to be “spot on” to allude to something “happening or not happening” that was actually just fine (instead of slowing down and inquiring whether what I was seeing was essentially happening or not).

Wisdom and Restraint in Construction Management Commentary

Do you admit that you might, at times, be guilty of seagull management? Do you want to join me in making it happen less often? Here’s how:

First, remember, you see what you are looking for. If you suspect or hear secondhand that something is occurring or not occurring, then acting on it without inquiring first as to the validity and the why behind the situation directly from those on the front lines, you may exasperate instead of alleviate the situation and be fairly accused of seagull management if you give a directive that makes things worse, especially relationally.

Use Your Organizational Chart Effectively

Work your organizational chart and empower and guide your direct reports. You hired them to do a job, deliver your vision, and get others to deliver the mission. In construction, that is typically a project or projects meeting contractual and relational obligations. Other managers may communicate differently than you do, especially when it comes to motivating the players who need to complete the tasks to deliver the mission. This doesn’t mean you can’t direct whomever you wish within the organization, especially if you are the owner of the company. It does mean that you stay in alignment with your direct reports, communicating your expectations and understanding theirs.

Moving from Seagull to Eagle Leadership in Construction

Impart wisdom and restraint with commentary. Often, instead of inquiring to understand, we tend to direct and correct with our words, yet do so on the fly or from afar. When we do so, the directives can be strewn and do not give others a chance to respond favorably or adversely. Intentionally directing mandates allows those on the receiving end the opportunity to acknowledge they have received the message loud and clear, provides an opportunity for questions, empowers them to take ownership, and moves you from Seagull to Eagle—able to soar in the confidence that they are on it!

Seagulls eat fish, insects, reptiles, rodents, and other types of food. They are omnivorous creatures, which means they take or use whatever is available. Birds, including the seagull, don’t have the same kind of muscled sphincter that we do as humans, which is meant to control when we choose to crap, although they do still have some muscles around their cloaca, which is their everything hole—eggs and excrement all come from the same place, dropping with little or no control. Just sheer luck if you happen to be in their way. Some of these behaviors can accompany seagull management.

Benjamin Franklin’s Advice in Construction Workplace Leadership

Benjamin Franklin said: “Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.”

Coach your leaders in the construction management workplace, who are adults, to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you will do much to eliminate the crap flying in the workplace.

To a good laugh in the future when you hear “seagull management” and to feeling great as you know it’s not referring to you!

To Eliminating Crap in the Workplace,

Suzanne Breistol