I'll admit it. I'm a fan of the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch. I've been known to sit on the coach for hours on a weekend watching back-to-back episodes. There is something about the characters on this crab-fishing reality show that is compelling and captivating.
Yesterday, one of the featured captains in the show passed away - Phil Harris (53), Captain of the Cornelia Marie. I've had a post using this series as a baseline in the back of mind for a while and Captain Phil's passing pushed it to the fore.
Being Tough is Openers For This Job
For those under rocks the Deadliest Catch is a documentary television show highlighting the events aboard fishing boats in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and Opilio crab fishing seasons. The show is named Dealiest Catch because commercial fishing is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Alaskan king crab fishing is considered even more dangerous due to the conditions of the Bering Sea during the seasons they fish.
According to the pilot episode, the death rate during the main crab seasons averages out to nearly one fisherman per week, while the injury rate for crews on most crab boats in the fleet is nearly 100% due to the severe weather conditions.
The net-net - Only real men do this stuff.
Microcosm
I've watched this show from two perspectives.
One - feeling a bit inadequate.
The most dangerous part of my work day is making sure I don't burn my thumbs when I grab a hot coffee or ensuring I take breaks to avoid carpal tunnel. Unless you're one of the camermen on this show - you can't compete. Don't even try.
Two - as a manager.
For most people "management" isn't something that comes to mind when thinking about crab fishing. But in a nutshell - the crab boat is an organization with a business goal and people to manage.
Not only is it a microcosm of a company - it is also an accerated one - the fishing seasons are weeks long - not years. The activity occurs at breakneck speeds and when the opportunity presents itself. It's not 9 to 5.
These constraints bring management into very sharp focus.
1. Some things are GIVENS - not rewarded but punished
Safety is always at the top of the list for these Captains. Watch the show and you'll hear a comment about every 2 minutes about safety and how important that is to the crew and the Captain. There are no incentives for safety here. You do it wrong - you get the full fury of hell in your face from the Captain. Safety isn't something you strive for on a crab boat. It is something you just have. Reprimands, punishments, etc are the norm for violating these "cultural norms." As the manager of the boat these are the behaviors that just ARE - these aren't things you put into an incentive program. These are standard operating procedures and if they aren't followed you're gone. In business these should be things like ethics, respect, decency. 90% of the time the Captain loses his temper it's around safety.
What in your organization is a given? What is punishable versus rewarded? Do you reward ethics or do you punish lack of ethics. Big difference.
2. Rewards Are Based on CONTRIBUTION
The team members are paid a percentage of the total catch. There are levels of compensation - full-share, half-share, salary. The rewards each member of the team gets are based on the contribution they make to the boat - based on the Captain's rules. Experience and capability are the only criteria. Captain Phil made his own son's earn their full-share status - he didn't hand it to them. Watching the show I would even suggest he made it a bit harder for them to make sure they didn't feel entitled. Do your reward programs focus on the contribution or the connection? Do your favorites get more? Do those who contribute more but my have less "time in the saddle" get less?
3. The Captain LISTENS to the Team
During one episode a "green horn" (rookie) team member - who are usually paid a flat amount - actually got a share of the catch after the Captain asked the team if they thought he deserved it. They agreed. The team decided to take money out of their own pockets to pay the new kid. That's valuing contribution. From a Management perspective how often do you listen to the direction of your team?
4. The Captain ENJOYS the Job
Of all the Captains in the show Phil Harris is near the top as a practical joker. Whether he is getting the best of his own crew - or the Captain's of the other boats - Phil enjoyed the job. He lived it, loved it and made it fun. From practical jokes to just clowning around - Captain Phil balanced the severity of the job conditions with the fun of being part of a team doing tough work. As a manager do you find the fun or just the next task in the list of to-dos? Do you enjoy your work? (link to prank)
These are only a few of the lessons we can learn from the tough job of managing (captaining) a crab boat.
I know I'll miss Captain Phil on the series - and my prayers and thoughts go out to his family and his sons. Good luck guys - hope you land on the crab - sniff the air and watch for the bubbles (fans of the show will get that.) RIP Captain Phil.
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