(Late again. I apologize. For whatever that's worth...)
This week's chapter is called "Minas Tirith." We return to the plight of Pippin, Gandalf, and all of Gondor. It is a lengthy chapter that covers several days. It begins before the Rohirrim even return to Edoras, and ends at the moment the "The Ride of the Rohirrim" ends. Our timeline is realigned.
Faramir returns from Ithilien, and he is shocked to see Pippin, another Halfling. He tells Denethor, his father and the Steward of Gondor, Gandalf, and Pippin about his encounter with Frodo and Sam. Gandalf is glad to have any news of them, though he despairs when he hears where Gollum is taking them. Denethor is disappointed Faramir did not take the Ring.
It becomes immediately clear that Denethor and Faramir have a strained relationship. Boromir is referred to often, and when Faramir asks if Denethor wishes Faramir had gone to Rivendell (And thus been part of the Fellowship, and thus died at Amon Hen), Denethor agrees with little emotion.
Before that, though, after Faramir has told his story, one of the first things he does is ask his father if he has done well. Denethor is surprised at the question, "Or do you ask for my judgment on all your deeds?... It is long since you turned from your own way to my counsel." That is to say, Faramir has recently been doing things his own way, and why is he only now asking approval?
As I have mentioned, I am working at a camp this summer. I am a supervisor. Earlier this week, I learned who my staff was. One of the first things I told them was that I see our unit as a skateboard, and my part as the oil. When is oil used on a skateboard? When the wheels are squeaky. Otherwise, the skateboard will go about its business. Skateboards do not need much oil, and if too much is used, it is liable to slip.
Perhaps colored by my own experience as a counselor, I believe counselors work best when they are allowed room to shine and "do their thing." The supervisor should supervise but not micromanage; Provide constant, specific feedback (positive & negative) but allow counselors to be successful or fail in the moment (so long as that failure is not egregious); Deliver schedules, structure, and all the "logistics" counselors need to thrive. I provide them tools, guidance, and encouragement. How the work is done is best left up to them.
I don't want my staff to ask for my judgment on everything. I trust them. They wouldn't be here if they had poor judgment. Camp would work very inefficiently if I had to approve everything. And besides - I want to instill a sense of agency and responsibility in my staff. After all, isn't that how I rose up from a counselor to a supervisor? I try very hard to not see my staff as cogs in my machine.
One of the things Denethor says that is tragic is "It is long since you turned from your own way to my counsel." That makes the disagreement a power struggle - your idea VS my idea. That is not productive. I have many beliefs. I have many habits. I have many strategies to use when working with children. They work for me. They may not work for my staff. They may not work for a particular situation. If one of my counselors comes up with an idea that works better than mine, I would be happy to allow it, and maybe even add it to my repertoire. We're here for the success of our campers - not to stroke our egos. This is about what works best.
Sometimes wheels get squeaky because something went wrong. A child got hurt because of poor supervision. A cabin was not cleaned correctly because the counselors were unable to motivate the children. A group of campers is consistently late from one activity to another. Constructive criticism is required to correct the problem.
Sometimes wheels get squeaky because you just need new oil. Being a camp counselor is damn hard. The hours are ridiculous, the work is demanding, the day is never predictable. Positive feedback shows counselors that their work is noticed, and receiving timely guidance and up-to-date schedules (Oh, the schedules!!) allows them to react to the ever-changing nature of camp.
You should not need to ask for approval for every action you take. That is grossly inefficient, and allows for only minimal growth. Great successes are possible only when you can make meaningful mistakes.
Recently, we did an earthquake drill. I, being from New England, am not familiar with this kind of drill. When they yelled "Duck & Cover!!!" I did not know what to do. Even though I saw everyone fall to the ground, curl into a ball, and cover their neck, I did not do that. I was frozen. Even if someone came to me in that moment and physically made me do that action, I would have learned nothing.
After processing the experience, I realized I had gone into a very mild shock. I realized I should learn the duck & cover drill so I am better prepared for the next drill (or real earthquake). I talked to my supervisors, practiced it, and now am able to duck & cover successfully. But I only learned I couldn't do it by being able to fail. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to realize what happened, and take my improvement into my own hands. I owned my failure and the remedy.
I already see that drive for self-improvement in my staff. They have been asking questions and are eager to learn new skills. I feel I can trust them to make the best decision in the moment, even if we need to unpack a failure later. I am excited to work with them for the next few weeks.
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