Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

The Principal Coaching Clinic #12

Are you a “bogger downer”?

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure of traveling to watch my niece graduate from college.  To get there I had to drive six hours.  And I am sad to say that while driving, I let my mind wander and of course my mind always has a way of going back to my days as a school principal and superintendent.  I always tend to replay my career and I always focus on places where I could have done a better job. 

Early in my trip I became extremely frustrated with those drivers that have to be in the middle or left lane and go 55 miles per hour on roads where the speed limits were 65 or 70 mph.  I have no problem with anyone being cautious and they have the right lane for those folks.  I have come to call these people “boogger downers.”   These are the people that have their heads in the clouds (or somewhere else) and are oblivious to their surroundings.  I began to think, was I ever a “boogger downer” on the job?  Sadly, I must admit that at I times I was the master “bogger downer.”  (Hopefully, these times were few and far between.)

How and why did I do i?  Why did I slow down in the speed lanes on the job?  I think when this occurred, I truly did not believe in what we were doing or thinking about doing.  The micromanager in me would win my internal battle and I would simply take my foot off of the gas, and yet I would not get out of the way.  I knew I could slow the process to a stall.

Instead of declaring my intentions or opinions I would let the process continue, just like the guy in the middle lane going 50 mph.  I would not move and I would metaphorically travel this way for miles.  This was extremely unfair to my colleagues.

This is one way a leader is not being honest with people.  He or she lets people think they are being heard and yet words may be coming out of their mouth yet the leader is not listening. As a leader you must just be honest with people and at the end of the day people will appreciate it.  If you are trying to build consensus, be up front with people and let them know what you cannot live with.

Sometimes I would also bog down the process by operating with the concept of “paralysis by analysis.”  How much can you look at something?  How much can you study it?  I know you can always learn something else, but to get some place you sometimes have to get in the left lane and put your foot on the gas and go for it.  For God’s sake, you need to do something and get to your destination.  I have seen leaders look busy for years and just do nothing. Get on board or get out of the way.

“Bogger downers” obstruct, build obstacles, impede progress, thwart, resist, antagonize, stonewall and filibuster.  They are the perpetual naysayer.  And to keep the metaphor going, these “bogger downers” are more dangerous to the roads than the speeders.  You must consciously know that you are being that “bogger downer” and get the hell out of the way.

So, the next time you are traveling, think about how you can block the road in your workplace.  Think about how you obstruct traffic in your school or organization.  Think about your behavior.  And if you have become that obstacle builder, change the way you operate.  It won’t be easy, but nothing of value is. Good luck!