Drugs had been missing from the department. First a little, almost too little to notice, then more and more. Through a thorough review, we isolated it to a specific shift and to a set of workers who had worked when there was a shortage. We decided to do random drug screens for everyone working on the shift, on a date when they were all working. Wayne’s test was positive, which is grounds for termination. He confessed to his impairment and begged for help and keep his job. Our organization believed in a second chance, but we didn’t just say to him, “stay clean.” Doing that wouldn’t be helpful and instead would be harmful. To help him we provided guidelines to meet, as conditions of his continued employment, which included the following:

• Complete his rehab.
• No drugs, or mood-altering chemicals unless directed or approved by a physician of our choosing.
• Random drug screens.
• Regular documented attendance at AA/NA meetings.

• Unable to access or dispense narcotics during a period of no less than six months.
• Maintaining job performance at standard levels.

This was his framework for success, and by following these I’m happy to say he was.

Providing a framework for success is the responsibility of all leaders, yet not everyone does it well.

I recently watched someone flounder in their role at an organization from the time they started.  Their leader didn’t set them up for success, i.e., poor onboarding, a poorly designed role, lack of structure, etc. They were left on their own to do a job that was larger in scope than they had ever done before. Because his leader wasn’t engaged and proactively seeking evidence of success, the problems brewed under the surface. As with all problems, they bubbled to the surface and by then the hole was so deep it was almost impossible to fix and the person left, instead of being fired. The leader’s comments were “I don’t like to micromanage, so I gave them freedom.” Too much freedom is like putting a child on a floating mattress in the water at the beach and not paying attention to them. The child might end up a few hundred yards away, or out to sea.

A leader can’t make a person successful, but there are many things they can and should do that will set them up for success. I’ve found two areas where leaders consistently do a poor job.

• Onboarding – A “yes” to a job offer begins the real work of a leader. Someone new to an organization, or new to a role within their organization, needs a strong and structured integration process. Remember they only get one chance at making a “first impression” with people, so the leader must make certain it is designed to help them, not leaving things happen on their own. Be clear in the expectations of them, identify who they must meet and get to know, tell them what meetings and events they must attend, and clue them in about the unwritten “cultural norms” that can trip them up. Make certain there are frequent check-in points established and don’t let them be missed.
• Trust and verify – No news, is not necessarily good news. Be proactive in seeking out evidence that the person is doing well and meeting expectations. If you ask them and they say, “I like the team and things are going well”, accept those words shouldn’t be your assurance it is going well. You need to check with those they work with and ask four questions:

1. 1. How are they doing?
   2. Where are they having success or doing well?
   3. Where are they struggling?
   4. What help do they need?

The answers will tell you what you need to know and where they need help.

And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! Psalm 90:17 (NLT)