How To

Windows 8 tips & tricks for new Start experience

2011-09-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

As the Windows 8 Developer Preview is soon to in the wild, most people might find the new shell and user experience a little difficult to settle into. Here are a few simple tips and less-known features I’ve accumulated to help you master the new Start experience.

Just start typing with a keyboard in the Start screen to quickly search and launch applications.
Find additional applications (e.g. accessories generally found in the Start menu) can be found in the application list by clicking on the “Search” charm.
New shell keyboard shortcuts:

WIN+Q for application search
WIN+W for settings search
WIN+F for files search
WIN+I for “settings” charm
WIN+O for rotation lock
WIN+C to bring up simple “Start menu” and time/date

Most old shell keyboard shortcuts also work: e.g. WIN+D activates desktop, WIN+R opens “Run”, WIN+L locks user. WIN+E opens Explorer.
In mouse mode, activate the options/charms by moving the mouse to the bottom left edge (where the Windows button used to be).
In mouse mode, right clicking activates in-app options.
With a keyboard, you can use the arrow keys and page up/down to select tiles. Enter launches them. The “menu” button (the key with a drop down) selects them.
Make sure to check the “settings” charm in applications to reveal app-specific settings.
Enable the “high contrast” mode in Control Panel > Ease of Access to see a dark themed Start screen (above)
With multi-touch, zoom out in the app list in “Search” to activate semantic zoom

If anyone else finds any cool tips for the new shell experience on Windows 8, feel free to leave a comment below.

how to solve Middle click on links no longer opens new tabs in Firefox 6.0.2

2011-09-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

if you have a Middle click on links no longer opens new tabs in Firefox 6.0.2

and all the mouse work fine at all browser but It stopped working today. Just with Firefox too, where it should be opening a link in a new tab. A new tab still appears in other browsers (Chrome, IE9) but not with Firefox (6.0.2). WTF happened?

the problem is actually from Greasemonkey addon so just disabled Greasemonkey and restart firefox and wait for Greasemonkey update

part 6

2011-09-07T03:26:00.001-07:00

CHIMNEY SEEP: No matter what you do, the paint on your masonry chimney keeps peeling.

THE QUICK FIX: Install a galvanized (good), stainless (better) or copper (best) rain cap. These start at about $30 and are available in most home repair and building supply outlets. "Peeling chimney paint is almost always caused by water working its way from the inside, out," explains John Stauffer, technical director at the Paint Quality Institute. "A rain cap will keep the bulk of the water out of the flue."

Illustration by David J. Pullman

Photo by Tom Klenck

A TWO-WEEKEND PAINT JOB: You want to put away your paint-laden rollers and brushes without cleaning them.

THE QUICK FIX: Wrap the painting utensils tightly in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer. Once thawed, they'll be ready to use. Caveat: Paint is for painting, not eating. Be sure to seal the bag tightly to eliminate any chance of food contamination.

FLUID LOSS: Your radiator is leaking, you're in the middle of nowhere, and there's no repair shop in sight.

THE QUICK FIX: Dump in a small container of ground black pepper. The pepper won't dissolve, but instead will remain in suspension. This allows it to temporarily plug minor leaks, buying you enough time to get to the shop.

CROSSED SIGNALS: You're constantly getting kicked off the wireless link on your home computer network.

THE QUICK FIX: Other devices are probably interfering. If you have a 2.4-GHz cordless phone, switch to a 900-MHz, or a newer 5.8-GHz, model. These phones operate on different frequencies than your wireless router. (Some 2.4-GHz phones allow you to change frequencies--check your owner's manual.) Microwave ovens can also disrupt your wireless signal.

Part 5

2011-09-07T03:09:00.001-07:00

TRASHED SINK: The kitchen garbage disposal is frozen.

THE QUICK FIX: "Ninety-five percent of garbage disposals have a reset button on the motor," says Chris Hall, a former appliance repairman and founder of Repairclinic.com. "No other appliance has this, so people assume they need to call a technician. I've answered literally dozens of calls that just needed someone to hit the reset."

Photo by HP

BLANK SLATE: You've lost the stylus to your

PDA.

THE QUICK FIX: Use a toothpick. It works as a replacement--and does double duty after dinner.

CHILLY DEPTHS: There's a puddle of water under your refrigerator, and it's growing.

THE QUICK FIX: "I see this all the time," says Jeff McKinney, owner of JEM Plumbing and a member of ServiceMagic.com. "Usually, it's because the icemaker line has sprung a leak. People don't realize that there's a shutoff valve. Typically, it's under the sink. If not, look in the basement, beneath the fridge."

CRACK HABIT: You've always used Spackle to patch cracks in plaster walls, just like your father did. But the pesky fissures keep opening up.

THE QUICK FIX: "Use a clear latex acrylic caulk, rather than traditional patching compounds," says John Stauffer, technical director at the Paint Quality Institute. "The caulk has some flexibility, so it won't open up if your house moves a bit."

DRIP SERVICE: A toilet tank is dripping and you can't tell if the water is coming from harmless seasonal sweating or a bad seal.

THE QUICK FIX: Dump some food coloring into the tank and see if the color reaches the floor. If it

does, check the tank for cracks and the piping for loose connections.

Illustration by George Retseck

SPARELESS MISTAKE: You've got a flat tire on your mountain bike, and you don't have a spare inner tube.

THE QUICK FIX: Create a makeshift inner tube out of leaves and grass. "It sounds absurd, but it really works," says Scott Kaier, a mechanic at Onion River Sports in Montpelier, Vt. "Leave one side of the tire bead hooked on the rim, and cram the opening with as much soft stuff as you can find. Install the other bead, and away you go." At least it will get you home.

30 Quick Fixes For Everyday Disasters Part 3

2011-09-07T03:04:00.001-07:00

SNEAK LEAK: You can't find the source of oil leaking from your engine.

THE QUICK FIX: First, spray the area with Easy Off kitchen cleaner. (It's cheaper than automotive cleaners.) Then, hose the area down, let it dry and spray on aerosol foot powder. The oil will stain a path in the powder, which you can follow back to its source.

Editor's Note: We've already received mail on this one. Yes, Easy Off can corrode aluminum, but the damage isn't instantaneous. Make sure to rinse it

off with a hose both promptly and thoroughly. Illustration by George Retseck

SUN-DRIED TOMATOES: You need a way to water sensitive tomato plants during your summer vacation, without asking your neighbor to take care of them (again).

THE QUICK FIX: Collect some liter-size plastic soda bottles and punch a few small holes in each one. Then, bury a bottle up to its neck next to each of the plants. Before you leave, simply fill the bottles; they'll slowly release the water over the next four or five days and keep your plants from wilting.

STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE: A broken tent pole is threatening to ruin your annual family camping trip.

THE QUICK FIX: "As long as you don't need it to hold up to serious weather, you can splint a tent pole with a branch," says Michael Hodgson, author of Camping For Dummies. (Use medical tape, dental floss--or, yes, duct tape.) "Heck, you can even pitch a tent entirely with branches if you need to."

Illustration by George Retseck

POLTERGEIST DOOR: Every house has one, a door that slowly drifts shut every time you try to leave it open.

THE QUICK FIX: Rather than resetting the hinges or propping it open with a potted plant, remove

one of the hinge pins, lay it over a nail atop a hard surface, and strike it lightly with a hammer until

the hinge pin has a slight bend. Tap the pin back in place. The increased friction will keep the door where you want it.

30 Quick Fixes For Everyday Disasters Part 2

2011-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

SHAGGY LAWN: You need to cut the grass before the in-laws show up but your mower won't start

THE QUICK FIX: Before you give up and take it to the repair shop, try this. First, take out the spark plug and empty the gas. Then, get a new plug, add some fresh gas to the tank and, more often than not, the mower will start right up.

CRACKED TEETH: Someone--not you, surely-- has broken a key off in a door lock, which is now jammed shut.

THE QUICK FIX: Use a grinding wheel to shape an old hacksaw blade into a harpoon-like point. Then, slip the point into the lock over one of the key nubs and use the hook to fish it out.

BLURRED VISION: The zoom shots from your fancy new digital camera are fuzzy.

THE QUICK FIX: Only use your optical zoom. Most digital cameras have both optical zoom, in which the lens moves (just like a zoom on a film camera), and digital zoom, which manipulates the image electronically. The digital zoom can compromise the quality of the image. If you want more magnification than the optical zoom can handle, it's better to achieve it on a computer after the fact.

RISING WATERS: The toilet is about to overflow, and you know that your usual tactic of slamming the lid and crossing your fingers won't work.

THE QUICK FIX: As soon as the water level in

the bowl starts rising, reach into the tank and prop up the fill valve (the ball or cylinder that floats on top of the water). That will stop the flow to the toilet, thwarting an overflow. The plunger, however, still awaits.

IMMOVABLE OBJECT: A stubborn nut on an old lawnmower or pickup truck refuses to budge.

THE QUICK FIX: The standard tactic since the dawn of the acetylene torch has been to heat the nut until it glows red. When heat alone won't cut it, touch a candle to the glowing nut. The wax will melt and flow into the threads, acting as a lubricant.

30 Quick Fixes For Everyday Disasters Part 1

2011-08-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

A solve-it-fast guide for home, car and more. Because--sometimes--duct tape just isn't enough.

The world is populated by two kinds of guys: the ones who know what to do when something goes bust, and the ones who are always asking the first guys for help. Here's your secret manual for staying on the right side of the divide. It's filled with experts' shameless shortcuts for dealing with everything from flooded basements to mysterious oil leaks to flat mountain bike tires. These down-and-dirty repairs won't all last a lifetime, but they can certainly save the day.

INVADING ARMY: Ants are having a feeding frenzy in your kitchen, and you don't want to use a toxic brew to defeat them.

THE QUICK FIX: "A 50/50 mix of peppermint oil and water will get rid of ants," says Amy Devers, co-host of the DIY Network's "DIY To The Rescue" show. "Fill a spray bottle, and spray wherever you see them coming out of hiding."

SPEAR FACTOR: A weed-ridden asparagus patch has you about ready to give up on your favorite crop.THE QUICK FIX: Add salt. "Asparagus is the only vegetable that can withstand salt," says PennyGriggs, an organic farmer in Vermont. "Spreading salt around your plants will kill the weeds but leave your asparagus unharmed."

SPILLED JUICE: The battery in your laptop is losing its charge much faster than expected.

THE QUICK FIX: Wireless operations are a little- known drain on laptop batteries. "If you can disable your wireless networking and still get your work done, do it," says Andy Hooper, owner of Intelligent Systems, an IT security company. "Some wireless cards can eat up half of your laptop's power."

FROZEN OUT: Cold weather has stiffened the mechanism of your garage door opener, causing it to lose power.

THE QUICK FIX: Most garage door openers made in the past 15 years have pressure adjustments for both raising and lowering. Check and adjust these settings seasonally to keep things running smoothly.

SCREW LOOSE: You're trying to replace a woodscrew, but the hole is stripped and the screw won't grab.

THE QUICK FIX: Insert two short lengths of thin, insulated wire in the hole before adding the screw. They'll allow the screw to bite.TRAPPED BELOW: The water in the trap of your basement floor drain dried up-and now your cellar smells vaguely of nasty, nasty things.THE QUICK FIX: Pour nontoxic plumbing antifreeze down the drain to fill the trap. You can use water in a pinch, but it evaporates faster than antifreeze, so you'll need to repeat the process more often.

HOT WHEELS: The temperature gauge on your car is headed for the danger zone, but you've got no time (or place) to park and cool your jets.

THE QUICK FIX: Turn the heater on full blast (opening the windows so you don't fry). The extra volume of the heater core and its hoses, as well

as the airflow of the heater fan blowing across the core, may dissipate enough heat to get you

home--or to the garage--without a meltdown.

ICE RAGE: Your car doors freeze shut in cold weather.

THE QUICK FIX: "Spray the weatherstripping around the door frames with silicone," advises Al Toutant, a technician at Heath Auto Service in Greenwood, Maine, where they know a thing or two about cold weather. "It keeps moisture from collecting and freezing your doors shut in the winter, and it keeps it from drying out and cracking in the summer."

POWER INTERRUPTION: You need to remove your car's battery, but don't want to lose the settings on the car's radio, alarm, GPS and computer.

THE QUICK FIX: A 9-volt battery adapter can

plug into your cigarette lighter to keep those chips powered up. Result: No more auto amnesia.

DAMPNESS AT NOON: Your clothes dryer seems to have lost its zip.

THE QUICK FIX: Clear the vent duct by removing the vent pipe and pulling out any accumulated debris from the pipe and duct. It's a 3-minute fix that can save you a $75 visit from a technician.

UNPLANNED POOL: A big rain has flooded your basement. And, since it knocked out the power too, your usually reliable sump pump won't pump.

THE QUICK FIX: If you live on a slope, try

making a siphon. First, fill a garden hose with water from the outside spigot. Seal one end with your thumb and have a friend seal the other. Place one end through the cellar window and into the standing water. Then, have your friend carry the other end as far downhill as possible (the outlet has to be below the intake). Release your thumbs and let gravity do the rest.

How To Make 4’x8’ Utility Trailer

2011-08-09T13:49:00.002-07:00

Part One from here

and now :

22. Attach the ball coupler. This is most easily done by clamping the coupler in place, then drilling through the holes in the coupler through the tongue tube wall. Once the holes are drilled, insert the mounting bolts and tighten. Again, use locknuts.

23. Optional: Mount the Tongue Jack and/or Swivel Wheel. If you have chosen to use a tongue jack or swivel wheel, mount it to the tongue tube. Most of these devises have bolts or plates that wrap around the tube. Make sure yours can fit a 3” tube. Drilling should not be required.

24. Wire the lights and brakes (if used). Check the laws of your state to determine requirements to be met for lighting and brakes. Get appropriate lights (running lights if necessary) then wire the lights, connectors and brakes (if used). Follow the manufacturer instructions. The picture below shows the mounting of the taillight from Rigid Hitch indicated above.

25. Wire the electrical connector at the hitch. Choose a connector for your options (electric brakes, etc.) and to match the tow vehicle. Purchase the connector and wire per manufacturer instructions. We recommend protection on the wires to the connector like a sleeve to avoid damage with use. Secure the sleeve and wires at the trailer tongue. An added welded bracket can be very useful.

26. Optional: Install the tail light protectors as shown on Drawing . The lights may need to

be installed to assure proper placement, then removed for welding. Be sure to allow space between the protectors and the lights for installation and service.

27. Optional: Install Tie-down bars around edges of frame. Bars in front and behind the wheels can be added to the sides of the trailer frame for tie-down attachment as shown on Drawing .

These offer nice options for tie-down attachment – even with sides, these can come in handy.

28. Optional: Install Tie-down hooks or D-rings. For more versatility, tie-down hooks or D-rings can be installed in strategic locations – both on the bed and/or on the frame – for securing a load. Many choices are available including recessed rings that can be mounted into the deck.

29. Assemble the trailer deck to the frame. Some trimming (or slight chamfering) may be required so it will assemble under the lips of the main frame c-channel on the sides. A deck top of 48” wide will slide first under one c-channel, then set on the cross members, then slide back to center (partially under both sides). The overlapping construction allows a low deck while allowing water etc. to escape from the surface. If you build a trailer with closed sides and top in extremely wet conditions, these areas may need sealant to keep moisture from the coming up from the bottom.

Drill through the cross members from underneath and through the wood with a 3/8” drill as needed for each cross member. 3 or 4 places evenly spaced. Use 3/8” carriage bolts to secure the decking to the cross members. Tighten the bolts until the head of the carriage bolt is just sinking into the wood. See the picture below.

30. Optional: Attach a tool or storage box. A tool or storage box can be added and mounted on the front section of the trailer if desired. The picture below shows a mounted box. Boxes for this use can be purchased at numerous variety stores like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.. Rubbermaid and others make weatherproof plastic boxes that will work. Most of these can be fastened by bolting through the bottom to the trailer. For better support, bolt a piece of plywood to the tongue triangle then bolt the box to the wood. To waterproof it, use a little sealant around each bolt.

Trailer shown with optional toolbox and ramp.

31. Optional: Build the ramp. Construction details are shown on Drawing Page 13. This ramp is

intended for people use, not heavy machinery. It is made of a wood core (2x4’s and plywood), steel side stiffeners and a front catch plate. (2x6’s can be substituted in the core for more strength

(and more weight). 1/8” thick steel can be substituted on the sides for less weight (less strength).) This ramp is designed to be stored under the trailer on the 5’ wide models. With the 4x8 trailer, the ramp can be used, but must be stored some other place. The catch plate hooks are designed to grab the back channel of the trailer frame for easy loading and unloading. The picture below highlights the ramp catch plate, the guide pins and the hooks. The holes in the plate allow easy attachment to the rest of the ramp. For greater strength, weld the catch plate to the side stiffeners. Note: If this ramp is used with a flush top deck option, the decking (trailer floor) must leave a little space, between the back channel and the wood so the hooks can get around the channel. The hooks on the catch plate keep the ramp from sliding off the back of the trailer when it is being used.

32. Optional: Build trailer sides. If sides are desired, they can be added in a number of different ways. If you need sides, consider the height and strength required. Also consider if the sides need to be permanent or if they must be removable. If removable, consider the process for taking them on and off. Also consider weather proofing of the interior if that is desired.

In the plans several variations for sides are shown, however, because of varying needs for sides, only a few specifics are given and exact materials are not listed. If sides or a top are desired, use these instructions as recommendations, then plan and incorporate sides as desired. In particular, we recommend completing the main trailer then measuring and fitting sides per your needs.

To add sides, measure and build from the completed trailer frame. Take note of how the tailgate or back door will interface with the sides. Weld (or bolt) the uprights at the corners to give stability. We recommend welding if the sides aren’t removable. Be aware of the axle and its positions when locating the uprights – they may limit axle movement. Sides shown in the drawings are made from

2” x 1” x 1/8” rectangular steel tubing and 2” x 1.5” x 3/16” angle, with plywood as an inside liner. Optionally, the framing can be made from any materials desired. Strength and use must be considered when choosing materials. Triangulation my also be considered and used for rigidity.

Use the included drawings as reference to formulate a plan. There are several concepts presented to give ideas and some dimensions are shown only for reference. Since you are building your own trailer, you are obviously smarter than average in this area, so figuring out sides with the help of the included drawings will be fairly easy.

Depending on what you want, the frame may overlap the plywood or not. The plywood may want to be at the same height as the frame, or extend slightly above. If a top is desired, an angle iron piece can be used over the top edge of the plywood to make a secure mounting surface for sealing (see picture). Length of the uprights may be different depending on the way the top is handled.

For aerodynamic efficiency, add the half-pipes to the front (as shown in one drawing view). These can make a significant aerodynamic effect – especially since the trailer will be immediately behind the tow vehicle. Rounding just the edges can reduce wind noise and increase efficiency.

For access to the inside space, consider a gate or door and whether that should slide in, hinge to the right, hinge to the left, split in the center, bolt-on, etc.. When considering a gate or door, make sure the sides accommodate its attachment. Latches and hinges of many varieties are available to meet your needs. Shop around to choose the best approach for you.

If you use the included option for the hinged tailgate/ramp, the sides will need to accommodate a connection from the lifted gate to the sides to secure it for traveling. That can be as simple as a couple of holes to allow a pad lock to be latched through.

33. Optional: Attach a spare tire. There are two easy locations for the spare tire (if you wish to have one). The first is on the tongue – there are several bolt-on products available to accomplish this. The second location is under the back of the trailer.

Another option for a spare is to have the trailer wheels and tires match those of the tow vehicle. That way, if the tow vehicle carries a full size spare, it could be used for either the trailer of the tow vehicle should you need one.

34. Paint and finish the trailer to reflect your own personality. We strongly recommend taking the time and effort to protect your investment. Prepare the steel by sandblasting if possible, then use a good primer and paint. We recommend 2-part epoxy based primer available at most industrial paint centers. (Powder-coating the frame can be even better than paint, but requires special equipment. Usually, it is fairly economical to have done.) Use an industrial outdoor rated primer

and paint on the wood parts – house paint will not usually last very long. Consider where the trailer will be used when making your choices about paints.

35. Hook it up and take it for a spin! Enjoy it, you’ve earned it!!

Options:

Several options are included with these plans. Things like motorcycle stands, various tie-down options, multiple sides ideas and ramp options. Consider your needs and incorporate the options that best fill those needs. You will likely have the trailer for a long time, so take a moment and think about what options will be best. You’ll be glad you did.

Towing Tips:

- Secure all bolts and fasteners in vibration resistant ways – use things like Nyloc nuts, Loc-tite, cotter keys or wired nuts. Be sure the methods are appropriate for the situation.

- Check bolts, fasteners, lights and brakes prior to towing.

- Inspect the trailer regularly to assure there are no cracked welds, loose bolts, or other issues that can create problems.

- Inspect the spare tire (if used) to be sure it is inflated properly and in good condition.

- Double check the hitch to be sure it is connected securely.

- Use tow chains and secure them to a sturdy part of the hitch.

- For stability, distribute the load on the trailer evenly – not disproportionate on one side or the other.

- Again, for stability, the trailer load should be such that 10% - 20% of the load is on the tongue.

- If you have a problem with swaying or instability, re-distribute the load. Most instability issues come from improper trailer assembly (things not lined up or square) or from improper load distribution.

- Don’t overload the trailer. Also, be aware of the towing limits of the pulling vehicle and the hitch.

- Don’t overload the tires. Tires on trailers often have a lower capacity than the axle they are mounted on. This is a great way to have a blow-out.

- Secure the load so it won’t shift or move in transit. Keeping a low center of gravity is also good.

- Double check tie-downs, tarps, ropes, etc. to be sure nothing will be “flapping in the breeze” or dragging the ground.

- Set tire pressure appropriate for the load. When is traveling empty, tire pressure may be reduced to

10 or 15 psi. This will allow the tires to absorb bumps and other anomalies, keep the trailer from bouncing around, and shaking the tow vehicle. Full tire inflation pressure is needed for a full load.

- If the trailer has high sides or a tall load, avoid traveling when high cross winds are present.

- Allow added distance for acceleration and braking. Even if the trailer has brakes, it can take more distance to stop.

- Allow more girth around corners – take the corners wide – to avoid hitting the trailer tires on a curb, because the trailer takes a shorter radius than the tow vehicle. Also, the longer the trailer, the more space it takes.

How To Make 4’x8’ Utility Trailer

2011-08-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Part 1

Construction Instructions

versatility. The design incorporates strength in the main frame rather than requiring sides – even short sides – to give adequate strength. This trailer is designed tough for long, faithful service – though it may be a little heavier than some. This approach allows the trailer to be used in numerous ways for maximum utility and versatility.

Your success with the trailer is dependent on the care given in construction – including materials used, construction techniques and assembly methods. If you build it well, it will perform well. Load capacity is dependent on the axle, tires, options and proper load application. The specified capacity does not include capabilities of purchased parts like the hitch, chain, axle, tires, etc.. Do not exceed manufacturer limits.

As a reminder, these plans are for individual use only. Any use of these plans for resale or for producing products for sale is prohibited. Licensing for production and/or resale is available on request. Intellectual property rights for all materials are reserved. We thank you again for honoring these terms.

We truly hope you will enjoy your trailer, and to help ensure that, we have included a section of Towing

Tips at the end. Please use caution and proper safety equipment while building and using the trailer.

Components Required:

Axle Assembly:

Axle with spring centers at 48”. Several variations are available. The axle you choose should fit your particular application and the vehicle you will be towing it with. The following items must be considered when choosing an axle:

• Axle Capacity – This trailer design will accommodate a load capacity of up to 3500 lbs.

Typical available axles are 2000 lbs and 3500 lbs. Choose one applicable to your requirements. This will determine how much weight your trailer can carry.

• Straight or Drop axle – this will determine, in part, the bed height. A drop axle will lower

the trailer 4” from the straight axle. If you are pulling it with a truck or other high clearance vehicle, the straight axle will probably match better. If you will be pulling with a car or minivan, the drop axle may be a better choice. Also consider loading the trailer – if ramps are used to roll things on and off, the drop axle and lower bed may be better.

• Underslung or Overslung Springs – this will also effect trailer height – overslung is higher.

We recommend underslung springs for better towing stability.

• Spring Type and Length – Typical trailer leaf springs are available in “Slipper” and “Eye”

styles. We recommend the eye style because they make less noise and move some with a load. It can be argued that they help stability with a single axle arrangement. Springs come in various sizes or lengths (distance from eye to eye). We recommend longer springs for a softer ride. The 27” eye to eye spring length is shown. This trailer is not designed for coil or pneumatic springs.

• With or Without Brakes – this will effect your stopping distance. If you carry heavy loads,

particularly with a lighter vehicle, we recommend using brakes. Next choose Hydraulic or Electric brakes. Electric is more common, and easier to adapt to other vehicles. Research this topic if you need more info. Some states don’t allow surge hydraulic.

Axles can be purchased from Rigid Hitch, Northern, or many other places.

The axle shown in these instructions is Rigid Hitch # M-D3548-E – 3500#, 4” Drop axle, 27” springs centered and underslung at 48” with electric brakes. This comes with all mounting hardware required.

Wheels and Tires – these must match the axle bolt pattern. Specific trailer wheels and tires are

usually available with the axles, but another option is automotive parts. Most axles match an auto bolt pattern (like a Ford 5-bolt) so common rims and tires can be used. For a great look, nice wheels can be purchased from a scrap yard and standard tires can be mounted. Be sure the load rating of the tires matches the load you expect. Also, if wheels and tires for the trailer match those of the tow vehicle, an additional spare may not be necessary.

− Trailer Fenders – we recommend heavy-duty fenders like the Rigid Hitch #8433. Fenders come

in different sizes, configurations and materials. Choose plastic or composite for harsh weather conditions. (Though you’ll have to find a different way to mount them.) The fenders must accommodate the tire size and width. Check to see if your state requires fenders.

− Trailer Ball Coupler – must fit the ball size you use. We recommend a 2” ball and class IV

receiver for a 3500 lb trailer. To mount on this trailer, the coupler must accept a 3” square tube. Rigid Hitch part # 22-300 is pictured in these instructions.

− Safety Chains – are required in most states for trailers over a certain size or weight. Generally,

we recommend safety chains. Rigid Hitch part # 51 will be adequate.

− Lights, Wiring and Electric Connector – these items will depend on taste, choice of brakes, and

connector type. For lights, the Rigid Hitch parts # 3504 (left) and #3554(right) are water- resistant and will nest in the rear channel of the trailer. Side marker lights (if needed, depending on state laws and your preference), wiring and connectors, must also be selected. We suggest a liberal wire size and length. It can help avoid future problems.

Optional Equipment:

• Tongue Jack and/or Swivel Wheel – to help in loading the trailer and moving it when not attached to the vehicle. Rigid Hitch # TJD-125 will fit most applications with this trailer. It will jack up the tongue, roll around, and snap up along side the tongue tube when the trailer is in tow.

• Hitch handle – to lift tongue up to the hitch – not of much use with a heavy trailer or load.

• Toolbox – pictured in some views. Many varieties exist from vendors like Rubbermaid, and can be found at stores like K-Mart or Wal-Mart.

• Trailer Sides – pictured in some views of this trailer – may be temporary or permanent.

Materials:

− Steel

• 4” x 5.4 lb. C-Channel

– 2 @ 96” – main rail channels.

– 1 @ 50.5” – rear bed bumper channel.

• 2 1/2” x 1 1/2” x 3/16” Angle

– 5 @ 50.14” – cross members.

• 2” x 1 1/2” x 3/16” Angle

– 1 @ 50.5” – trailer bed front.

– 2 @ 18” – rear angle braces.

– 1 @ 10” – bed support angles.

– 1 @ 50.5” – bent front angle.

– 2 @ 48” – axle spring mount angle.

• 3” x 3” x 3/16” Square Tube

– 1 @ 96” – tongue tube.

2 1/2” x 1/4” Flat Stock

– 1 @ 60” – tongue stiffener beam.

– 2 @ 12.5 – tongue stiffener gussets.

– 4 @ 11” – Fender mounting brackets.

• 4” x 1/8” Flat Stock

– 2 @ 42” – axle spring mount bolt plates.

– 2 @ 23.75” – front fascia.

• 6” x 3/16” Flat Stock

– 4 @ 6” x 6” x 45° – frame gussets.

– 1 @ 15” – tongue gusset.

• 1” x 1/4” Flat Stock or 1” x 3/16” Flat Stock

– 4 @ 7” – optional tail light protectors – not needed with optional hinged tailgate.

Bed:

4 x 8 x 3/4” Plywood Decking – 1 sheet – consider grade and treatment.

− 1/2" – 20 x 1.25” Grade 8 Bolts with locknuts and washers – 6 – for securing axle assemblies.

− 3/8" – 18 x 1 1/2” Carriage Bolts with locknuts and washers – 20 – for securing plywood decking.

− 1/2" – 20 x 4” Grade 8 Bolts with locknuts and washers – 4 – for securing hitch coupler.

− Wheels, Tires and Lugnuts – many sizes and options available - 14” or 15” wheels - a variety of tire sizes will work. 215-70-R15 tires are shown. Be sure to match load requirements.

− Paint and/or other finishing supplies (depending on finish desired)

− Ramp Option:

• 3/4” x 3/4” x 1/8” Angle – 2 @ 96” – under trailer ramp storage support angles.

• 2 1/2” x 1/4” Flat Stock

– 2 @ 90” – ramp side stiffener.

– 2 @ 5.25” – ramp catch plate ends.

• 4” x 1/8” Flat Stock

– 1 @ 23.75” – ramp catch plate.

• 2x4 or 2x6 x 8’ boards – 3 – for wood ramp core.

• 4 x 8 x ½” Plywood – 1 sheet – for wood ramp core.

• 1/2" x 4” steel rod – 2 – for ramp catch plate.

• 48 #8 x 2” wood screws.

− Sides Option: will depend on your preferences, side height, top or no top, gate or door configuration, permanent or removable, etc.. See drawings for more information.

** Due to the vast number of different requirements for sides, the plans show several options, but materials required to build the sides are not included in this list. However, sides shown in drawings are made from 2” x 1” x 1/8” Rectangular Steel Tube and 2” x 1.5” x 3/16” Angle for the framing. 1/2" plywood is used inside.

Tools Required:

− Saw, to cut steel (circular saw may be used with a metal cutting abrasive blade).

− Saw, to cut plywood and wood spacers (if applicable).

− Welder capable of welding steel at 1/4” thick.

− Hand grinder – for grinding welds and fitting metal pieces.

− Adequate Drill and drill bits for 1/4"- 5/8” for wood and steel. See drawings.

− C-clamps (many, varying sizes).

− Straight edge (min 48”).

− Square and Tape measure.

− Wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, Hammer, files and other common hand tools.

Locate and Print the trailer drawing sheets.

– If you ordered complete printed plans, the drawing sheets are included in the package.

– If you received plans electronically, the same drawings are provided in PDF format:

4x8utrailer-drawings.pdf

Print the drawings at the desired size (the Acrobat Reader gives options for print size or to shrink large pages). Contact a local Kinko’s or similar print shop if you want a larger size and need assistance printing it. (Max size is C, 22”x17”)

2. Look through these instructions and the drawings to determine which options you wish to include on your trailer, then get the appropriate components and materials.

3. Layout the trailer outer 4 members of the frame. Layout the 4 perimeter sections (2 c-channel sides, c-channel back and angle front) shown on Drawing Pages 3 & 4 for the main trailer frame. It

may be easiest to lay this out upside down since the “top” is all at one level. Use clamps and

straps to assure the parts will not move. It is often a good idea to clamp a few diagonals across the frame to hold position. It is also good to check that the measurement from opposite corners is equal – this will validate squareness.

4. Tack weld the 4 corners then check squareness and flatness again. Make any adjustments necessary. It is critical at this point that squareness is established as a sloppy start will yield a sloppy finish, and this will effect how well the trailer tows.

5. Lay in the cross members. Use 1.25” thick boards or steel under the cross members (with the main trailer frame still upside down) as shown in the figure below. With the spacers, the cross members will all line-up vertically and will all lay flat to the bed.

5x10 Trailer frame shown. 4x8 trailer frame similar (see drawings).

6. Tack weld the cross members in place. Keep checking squareness as you go because welds tend to “pull” as they cool and you need to keep the frame square.

7. Layout and tack in the angle braces and gussets shown on Drawing Pages 4 & 5. Again, keep

checking squareness as you go.

8. Tack weld in the bed support angles shown on Drawing . Use the same spacers used with

setting the cross members to assure a flat bed.

9. Lay in the tongue tube. The tongue tube is set in place in the notches cut in the front two cross members as shown on Drawing Pages 4 & 6. It must be square with the trailer frame for stable

towing. This can then be tacked in place.

10. Lay in the bent front angle. This angle can be pre-bent if you have the equipment, but it can also be tacked in place over the tongue then bent down at each end (using large c-clamps) then tacked in place. When the final weld is done, the heat from the weld will stress relieve it. Some grinding on the front cross member may be necessary to get a good fit. On Drawing Page 6 a little

interference can be seen in the front view. Carefully grinding the front cross member will make a great fit. Another view of this member is shown on Drawing Page 4.

11. Lay in the tongue stiffener and gussets. The tongue stiffener can also be bent and welded in

place as done with the bent front angle. For a 2000# capacity trailer, this member is not necessary. For the 3500# trailers, this will stiffen the tongue to better support a front loaded trailer.

12. Optional: Add the front fascia plates. Add the front fascia plates shown on Drawing Page 7 on

either side of the tongue tube. These plates are primarily for aesthetics but will also stiffen the front and help keep “crud” from the tow vehicle out from under the trailer. These can extend the life of the trailer by protecting it from rust in the hard-to-paint corners.

13. Double check Squareness. At this point, all the structural members of the main trailer should be tacked in place. If it is square and flat to your liking you are ready to weld it all together. If there are tweaks to be made, do it now.

14. Completely weld the trailer frame together. Start in the corners, and stitch in a few areas. Do not complete any one full weld until you have added several tacks to all the joints – especially the angle braces and gussets. Check squareness again. Then complete the welding. By doing a little at a time as you go around, the likelihood of creating a “pull” out of square is greatly reduced. The extra effort will be well worth it.

15. Construct the Axle Spring Mounts. The left side axle spring mount is shown on Drawing Page 9.

You will need a right and a left. Care should be taken to make sure the holes line up as shown. The spring anchors shown on the drawing should come with the axle and spring hardware. We recommend that the spring mounts and springs be assembled together for tack welding on to the angle iron to assure proper alignment. Disassemble to complete the welds. Be sure to cut the bolt clearance area before welding the rear bracket on.

These spring mounts will be used to attach the axle to the trailer frame. The axle spring mounts can then be moved fore or aft on the frame to better balance the trailers load. In this way the trailer can be balanced to tow stable regardless of the load distribution (front to back) on the bed. If the movable axle option is not desired, the line of holes in the plate can be omitted, then the axle mounts can be welded to the trailer frame.

16. Build the Axle. Assemble the axle components including the axle spring mounts built in the previous step as shown in on the Drawing and in the picture below. The tires and wheels must also

be assembled. (Note: because the straight axles are typically slightly narrower, if you are using wide tires with a straight axle, you may need to get different rims (automotive rear drive) or shims to move the wheels away from the axle spring mounts.)

17. Assemble the fenders to the axle spring mounts. With the tires and wheels on the axle, measure for placement of the fenders. Clamp the fenders and mounting brackets to the axle spring mounts as shown on Drawing Page 9. Make sure to allow a few inches of suspension travel – 3” to 4” is

adequate. We recommend you set-up and clamp both fenders and mounting brackets prior to welding so they can be set to match. Tack them in place then disassemble items (like tires) necessary to gain access for a full weld. (Note: if you think you will ever need to remove the fenders, you can bolt them instead. It won’t be as strong or as sturdy, but it will make removal much easier. Also, if you are concerned about splashing from the tires to your load, you can fill the space between the fender and the axle spring mounts with sheetmetal or wood.)

18. Mount the axle assembly to the trailer frame. Hopefully you have a good way of managing heavy objects, because the axle and the trailer frame must now be assembled as shown on the Drawing .

Measure carefully from the center of the tongue tube where the hitch will go diagonally to the center of the front spring bolts. This dimension must be the same for both sides. The dimension shown on the drawing is a recommended position that will be good for most applications; however, one of the great features of this trailer is the ability to move the axle as required for the load. When the axle assembly is in the right place, secure it to the frame with clamps.

19. Drill the first axle mounting holes. With the axle assembly secured in the proper position, drill through the 2 holes indicated on the Drawing already in the axle spring mounts, through

the c-channel web of the frame. These holes will be the base to measure from for the rest.

20. Drill the remaining axle mounting holes. After drilling the first holes, remove the axle assembly and re-drill the 2 holes slightly larger – depending on the accuracy used in drilling the first set and the holes in the axle spring mounts, you may wish to drill the holes at 9/16” (recommended) or 5/8”.

(This help the bolts go in later when the axle is moved.) Measure and drill the remaining 5 axle mounting holes in the c-channels of the trailer frame. This step is not necessary if you don’t ever wish to change the axle position. Some disassembly may be required.

The movable axle option is beneficial for carrying widely varying loads, and for trailers that can adapt to specific load requirements. Adjust the axle position so that 12% - 20% of the load is carried by the tongue. Be sure not to exceed manufactures load ratings for the hitch, ball or receiver.

21. Position and mount the axle assembly. Reposition the axle assembly at the start location as shown on the Drawing (or other position if desired) then secure with bolts and

locknuts. You should be able to use 3 bolts on each side in most every possible axle position. The possible axle positions are now in 3 inch increments forward and back. We strongly recommend using the plastic insert lock nuts on all fasteners of a critical nature. Vibrations from the road have loosened too many bolts to take a chance.

Part 2

how To Remove or plastering over artex

2011-08-09T13:13:00.000-07:00

Artex is a water-based covering, usually used to decorate ceilings, and generally brought to a textured finish with the use of a brush or roller.

Some older artex may contain asbestos and it is extremely unwise to sand down or scrape without seeking the advice of an asbestos specialist. Contact your local council for help with this.

Artex can be “steamed” off using a wallpaper steamer. This is again very messy and also very slow. It cannot be done at speed or with the steam plate left in one area too long…if it is, there is a possibility of damaging the ceiling or wall and the artex just returns to liquid form.

This will enable you to soak and strip without damaging either yourself or the surface you are working on.

The easiest way to remove artex is with this amazing product. Simply paint over the artex, on a horizontal or vertical surface, and scrape off when softened.

Artex can also be plastered over. Firstly make absolutely sure that there are no flaking or loose sections of the artex, or indeed ceiling/wall. Then remove all obviously “high spots” of artex, where the stipples hang down. The wall or ceiling can then be painted with a coat of PVA adhesive, which can be bought in gallon containers from the builder’s merchants or larger DIY stores

Dilute the PVA at 1 to 1 with water and stir well. Paint this on the ceiling/wall with a large emulsion brush. This can be left to dry, which will only take about an hour. Make sure you have covered the entire surface. Untouched areas will produce plastered areas that will be hard almost as soon as the plaster touches them!

We suggest two coats of this pva solution will give an excellent seal to the ceiling. Artex is very pourus indeed and “skim” plaster goes hard very quickly. The pva will not only help the adhesion of the plaster, but it will dramatically slow down the rate of moisture absorption, giving you more time to “work” the surface.

It is a good idea to wear an old pair of rubber gloves when dealing with plaster. It is not good for your skin! Place dust sheets everywhere and be careful where you stand. If wet plaster gets on your shoes, before you know it the house is covered. If you are attempting a ceiling try and get hold of a couple of milk crates, they are just the right height, and very stable when upturned.

All of the tools and materials on display here can be found at Screwfix.com For those you cannot see, use their search box on site.

Skim plaster is bought in bags of 25kg (Smaller bags can be bought for patching) and the mixing instructions are on the bag. Mix to a creamy consistency using an electric drill on slow speed and a “paddle” attachment that can be bought at most diy stores. Apply to the ceiling/wall using a hand held board (hawk) and a plasterers trowel. No more that two trowels full should be placed on the hawk, then cut into a small section of this with the trowel held at 90 degrees to the hawk. Tilt the hawk towards you while pushing and “scooping” the trowel and plaster away. Once you have the plaster on the trowel, spread it evenly on the surface. Do not attempt to smooth it at this stage.

Before attempting the above, we suggest you first mix up an eggcup full of skim. Place this on an off cut of some kind that you have prepared with some pva. Spread it out and mark the time it takes to go firm but not hard. This is the point at which skim can be made smooth and the trowel marks will disappear. Once skim is hard the only way of smoothing it is by sanding. As with all of our projects, the money spent on practice is a tiny amount compared to the amount it takes to put a job right. “Stop end” beads can be purchased from stores. These are galvanised or stainless beads, which can be fixed to the surface and allow you to divide your plastering area into smaller, more manageable sections. Their flat top gives you an edge to work to and finishes flush with the surface of the plaster. When decorated they are not visible.

All of the tools and materials on display here can be found at Screwfix.com For those you cannot see, use their search box on site.

Start smoothing where you started skimming, you will have to repeat this procedure over the surface two or three times to get it absolutely smooth. When the plaster gets quite hard, you can spray or flick a brush with some water on the surface, this will give you an extra couple of minutes to work the surface.

Use a half-inch, wet (water), soft paintbrush to define corners and the abutment of the plastered surface to any other. Wipe any mess on non-pourus surfaces with a wet cloth, take up the lumps etc and it will dry to a fine dust. This can be wiped again and will go. Leave any mess on pourus surfaces until the lumps are dry and then pick them off.

The most important things to remember are:

1: Do not attempt to put too much plaster on either hawk or trowel.

2: Spread the plaster to a ceiling not directly above your face.

3:Get a covering on that is uniform in thickness (no more than 5mm) so the whole area goes firm at the same time.

4: Do not attempt too large an area at once or mix too great an amount.

5: Wash your tools & buckets down regularly and especially between mixes.

6: It is impossible to get plaster smooth on its first application to the ceiling. Do not attempt to do this. Get an area covered uniformly and wait until it starts to get firm. Then it can be smoothed.

7: Plastering is very hard work indeed. Mostly because of the speed it has to be carried out at & also because it involves a lot of body movement. Please make sure you have divided the room onto manageable areas. You really do only want to do this once.

For an absolute novice we would suggest that a ceiling area of 2m x 2m is the maximum that should be attempted in one go and a wall area of 2.4m x 2.5m.

Make life easy with this mixing bucket and paddle which fits in all electric drills

Are You a Seagull Manager?

2011-08-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

If this book has achieved its purpose, you’ve

asked yourself that question at some point along the way.

But the real question is not are you a seagull manager but

when are you a seagull manager? It would be wonderfully

simple—albeit frightening—if we could each be categorized

as the “right” or “wrong” kind of manager. My biggest

fear in writing this book is that it will be used to

target “problem” managers, when the reality is that we’re

all the problem. That’s right. Every single one of us is a

seagull manager sometimes, in some situations, and with

some people. The real challenge lies in understanding

where your seagull tendencies get the better of you so that

you can fly higher and eradicate the negative influences of

seagull behavior.

And the title of seagull manager isn’t reserved

solely for those who manage others in a formal capacity.

Whether you’re an engineer, a professional skier, a

homemaker, a seasoned manager in the traditional sense,

or a novice climbing the corporate ladder, the key is to

spot the situations where you engage in a seagull style

of management of the problems you face. To overcome

seagull management is to tackle challenges when they are

big enough to see, yet still small enough to solve. Your

present challenges may include time management, stress,

a personal relationship, your kids, your coworkers, or—as

is often the case—all of the above! While it’s impossible to

make every action perfect, it’s entirely possible to change

your approach to problems, how you manage people,

and, ultimately, how you manage yourself.

For those itching to learn more about your seagull

management style and to discover strategies for putting

the three virtues of superior managers to work in your

own life, a host of resources is available at the book’s

Web site: www.SeagullManager.com. These resources are

continually updated to help you make the most of your

journey to understand seagull management and ensure

that it doesn’t hold you back from being your best. These

resources include articles, a test that pinpoints when and

where you succumb to the seagull style of management

(based on self-ratings and 360˚ feedback from others),

and a Goal Tracking System that helps you chart a course

for change and enables you to monitor your progress

along the way.

In the course of developing Squawk!, I’ve shared it

with countless others. Charlie’s story resonated deeply

with many readers, many of whom were compelled to

share their own “seagull manager” stories with me. I’ve

enjoyed each and every story I’ve heard—some even made

me laugh out loud—and I’d like to invite you to do the

same. To share your seagull manager stories, simply visit

the book’s Web site and click on the “Seagull Stories” tab.

I look forward to immersing myself in your experiences

with living and working alongside (or even as!) a seagull

manager and to your participation in an ever-expanding

community of people who—just like me—have had their

lives touched by a seagull manager.

The Cost of Seagull Management

2011-08-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

People may join companies, but they will leave

bosses. No one influences an employee’s morale and productivity

more than his or her supervisor. It’s that simple.

Yet, as common as this knowledge may seem, it clearly

hasn’t been enough to change the way that managers and

organizations treat people. We’ve all been there—sitting

in the shadow of a seagull manager who decided it was

time to roll up his or her sleeves, swoop in, and squawk up

a storm. Instead of taking the time to get the facts straight

and work alongside the team to realize a viable solution,

the seagull manager deposits steaming piles of formulaic

advice and then abruptly takes off, leaving everyone

else behind to clean up the mess. Seagull managers interact

with their employees only when there’s a fire to put

out. Even then, they move in and out so hastily—and put

so little thought into their approach—that they make bad

situations worse by frustrating and alienating those who

need them the most.

The seagull manager is an increasingly common

phenomenon hovering in today’s workplace. As companies

flatten in response to the competitive changes created

by new technology, industry regulation, and expanding

global trade, they gut their management layers. The

remaining managers are left with more autonomy, greater

responsibility, and more people to manage. That means

they have less time and less accountability for focusing

on the primary purpose of their job—managing people.

While there have probably always been seagull managers

hovering inside the workplace, the recent flattening of organizations

is breeding them like wildfire.

It’s easy to spot a seagull manager when you’re on

the receiving end of their airborne dumps, but the manager

doing the squawking is often unaware of the negative

impact of this behavior. And they aren’t the only ones.

In the vast majority of organizations, senior leadership is

unschooled in the profoundly negative impact the seagull

managers hovering about their organizations are having

on the bottom line. The very individuals with the authority

to alter the course of an organization’s culture lack the

facts that would impel them to do so.

Charlie’s story may be fiction, but his tale is a characterization

of some hard truths we have to face every day

in the world of work:

Thirty-two percent of employees spend at least twenty

hours per month complaining about their boss.1

Employees whose manager often uses seagull-type

behaviors are 30 percent more likely to develop

coronary heart disease than employees of a manager

who rarely uses these behaviors.2

More than two-thirds of North Americans are actively

considering leaving their current job, with their

employers suffering annual losses in excess of $360

billion from this employee dissatisfaction.3

Approximately 50 percent of Americans hate their

jobs,4 and job satisfaction has sunk to the lowest level in

twenty years.5

Some facts remind us that it’s not easy being the one

in charge:

Twenty-one percent of people would be willing to take

their boss’s job.6

Thirty-five percent of employees have a tough time

communicating with their boss.7

Sixty-four percent of managers admit that they need to

work on their management skills. When asked where

they are supposed to focus, managers overwhelmingly

say, “Bringing in the numbers,” yet they are most often

fired for poor people skills.8

After more than twenty years satirizing management

culture through his wildly successful Dilbert comic

strip, Scott Adams agreed to roll up his sleeves and

manage a restaurant he had co-owned for years from

a safe distance. His foray into the rough-and-tumble

world of management was a humbling one, and he

was honest about his shortcomings in the real world,

“I’m quite sure I’ve succumbed to . . . flying in every so

often and dumping on everything.” 9 There’s a seagull

manager born every minute!

1. From a study of 587 employees across various organizations by DDI,

Inc., that was described by Mark McGraw, “Facts and Figures,” Human

Resource Executive (November 2005): 94.

2. From a study that followed 6,442 male employees for ten years.

Seagull-type manager behaviors were significantly linked to incidence

of coronary heart disease before and after the study, adjusted

for conventional risk factors such as age, cholesterol level, body mass

index, smoking habits, hypertension, alcohol consumption, physical

inactivity, and other characteristics of the work environment.

Mika Kivimaki, Ph.D., et al., “Justice at Work and Reduced Risk

of Coronary Heart Disease among Employees,” Archives of Internal

Medicine, 165, no. 19 (October 24, 2005): 2245–51.

3. From the large-scale Gallup Poll of the U.S. workplace, available

online at http://www.gallup.com/poll/101905/Gallup-Poll.aspx.

4. Derived from a composite of the data in the following sources: data

on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households, conducted for

the Conference Board, “U.S. Job Satisfaction Declines,” February

23, 2007, available online at www.conference-board.org/utilities/

press; the large-scale Gallup Poll of the U.S. workplace, available

online at http://www.gallup.com/poll/101905/Gallup-Poll.aspx;

and responses from 14,095 MSNBC.com readers, available online

at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17349102/.

5. From MSNBC.com, “Americans hate jobs more than ever,” February

25, 2007, available online at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17348695/.

6. From a survey of 1,054 full-time male and female workers of all

ages by the School of Business at the College of William & Mary in

Williamsburg, Virginia, available online at http://mason.wm.edu/

Mason/News+Events/News/News+Archive/.

7. From ASTD (American Society of Training & Development), “Bad

News Gets Easier,” T+D (November 2005): 16.

8. From a summary of more than thirty-five years of research on 4,559

managers and 944 human resource representatives in forty-two countries

by Paul R. Bernthal, et al., “Leadership Forecast 2005–2006,”

DDI Executive Summary, available online at www.ddiworld.com.

9. From an article by Brad Stone, “The Tables Turn for Dilbert’s Creator,”

The Three Virtues of Superior Managers

2011-08-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

In the course of my work with organizations

large and small, I’ve witnessed a peculiar commonality

among the most successful enterprises. These companies

step confidently beyond the success strategies of conventional

business wisdom—brand strength, strategic leadership,

technological innovation, customer service, and the

like—to leverage the single greatest resource inside every

company: its people.

Few organizations recognize the degree to which

managers are the vessels of a company’s culture, and even

fewer work diligently, through training and coaching

programs, to ensure that their vessels hold the knowledge

and skills that motivate employees to perform, feel satisfied,

and love their jobs.

Through my involvement in the TalentSmart

Study—an effort to go inside the world’s leading organizations

and differentiate the habits that produce success

from those that are inconsequential or harmful—I’ve obtained

a bird’s-eye view of the practices that are essential

to a manager’s job performance and the satisfaction of his

or her staff.

To date, the TalentSmart Study has analyzed more

than 150,000 managers in every industry, at every level

of management, and in a wide variety of job functions,

and we’ve found that superior managers—those who lead

their teams to the greatest levels of performance and job

satisfaction—often share three critical habits. These habits,

or virtues of superior managers, as Charlie comes to

know them in the story, are the polar opposites of the

three distinguishing characteristics of a seagull manager:

swooping, squawking, and dumping.

Whereas the seagull manager creates the need to

swoop in and set his team straight, the superior manager

gets everyone headed in the right direction from the very

beginning by ensuring that expectations are full-fledged.

Whereas the rare visit from the seagull manager results in a

lot of squawking, the superior manager maintains a steady

flow of clear Communication That Clicks. And whereas

the seagull manager manages his team’s performance by

dumping on everybody, the superior manager keeps his

Paws on Performance—ensuring that positive and negative

feedback are delivered in small, digestible doses.

Charlie’s story illuminates simple truths that any

manager can rely on to squash his or her seagull tendencies

and transform the workplace.

Full-Fledged Expectations

Ensure that employees’ efforts are spent doing the right

things the right way. This means thoroughly exploring

what will be required of the employees and how their performance

will be evaluated in the future, as well as getting

agreement and commitment to work toward established

goals. There is a big difference between telling people

what’s expected of them and making sure that what they’ll

be doing is completely understood.

Communication That Clicks

Observe what employees say and do, and speak openly

with them about their work. A manager’s interaction with

his or her employees delivers the resources, guidance,

and recognition they need to succeed. Communication

clicks when it is frequent and in a language that everyone

Travis Bradberr y

Paws on Per formance

Pay attention to each employee’s performance, and offer

praise as frequently and emphatically as you do constructive

feedback. Keeping your paws on performance pushes

your team to new heights by positively reinforcing successful

endeavors and realigning efforts that become misdirected.

The three virtues of superior managers are intricately

linked, with Communication That Clicks serving

as the linchpin of the manager’s efforts. In teaching

these virtues to Charlie, Oscar and the other animal

managers did more than give him new skills to use on

the job; they reshaped Charlie’s understanding of what

his job really is.

Charlie realizes that his job is to support the members

of his colony, not order them around, and that focusing

on his role as supporter is the only way he’ll be able to

maintain the virtues of superior managers. Oscar watches

with a silent smile as Charlie learns to set Full-Fledged

Expectations, provide Communication That Clicks, and

enable his flock’s success through Paws on Performance.

Charlie’s transformation turns him from a highly problematic

seagull manager into a tried-and-true superior

manager who is tirelessly dedicated to the needs of his

flock. Charlie’s paradigm shift is so radical that it enables

his flock to succeed in ways they—and everyone else—

never thought possible, and this, for the first time in a

very long time, makes Charlie thrilled to go to work.

A New Day

2011-08-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

The next morning, Charlie awoke to an

abrupt poke in the belly from a pigeon.

“Yo, Butterball! Wake up! I got an urgent message for

ya,” the brusque pigeon shouted.

Charlie rubbed the sleep from his eyes and recognized

the pigeon as the same one that had delivered a

message the day he’d met with Hui. Before Charlie could

conjure up a clever reply, the pigeon fluttered off. A note

lay in his stead.

Charlie unfolded the paper cautiously. It read:

Come see me ASAP.

Oscar

Charlie looked at the sleeping gulls resting peacefully

beside him. The sun had yet to pierce the horizon. Standing

there in the dim morning light, he was sad to think that

their perches would soon lie empty. He dragged himself

through the darkness to see Oscar. The unexpected snatch

from slumber left Charlie’s mind numb as he circled silently

above the turtle pool. A full moon was still in the

sky, and it cast a warming light upon the water’s surface.

A solitary, craggy turtle head was illuminated by the light’s

glow, and Charlie recognized it immediately as Oscar’s.

Charlie landed on the edge of the tank alongside Oscar,

who greeted him eagerly. “Hey, Charlie, thanks for

coming over so quickly.”

“No problem,” Charlie said, his sleepy eyes still half

shut.

“Well, I have some big news for you,” Oscar said.

The usually placid old turtle was bubbling with excitement,

and it freaked Charlie out a little to see him this

way. “The park wants to put your flock in a show!”

“A what?”

“A show. Your own show!”

“Aw, come on now. Quit pulling my chain,” Charlie

said. He wondered if sea turtles could get Alzheimer’s.

“I’m going back to bed.”

“I couldn’t be more serious about this, Charlie. They

want to showcase some of your breed’s unique abilities.

They even have a name picked out—the Amazing Seagull

Show.”

“But why us?” Charlie asked perplexedly.

“Well, to be frank, the humans have been shocked

by the changes they’ve seen in your flock over the course

of the last month. The intelligence and resourcefulness

your gulls are using to locate food amazes them. The seabird

experts didn’t even know your breed was capable of

the things your gulls are doing.”

“Aw, shucks,” Charlie blushed. “What is it they want

us to do?”

“Perform stunts that showcase your talents and wow

the audience, just like they have the other animals do in

their shows. They need only a handful of gulls to perform,

but if the gulls agree to do the show, the humans

will provide enough food for the entire flock.”

“Which gulls do they want to perfor—” Charlie

snapped his head back and forth as if he’d just been

slapped. “What’d you just say? Did you say they’d give us

enough food for the entire flock?”

“Yes, sir.”

“This is it!” Charlie jumped up and threw his wings

into the air. “This Amazing Seagull Show will get them

to stay.”

“I don’t know about that,” Oscar said with a shrug of

his flippers. “You better go and speak to them.”

“You’re right, you’re right,” Charlie said as he paced

the edge of the tank. He could scarcely contain his excitement

and broke into a self-imposed lecture as he moved

back and forth. “I need to communicate with them. I can’t

just make assumptions about their work. Let’s see . . . let’s

see, oh!” Charlie turned toward Oscar. “Who is it they

want in the show?”

“The only gull they’re insisting on is Alfred. They

think it’ll be funny and cute to have him waddling around

innocently making sneak attacks on the actors. They

want Maya and Scott to showcase their intellect through

a series of problem-solving games and a few others to perform

flying tricks. Oh, and they’re also considering you

for some precision-guided pooping—hitting targets and

such from high above the arena.”

“This is just too good to be true!” Charlie beamed.

“You’ll have to forgive me,” he said as he spun around

and took off in a frenzy for the roost, “I’m going to see if

they’ll stay!”

The Beginning in the End

Though the sun had barely crept above the horizon, Charlie

felt wide awake. He rushed into the roost in a manic

burst that sent feathers flying in every direction. Charlie

flew from gull to gull, jarring them awake and shouting,

“Big news! Wake up! I’ve got big news!”

“Charlie,” Scott moaned, “what is all the fuss

about?”

“Gather round, everybody. Come on, gather round,”

Charlie waved the flock in his direction, and one by one

the sleepy gulls waddled over to him. “I just spoke to a

friend of mine, and he shared some fantastic news about

us. The park wants to do a show that features . . . us! An

Amazing Seagull Show!”

“No way!” Maya yelled in excitement.

“Are you certain about this?” Scott asked.

“One hundred percent,” Charlie explained. “They

want Alfred to be the star, and a few more of us to perform

in it. If we do it, they’ll provide enough food for the

entire flock.”

Cheers erupted from the group, as well as a flurry of

wings as everyone vied for a chance to pat Alfred on the

back. There were smiles all around as Charlie took the flock

through the ins and outs of the park’s plans for the Amazing

Seagull Show. Like Charlie, the gulls were thrilled by

the opportunity, and he hoped this enthusiasm would inspire

them to stay. To Charlie’s disappointment, the gulls

gave no inkling that the show was going to keep them

around.

“Listen, I’ve been noticing that the fledglings have,

you know, been getting big,” Charlie said. “We were

roughhousing the other day, and the little buggers were

flying circles around me.”

“They’re a healthy bunch, aren’t they?” Maya asked,

to nods of approval from everyone.

A grateful pause to reflect on the health of the flock’s

newest members stretched into an awkward silence for

Charlie. “Look . . . I’ll just come out with it,” he stam-

mered, struggling to catch his rapidly increasing breath.

“I know you were planning on leaving when the chicks

made it out of the nest, but I wonder, with this new

Amazing Seagull Show and all, if you guys might be willing

to stay?”

Charlie’s question spawned bewildered looks. Charlie

gulped.

“Gee, Charlie,” Scott responded sheepishly, “looks

like we’re better at keeping a secret than we thought.”

“Secret? What secret?” Charlie asked nervously.

“That we’ve decided to stay,” Maya’s voice swelled

with emotion. “Look, we’re thrilled about the show, but

that’s not the reason we’re sticking around. It’s you, Charlie—

we’re staying because of you.”

Charlie paused for a moment to collect himself. This

discovery was so much to absorb that he just didn’t know

what to say.

Scott could see a flood of emotion welling up in the

seagull manager’s eyes, so he gave him a quick hug and

a warm smile. “You changed so drastically that we didn’t

know what to make of it at first. We didn’t know what puddle

you’d been drinking from, but we didn’t really care—it

did the trick! We liked the new you, and we started trusting

you again. We’re confident now that you can lead us

through thick and thin. We want to work for you.”

“But the nests—” Charlie choked on suppressed

tears. “Why did you tear down all the nests if you planned

to stay?”

“We figure we should take it easy on growth until

we’re certain we’ve moved all the way through this rough

patch,” Scott explained. “We think you can manage an

even bigger flock than we have now, but there’s no sense

in putting undue pressure on ourselves.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Charlie gushed. “It sounds like

a very smart plan.”

Time proved just how smart the gulls’ plan was. The

Amazing Seagull Show was an instant sensation—the

gulls’ innate intelligence, resourcefulness, and hunting

skills dazzled crowds at every performance—but it didn’t

entirely solve their food problems. To keep every belly

full, the gulls still had to forage the food court and work

together to discover new sources of food. They continued

to rely on Charlie’s leadership, and he relied on the three

virtues of superior managers to keep the flock running

like a well-oiled machine.

The gulls’ bellies remained full, the nests returned,

and the flock grew with each passing year. The flock expanded

so profusely that Charlie realized it was time to

let some of the more experienced gulls try managing a

flock of their own. Charlie taught each new manager the

three virtues of superior managers, and the new flocks

branched out to inhabit new locations. Today, Charlie’s

seagulls are just about everywhere—amusement parks,

sports stadiums, crowded cities, even Disneyland. Take

a look around and you’ll find them—healthy, happy,

and plump. When you do see them, keep an eye out, or

those chubby birds will steal your food faster than you

can think, and remember one very important thing about

Charlie’s seagulls—all their great achievements are possible

because a single seagull manager opened his mind

enough to let them spread their wings.

Paws on Performance

2011-08-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

As the weeks buzzed by, Charlie noticed that the

hatchlings, who seemed only yesterday to still have egg

fragments in their down, were up and out of the nest.

He could read the writing on the wall—it wouldn’t be

long before the flock moved back to the seashore. This

troubled Charlie greatly. He didn’t want to lose his flock

under any circumstances, and the progress he’d made over

the past month made the thought of their exit even more

difficult to bear. Charlie had worked hard to narrow his

focus sharply on the quality of his communication with

the flock. He had learned a ton about each gull in the

process, and the conversations they shared unearthed a

plethora of new, more effective ways to get work done.

That’s not to say that making communication click

came easily for Charlie. He had old habits to shake, a new

schedule to manage, and previous misconceptions about

what it meant to be a manager that just wouldn’t disappear.

The seagull manager found himself caught in a juggling

act between his desire to always be doing something

and the flock’s need to just have him around. The only

straightforward part for Charlie was that his communication

with the flock was contagious. The more he stayed

in touch and maintained steady contact with each flock

member, the more they all came to rely on it. Communication

became the habit that held the flock together.

As efficient and aligned as the flock had become, there

were still a few gulls who hadn’t fattened up much. Charlie

yearned to know what more he could do to feed his entire

flock, convince them all to stay, or at least win back their

trust, and he knew just where to go to find out.

When Charlie arrived at the turtle pool, he found

Oscar in his usual element—the pool was pitch black,

and a mysterious haze rose from the water’s surface before

dissipating into the cool night air. No longer a stranger to

the unknown, Charlie plopped fearlessly into the water

and began searching for his shelled friend.

Oscar spotted the outline of a plump shorebird bobbing

about above him and figured that it must be Charlie.

The old turtle surfaced and said, “Hey, pal, long time no

see.”

“There you are. Can’t they put some lights in this

thing?” Charlie asked, exasperated. “Listen, I need your

help with something.”

Squawk!

“You know I’m all ears,” Oscar replied.

“The chicks are getting big, man. It’s making me nervous.”

“I guess it was only a matter of time,” the turtle

waxed philosophic. Charlie bristled, so Oscar shifted

gears. “Are you having any luck getting your communication

to click?”

“Yes, actually, I am. That’s why it’s taken me so long

to get back here to learn that last virtue. What’s it called

again?” Charlie asked.

“Paws on Performance.”

“Right, boss. I don’t mean to rush you, but it’s already

been a month since they announced the mutiny,

and they’ll be heading back to the seashore any day now.

I need to learn the last virtue fast so that they can see that

I’m a changed bird,” Charlie waved his wings about frantically

as he spoke.

“How does tomorrow morning sound? I’m sure I can

get Annabel to see you then.”

“Can’t you just tell me about it now?”

“I could tell you about it, but I won’t be able to teach

you what you need to know,” the turtle explained.

“Well, why not?”

“For one, I’m not a canine,” Oscar continued, “and,

like you did with the first two virtues, you’ll need to experience

Paws on Performance in order to make it your

own. You’ll get that over at the Super Pets Show tomorrow.”

Travis Bradberr y

“So Paws on Performance will get my flock to stay?”

“No, not exactly,” Oscar said, leaving the seagull visibly

disappointed.

“Then what’s the point of learning Paws on Performance

if it’s not going to keep my flock from returning to

the seashore?” Charlie huffed.

“There’s an old Chinese proverb that says, Give a

man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish

and you feed him for a lifetime. Tomorrow you’ll take it

one step further—you’ll learn how to ensure a lifetime of

abundance.”

Once again, Charlie found the turtle hard to argue

with, so he thanked him for setting up the meeting and

returned to the roost to get some rest.

Managing Per formance Like a Super Pet

Charlie was munching on breakfast early the following

morning when he noticed the flock had removed the

nests that housed the chicks. They’re really going through

with it, he thought. What a great day this is going to be!

Might as well have someone carry me over to the Super Pets

on a platter so they can put me out of this misery.

Charlie exited the roost and flew toward the Super

Pets Show arena. It was his first visit there, and on any

other day he would have been completely terrified. Charlie

lived in an aquatic theme park for a reason—there was

Squawk!

safety in having the predators confined to the water. The

Super Pets Show was an anomaly. It was crawling with

dogs, cats, and even birds that would jump at the chance

to turn Charlie into a meal, but today Charlie was too

worried about losing his flock to fret about being eaten.

As Charlie approached the arena, he spotted a blackand-

white border collie scanning the skies attentively

from the main stage. The collie saw Charlie and waved

him down with one of her front paws. “Charlie?” she

asked as he landed on the stage beside her.

“Guilty as charged. You must be Annabel,” Charlie

replied, extending a wing in her direction for a shake.

“Why, you don’t look a bit scared,” Annabel observed

with a thick Scots burr. “Oscar told me you’d be worrying

about a sneak attack from a Labrador or something.”

Charlie chuckled at the thought of the old turtle

speaking so frankly about him. “Ya, I guess you could say

that I’m not myself today.”

“Because your flock is on its way out?”

“Yes. Any day now they’ll be heading back to the

seashore. Makes me wonder why I’m even still trying.”

“Well, they’re still here, aren’t they?” Annabel raised

her voice enough to rouse Charlie from surrender.

“I suppose they still are.”

“Then what are we waiting for? I need to teach you

Paws on Performance so you can take it back to that flock

of yours and show them what you’re capable of.”

“All right.”

Travis Bradberr y

“First thing you need to understand is why so many

managers fail to manage their employees’ performance

successfully. Seems too many of us worry about being a

nice boss or a mean boss when in truth a manager is neither

of those things,” Annabel said.

“I’m not?” Charlie asked.

“You’re a mean boss, actually, but if you start doing

your job correctly, the gulls will stop seeing you that

way. I’m sure Imata told you that your sole purpose as a

manager is to guide your employees to results?” Annabel

asked rhetorically. Charlie nodded his head in agreement.

“Well, how can that happen if you aren’t letting them

know whether they’re doing things the right way or the

wrong way?”

“I always tell them when they’re doing it wrong,”

Charlie said proudly.

“And that’s why they think you’re a mean boss.”

“Oh.”

“Problem is, you correct their mistakes only when

it’s convenient for you—flying in at the last minute to

squawk at them, or letting them have it when they’ve really

blown it.”

“And I suppose the nice bosses come over and give

everyone hugs and pats on the back when they’re screwing

up?” Charlie asked with a slight sneer.

“No, nice bosses also engage their employees only

when it’s convenient. Since praise is what they find convenient,

nice bosses swoop in every time someone is do-

Squawk!

ing something right. Nice bosses ignore mistakes just as

often as you ignore triumphs.”

Charlie was too busy processing this to conjure up a

comeback.

“Most managers stick with praise because it’s the fun

and fulfilling part of guiding someone toward results. It

feels good to let somebody know they’re doing a great

job. The toughest part of being a manager is constructively

correcting employees when they’re off track. But superior

managers balance praise with constructive criticism because

they understand their sole purpose—”

“Is to guide their employees to results,” Charlie said

triumphantly.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Annabel responded

with a wink.

“What you’re suggesting—balancing the two—

makes sense to me, but how do you find the time? I

mean, it seems like I wouldn’t have any day left once I’m

through following everyone around to praise and correct

them.”

“Let me put it to you this way, Charlie,” Annabel

gave a penetrating stare as she spoke. “My breed is revered

for our ability to keep things in place. Ranchers

entrust us with their livelihood because they know we

will keep the herd on track and en route to the desired

destination. Do you know how we border collies go

about that? How a single dog can keep an entire herd of

sheep together?”

Squawk!

“Lots of biting?”

Charlie’s attempt at humor fell flat as Annabel continued,

“An errant member of the herd is not a failure; it’s

a signal that my help is needed. I approach these indiscretions

eagerly because they give me an opportunity to do

my job. I don’t expect every ram and ewe to fall in line

perfectly with every step, so I make sure I’m there to show

them the way when they get off track. There’s no need

for biting when you take an assertive, yet nonthreatening,

approach to mistakes. The herd responds to me because

they know I’m not going to nip at their heels or chase

them around aimlessly; they know I’m there to help them

get back on track.”

“You said that superior managers balance correcting

mistakes with praise, but I don’t see any praise in there,”

Charlie said bluntly.

“Well, my whole goal is to make my relationship

with them a positive one. I find that if I’m around long

enough to spot mistakes, I’m also there to catch them

doing things right. Imagine a ewe that’s right on track—

she’s leading the herd into an undulating ravine that I

need them to traverse. I let her know it. I open my mouth

and make her feel good. They need praise just as much

as you or I do, so I approach it with the same energy

and enthusiasm that I bring to correcting mistakes. In the

end they don’t fret about which angle I’m coming from

because they know me as a supportive presence who is

actively engaged in helping them achieve success.”

Travis Bradberr y

“But how do you keep from micromanaging? Paws

on Performance sounds an awful lot like I’ll be sticking

my beak in places that will drive my flock batty.”

“I know what you mean. You aren’t the only one

who’s afraid of being labeled a micromanager,” Annabel

paused for a moment to gauge Charlie’s reaction to this

statement. He had taken out a pencil and a paper napkin

and was looking eagerly in her direction, so she continued,

“But a lot of managers these days are so terrified of

that moniker that they take the opposite approach. They

lose touch with their staff, problems fester, and the team

loses direction. Then they find themselves even more

tempted to come in at the last minute and—”

“Squawk up a storm and poop all over everybody

and everything. They become seagull managers!” Charlie

pointed a wing skyward to punctuate the statement.

“Not quite how I was going to say it, but absolutely

correct, nonetheless,” Annabel said with a smile. “A manager’s

problems are much easier to handle when he or

she tackles them while they are big enough to see, yet

still small enough to solve. It’s your job to stay connected

with your team and involved in their work. Whether or

not you twist that into micromanagement is a measure of

your own insecurity, obsessive need for control, or what

have you. If you practice Paws on Performance, your gulls

can go about their work independently and without reservation,

content in the knowledge that you will connect

with them when your guidance is needed.”

Squawk!

“Can you hold on for a second?” Charlie asked, picking

up his pencil and the paper napkin.

“Sorry, Charlie; I can’t. I have a show to get ready for.

Take your time, though. None of the other actors will be

out here for a good half hour.”

“Oh, OK,” said Charlie with a shrug. “Thanks for

helping me.”

“Anytime, Charlie. You know just where to find me,”

Annabel said with a wink. She ran off backstage.

Suddenly alone, Charlie struggled to regain his train

of thought. As he looked out at the empty arena, he wondered

if he’d even have a chance to get more help from

Annabel, or if he’d just be a solitary gull with no flock of

his own to manage. Charlie took hold of his pencil and

sketched a reminder to use Paws on Performance:

Travis Bradberr y

Wings on Per formance

As soon as Charlie finished writing, he took off for the

food court. Soaring through the sky, Charlie couldn’t help

but ponder Annabel’s teachings and Oscar’s purpose in

sending him to see her. It was obvious to Charlie that

communication serves as the linchpin of good management.

That comforted him, since he’d spent so much precious

time learning it.

Charlie also realized that he needed to put Paws on

Performance to work. Without it, all the effort he’d expended

in setting Full-Fledged Expectations and establishing

Communication That Clicks would fall to waste.

For the first time, Charlie grasped the extent to which it

was his duty as manager to roll up his sleeves and orchestrate

the flock’s performance. Suddenly, things looked as

clear as the sunny San Diego skies he was floating on.

Charlie was thrilled to see the flock hard at work in

the food court, and he jumped right into the mix. Alfred

caught his attention first. The now-portly gull was buzzing

about the tables, stealing food from the tourists in a

manic frenzy. Charlie chuckled to himself at the wisdom

of Annabel’s teachings. Here he was, just five minutes removed

from their meeting, and his first opportunity to

use Paws on Performance was staring him in the face.

“Hey, buddy, how’s it going?” Charlie asked.

Alfred was standing above a tray of nachos drenched

in cheese. He gulped down whole chips so ravenously

Travis Bradberr y

that Charlie could see each one wedge its way down his

narrow esophagus. “Great!” Alfred beamed between swallows.

“No kidding! You’re doing a great job feeding yourself.

All this food you’ve been scoring has fattened you up

nicely,” Charlie said.

“Thanks,” Alfred smiled.

“There’s also something that I’d like you to do differently,”

Charlie said, and paused. Constructive criticism

came so readily to him that he wanted to make sure Alfred

felt nothing more than a mellow nudge in the right direction.

“You see, plundering isn’t your only strength. You’re

also great at perusing. And when you peruse, the humans

throw you food voluntarily, which means it doesn’t bother

the park employees. Plundering, on the other hand, creates

a scene that irritates the park staff. So I’d like you to

save your plundering for those times when you aren’t getting

enough food from perusing. This way, the humans

are less likely to want to boot us out of here.”

“Ay, ay, captain!” Alfred said, throwing his wing

against his forehead in a quirky salute.

As Charlie made the rounds with the rest of the

flock that afternoon, he followed Annabel’s suggestions

and balanced constructive criticism with frequent, genuine

praise. When it came to Charlie’s calls for improvement,

most of the flock didn’t even notice the difference,

other than that their manager spent far less time nitpicking

inconsequential mistakes. But the other half of the

Squawk!

equation—the newly positive, encouraging, even enthusiastic

Charlie—turned heads. It was unlike anything the

flock had ever seen from him, and for many of the gulls,

it was the first time they had ever received a compliment

from the seagull manager. Charlie’s praise initiated a contagious

confidence within the flock, and he was surprised

by how deeply even simple compliments were felt.

Charlie’s only problem now was time—he had spent

every second. He saw nothing standing between his flock

and a return to the seashore. As he settled in to roost,

Charlie was plagued by a sense that the winds of change

were stirring. Though he couldn’t know it now, he’d

awake the following morning to bear the full brunt of

their force.

a w s on

er for mance

Pay attention to each employee’s

performance, and offer praise

as frequently and emphatically

as you do constructive feedback.

Keeping your paws on

performance pushes your team

to new heights by positively

reinforcing successful endeavors

and realigning efforts that become

misdirected.

Communication That Clicks

2011-08-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Late that same evening, when Charlie returned

to roost after horsing around with Scott, Maya, and Yufan,

he stopped by the turtle pool to see if Oscar was up.

Oscar was awake and eager to hear how Charlie’s week

of setting Full-Fledged Expectations with the flock had

gone.

While the impact was noticeable, Charlie was concerned

that his efforts weren’t bearing enough fruit. “It’s

just a lot of talking, planning, and goal-setting,” he told

Oscar, “but I know what they really want to see are results.

The whole point of me changing is to get them fed,

and nothing’s happening.”

“Nothing?” Oscar probed.

“Well, not exactly nothing, but nowhere near what I

was hoping for. I know they could be getting fatter than

this in a week’s time, so setting Full-Fledged Expectations

isn’t doing its job. It’s not enough.”

“I see,” the turtle responded in his stoic baritone.

Half talking, half brainstorming, Charlie continued,

“Take Alfred, for example. I thought he was a total geek

until this week. He’s so frail—he probably couldn’t even

fly away with a hot dog if there were too many condiments

on it. So, I take him aside and show him all of

my best techniques for scoring food, and he’s a natural. I

mean it, Oscar. You should’ve seen it—he shocked me; he

was so good at it, snatching food left and right.”

Charlie looked over at the turtle, who didn’t seem

surprised by Alfred’s transformation.

“Anyway, a week has gone by now, and Alfred’s

hardly gained an ounce. I just don’t get it . . .” Charlie

trailed off.

“Think of it like you’re building them a house, Charlie.

At the very beginning of the construction, you can

do one of two things: level the ground properly and lay a

solid concrete foundation, or go right into building the

structure. Building a solid foundation takes time, and

at the end of the day it doesn’t look like much, but the

dwelling that rests on that foundation will stand the test

of time.”

“So you’re saying that setting Full-Fledged Expectations

is just the foundation?” the gull asked.

“Exactly. It doesn’t tend to look like much when

you’re finished.”

This perked Charlie up a little, “All right, I better get

to the lumberyard, then. I’ve only got three more weeks

to get this baby built.”

“Good. Tomorrow I want you to head over to the

dolphin petting pool. The dolphins will help you to get

where you’re going.”

“The dolphins—are you sure?” Charlie sounded

concerned. “Um, I kinda have a bad rap with the crew in

the petting pool.”

“Have I failed you yet, Charlie?” the turtle asked.

Charlie shook his head.

“Then you’re just going to have to trust me again on

this one. Don’t worry about it now. You need to get some

rest. You’ll have to get there early tomorrow so you can

take care of business before the park opens.”

“Gotcha,” Charlie said, with a wing pointed out at

Oscar like a pistol. Charlie had been burned before, so

trust didn’t come easily these days. He was dead tired

from a busy week, though, so he figured the best thing

he could do was go and get some sleep. At least things

might look a little brighter when he was fresh again in

the morning.

A Date with the Dolphins

The next morning, broad beams of sunlight penetrated

Charlie’s eyelids to rouse him from slumber. He rubbed

his eyes with his wings and took a look around. Though

it was still early, it was already warm, and Charlie didn’t

see a cloud in the sky. This meant he’d better hurry—

the park would be packed with people the moment it

opened, and he was already losing valuable time with the

dolphins. Before taking off for the petting pool, Charlie

surveyed the sleeping gulls around him. They did look a

little fatter through his rested eyes, but there was still a lot

of work to be done.

Charlie hesitated high above the dolphin pool. The

large mammals circling the tank below him looked antsy,

and this made Charlie nervous. Like the sea turtles, the

dolphins lived in a pool, but the dolphin pool was known

around the park as the petting pool because tourists

bought fish that they could use to lure the dolphins to

the edge of the tank for a pat on the head or a rub of the

snout. Given his skill at dive-bombing for food, Charlie

couldn’t resist swooping in on the unsuspecting tourists

to snag their fish. Stealing the fish was a breeze when the

humans were distracted by an oncoming dolphin, and

Charlie was certain that the dolphins didn’t appreciate

him stealing meals out from under their noses.

Charlie dreaded confrontation with anything big

enough to make a snack out of him. Even though dolphins

don’t eat seagulls, he imagined all sorts of horrible

ways the intelligent creatures could pay him back for eating

their food.

Have I failed you yet? Charlie reminded himself what

Oscar had said to him the night before and repeated it

over and over again on the way down to the dolphins.

He landed on the edge of the tank and was quickly overwhelmed

by the cauldron of swirling fins, flippers, and

blowholes that moved about before him. Feeling threatened,

Charlie instinctively threw his wings back, puffed

his chest out, and broke into a nervous strut along the

edge of the tank.

As Charlie did an about-face and turned his strut in

the opposite direction, the head of a bottle-nosed dolphin

surfaced like a silent submarine in the water beside him.

Charlie swaggered, and the dolphin followed, convincing

the gull that he was being preyed upon. Charlie went into

attack mode, turned abruptly, and unleashed a machinegun-

like flurry of pecks on the end of the dolphin’s snout.

The dolphin just sat there until Charlie wore himself out

from pecking.

The dolphin watched with a broad smile as Charlie

pulled back from his attack and struggled to catch his

breath. “Whew, doggie! That’s some way to greet a new

friend,” the dolphin chuckled.

“I, ummm . . . aaa . . .” Charlie had no idea what to

say.

“Come on, buddy, relax! I’m just messing with ya,”

said the dolphin, laughing loudly. Then he calmed down,

just a little. “I’m Hui, and you must be the C-man?”

Hui was the kind of dolphin that could sell ice cubes

to penguins if he had to. What some attributed to a natu-

ral flair for social interaction, Hui knew was just a simple

focus on whomever he was talking to first, instead of just

thinking about himself. Hui liked to read what others were

feeling and use this knowledge to guide his responses to

them. Meeting Charlie, Hui spotted right away that this

was a gull with a serious need to lighten up, and he wasn’t

afraid to act the fool to make it happen.

“Most people call me Charlie, but you can call me

C-man if you want to, I guess,” Charlie replied. This dude

is a burrito short of a combo plate, he thought.

“Well then, C-man, I’m glad you stopped by,” Hui

continued. “We have a boatload of things to talk about.”

Silence.

“What’s wrong, C-man? Why so quiet?” Hui asked,

undeterred by Charlie’s standoffishness.

“Oh, nothing, I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately

and—” Charlie stopped himself and took a deep breath.

“I’m lying.”

Hui threw him a confused look.

“I’m just kind of uncomfortable being here, given

our history and all.”

Charlie looked up at Hui to find that, like a statue,

he hadn’t changed. The look of confusion remained on

his face.

“You don’t know what I’m talking about?” Charlie

asked in disbelief.

“Nope,” the dolphin responded. “Not yet, anyway.”

“The fish?” Charlie asked, expecting the lightbulb to

turn on for Hui.

“What fish?”

“You know . . . the fish—your fish. I’ve been stealing

your fish!”

“Oooh, those fish . . .” Hui continued. “Ya, don’t

even worry about that. We don’t care.”

“You mean you don’t enjoy the fish the humans feed

you?” Charlie asked, confused.

“Aw, come on, man! No way! We looove those tasty

li’l critters.”

“What!? How come you aren’t mad at me for taking

them?”

“We were at first. I mean, when you guys showed up

it was a bit of a shocker. All of a sudden there’s this flock

of seagulls that’s living in the food court and snatching

up everything they can get their beaks on. We’d never

had anything like that here before.” Hui continued, “We

realized we had to adjust, ya know? What are we gonna

do? Climb out of this pool late at night, slither on over

to the food court, and eat ya?” Hui said with a deep belly

laugh. “So, we developed a system to work around you

guys snatching some of our fish.”

“How’s that?” Charlie asked.

“Well, have you ever noticed how when the people

are feeding a dolphin he doesn’t stick around for long?”

Charlie cocked his head to one side, looked straight

down at Hui, and said, “Yes, I’ve always wondered about

that, ’cause it doesn’t add up. You guys don’t strike me as

the type to pass up an easy meal.”

“True story, C-man, but they pack a lot of us into

this tank, so we take turns to keep everybody fed. That’s

why a dolphin is splitsville once he gets a fish—we have a

rotation. And that’s how we deal with you when you steal

a fish—we just adjust the rotation.”

“Is that what you’re going to teach me—to take

turns?” Charlie asked. This sent the dolphin into another

bout of deep guttural laughter, which he punctuated by

spraying Charlie with a mouthful of water.

“Imata told me you were a card!” Hui chuckled.

“If I’m not here to—” Charlie said shaking himself

dry. “Wait a minute! How do you know I met with

Imata last week? Your exhibits aren’t anywhere near each

other.”

“C-man . . .” Hui said, realizing that this gull had a

lot to learn, “the pigeons deliver our messages for us.”

“Seriously?”

“Dead serious, man. The pigeons ferry our messages

around the park for us in exchange for fish.”

“Pigeons eat fish ?” Charlie asked with a gasp.

“Pigeons will eat anything, man.”

“Well! You learn something new every day!” Charlie

exclaimed.

“You’d be surprised what you dig up when you keep

in touch, C-man. You know, some of your seagulls have

been transmitting messages for us lately, too.”

“No, they don’t. Not my flock,” Charlie said with

conviction. “If they were seagulls from my flock, I would

know about it.”

“You mean Maya and Yufan aren’t in your flock anymore?”

Hui asked. The dolphin knew exactly where he

was taking this.

“Maya and Yufan are transmitting messages for you

for fish?” Charlie spat. He was shocked and felt betrayed

by this discovery.

“Only at night when they can no longer steal them

from the tourists. They share ’em with the rest of the

flock. Said the gulls were having a hard time finding

enough food, so they had to put in some extra hours,”

Hui explained.

“That’s not such a bad idea,” said Charlie reluctantly,

shaking his head. “But I can’t believe nobody told

me.”

Charlie fell silent and just stood there above the dolphin,

trying to absorb this bizarre series of discoveries in

the dolphin tank.

“Oh, sorry, Hui. I was lost in thought there for a moment.

What were you saying?”

“No worries, but we need to get crackin’—park

opens in less than an hour. I was just saying that you’d

be surprised at the stuff that comes up when you stay in

touch with your flock.”

“But I do stay in touch. I talk to them every day,”

Charlie said. “Like when I come in, in the morning . . .

I’ll say hi to everybody, crack some jokes, you know, stuff

like that.”

“Do you talk to them about how their work is going?”

Hui asked.

“How their work is going . . .” Charlie said under

his breath, repeating Hui. Once Charlie had thoroughly

considered the question, he looked up and said, “Not as

much as I’d like to, at any rate. It’s hard!”

“What makes it hard?”

“Well, time for one. There’s only one of me to go

around, and every time I get locked in a discussion with

a gull it pulls me away from my duties. And there are a

lot of gulls in my flock. Some days I’ll have three, four,

five—who knows how many of them—that want to discuss

something important. I don’t think there are enough

hours in the day for me to stay connected with everyone.”

“And the other reason?”

“Most of my conversations with members of the

flock aren’t very productive. Everyone has their own ideas

for why we should do this, or they wonder why we don’t

do that. Even during the good times, when everyone was

really happy with how things were going, the conversations

were always about things that could be done differently.

I’m a man of action, and these conversations just

bog me down.”

“And that’s why you don’t communicate as much as

you should?” Hui asked.

“Something like that . . .”

“You’re an easy one to fix, then, C-man!” Hui said

encouragingly.

“I am?” the confused seagull asked.

“Well, yaaa. Your only problem is you’re approaching

your job the wrong way. Think about it. Your job title is manager.

Your sole purpose is to help them perform. Isn’t it?”

“Now that you mention it.”

“Your only concern should be your flock’s performance,

and I gotta tell you somethin’, C-man. I don’t care

if they’re seagulls, dolphins, or those humans lining up at

the gate right now to get into the park—we all rely on the

manager we report to. We need our manager’s support

and our manager’s guidance, and we certainly have to defer

to our manager’s authority. If your manager doesn’t

listen to your ideas, then who will?”

“You have a point there, Hui. But I wouldn’t give the

humans that much credit if I were you,” Charlie said with

a devious grin.

“Awww, come on now!” Hui laughed. “Just because

we’ve trained them to come here and pay money so they

can feed us doesn’t mean they don’t have the same feelings

and thoughts that we do.”

The two watched for a moment as one of the park

employees who was cleaning the pavement chased another

employee around with the hose.

“You have to maintain a constant flow of communication

with all members of your flock if you want them

to be successful. You’re the glue that holds everything together,

and you’re not doing a thing if you aren’t opening

that beak of yours.”

“Can you hold on a quick second?” Charlie asked,

reaching toward his chest and poking around for his

pencil stub. Hui waited patiently while Charlie scribbled

himself a note:

“Like I was saying, C-man, communication clicks

when it’s constant. You, my feathered friend, are at the

other end of the scale. You don’t communicate with your

flock all that much because you don’t even realize what

your job is really about.”

“I guess I don’t.”

“You’re gettin’ distracted by the laundry list of stuff

you have to do each day, when your top priority should

be communicating with your team,” Hui said. “Your job

is eating you alive because you’re running away from it.

You’re like a gardener who’s upset because the darn grass

keeps growing.”

“Well, when you say it that way . . .” Charlie pondered.

“You’ve been setting expectations with your flock

since you saw Imata, right?” Hui asked.

“Yep.”

“Have you noticed how, once an expectation is set, it

feels like the job isn’t quite done?”

“Yes, I have! I’ve also noticed that setting expectations

didn’t fatten the gulls up that much.”

“Well, C-man, you’re not alone. You need to take the

next step with your flock and get your communication

clicking if you want to see results. Just make it a priority.

Stay in touch with everybody so you can monitor their

progress, help them solve tough problems, and just let

them know that you have their back,” Hui explained.

“Because I’m their manager, and that’s what they

need from me the most.”

“You got it, bud!” Hui exclaimed with an excited

splash. “Hey, listen—they just opened the front gates, so

I gotta bounce. I have a pod of my own here that I need

to get in touch with if we’re gonna have a good day raking

in the fish. You get on back to your flock and get commu-

nicating with them. All you need to remember is to keep

the flow of communication steady if you want it to click.

And once it does click? Watch out, C-man! You’re gonna

have a lot of chunky seagulls around!”

As he watched Hui flop back toward the middle of

the tank, Charlie contorted his wing tip into a makeshift

hang-loose sign to let his surfer-dude teacher know that

everything would be all right. But deep down, Charlie

wasn’t so sure. Here I go again, he thought, and he took

off for the food court once more to try his hand at something

new.

Communication That Clicks

Back at the food court, Charlie decided to start where he

had finished the prior evening. He found Scott and asked

him how things were going with the night shift plans.

To the seagull manager’s surprise, Scott and his crew had

already run their first shift the previous evening. Scott

told him that their mission had borne fruit, and the rest

of the flock was happy to have breakfast for a change before

heading out for a hard day’s work in the food court.

Scott’s audacity in beginning the night shift mere hours

after he’d been given the green light reminded Charlie just

how hungry his flock was. As soon as he could tell that

Scott was satisfied with their check-in, Charlie headed

straight for Alfred.

Charlie landed on the planter adjacent to the dining

tables and spotted Alfred strolling along at the tourists’

feet. The park-goers threw food Alfred’s way by the handful,

just as they had the week prior. Every ounce of Charlie’s

being told him to swoop in there and set that skinny

gull straight, but the more he thought about it, the more

he realized he’d only be blasting the poor nerd with hot

air. Alfred had no problems getting food; yet, he was as

skinny as ever, and Charlie had no idea why. So, instead

of swooping in on the gull, as he would have just weeks

before, the seagull manager watched and waited.

Charlie’s patience was soon rewarded. He watched as

Alfred gathered the food into small piles he had hidden

under a bush. He flew laps around the tables time and

time again, collecting as much food as his scrawny frame

could carry. When the lunch hour had passed and the

humans had dispersed into other areas of the park, Alfred

called the other gulls over and had them eat his food! Like

a bunch of trained pigeons, the flock gulped down Alfred’s

food until scarcely a crumb was left on the ground.

It took the flock only five minutes to eat all the food, and,

as much as Alfred had collected, it was just a drop in the

bucket of the flock’s daily dietary needs.

Alfred smiled as the seagulls took off and went back

to what they were doing, and he began stockpiling food

all over again. For once, Charlie had waited long enough

to spot the right moment.

“Hey, Al, how’s it going?” Charlie asked.

“Good,” Alfred replied.

Charlie stopped for a moment once he realized that

this was the first time in a while he’d heard Alfred speak.

It also happened to be the first time Charlie had asked

him a question. “I’ve noticed you’re pretty skinny, and I

wonder if I can help?”

“OK.”

Charlie scratched his head. It sure was easier to make

communication click when he was talking to Scott. Charlie

cleared his throat, “Is there anything I can help you

with?”

“You want to help me collect food?” Alfred asked.

“Ummm . . . I’d be happy to,” Charlie sighed. As he

walked around the tables with Alfred—who continued

to have food rained upon him while the humans scarcely

threw Charlie a crumb—he felt like a failure. Here I am

supposed to be helping this guy eat, and all I’m doing is helping

him collect food, Charlie thought.

Just when Charlie was feeling the weight of the temptation

to fly away or yell at Alfred to get his droppings

together, a pigeon landed next to Charlie and started talking.

“Hey, yous. Who heah is Chalie?” the city pigeon

asked.

“I’m Charlie—and what’s it to you?”

“I got a message for ya,” the pigeon said. Then he

dropped a piece of paper at Charlie’s feet and took off.

Charlie uncrumpled the paper and read it:

Squawk!

Hey, C-man,

You dropped this in the pool.

Peace,

Hui

A second piece of paper, which looked strangely familiar,

fell out of Hui’s note and landed at Charlie’s feet.

Charlie shook his head as he read this serendipitous noteto-

himself, “IF YOU AREN’T STAYING IN TOUCH,

YOU AREN’T DOING YOUR JOB.” All right, he

thought, that rules out flying away, but what am I going to

do with this guy?

As Charlie moved to throw Hui’s note away, he noticed

more writing on the back:

P.S.

Give it time, C-man. Staying in touch isn’t a

means to an end. It is the end.

Charlie heeded Hui’s advice and allowed himself to

focus all of his attention on communicating with Alfred.

As he helped Alfred transfer the food into piles under a

bush, Charlie struggled to find something useful to say.

And then it hit him. “Al,” Charlie queried, “why do you

collect all this food to give away to the rest of the flock?”

“Because I like them and they are starving,” Alfred

said, his voice coming out of his nostrils as much as his

mouth.

Travis Bradberr y

That tiny little sentence contained more words

than Charlie had ever heard from this gull, and it was

all he needed to hear. Charlie was relieved to finally discover

the source of Alfred’s problems, and he felt a rush

of gratitude for having this bona fide team player in his

flock. Dealing with a bleeding heart was going to be so

much easier than the nightmare scenarios Charlie had

imagined.

“Buddy,” Charlie continued, “you are good at collecting

food. I take that back. You’re downright incredible

at it!” Charlie smiled boisterously and draped a

wing around Alfred’s shoulders. “But you need to feed

yourself, too. Feeding yourself is your job, and it’s

crucial . . . ” Charlie paused to think, and he could see

that Alfred was listening closely. “You’ve probably noticed

that even with all the food you collect, it’s never enough

to feed the whole flock?”

Alfred nodded his head.

“I’d like you to fill your belly first, and once you’re

stuffed, you can go and collect food for the others. Is that

all right with you?”

“Yes,” Alfred said with a smile.

“All right, then. That’s what I’ll be evaluating—

how much fatter you’re getting. And try not to worry

too much about the others; I’ll be spending a lot of

time with them to make sure they’re finding ways to get

enough food.”

When he returned to roost that evening, Charlie

Squawk!

was tempted to send Hui a thank-you note for saving

the situation with Alfred. Instead, he decided to be more

open-minded in embracing the dolphin’s touchy-feely approach

to communication; Charlie figured this was the

most heartfelt thank-you he could provide.

T hat C licks

understands.

ommunicat ion

Observe what employees say and

do, and speak openly with them

about their work. A manager’s

interaction with his or her

employees delivers the resources,

guidance, and recognition they

need to succeed. Communication

clicks when it is frequent and

in a language that everyone

A Chance Encounter

2011-08-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

After Charlie left that night, the flock continued

meeting to explore options for finding food. Finding

a new manager seemed like an obvious solution, but

no one in the flock was the right fit. Maya had great ideas,

but she shuddered to think of herself at the center of the

flock’s attention. The flock considered Scott a leader of

sorts, but he knew that his brazen and blunt style of interacting

with others would cause too many problems. Yufan

seemed like the best candidate. He was a hard worker and

a social butterfly, but he was perfectly happy with his position

and had no interest in managing seagulls. The flock

decided that Charlie was just going to have to change.

Charlie returned to the roost early the following

morning with his tail feathers between his legs. He was

relieved to discover that the other gulls still wanted him

there. Scott was eager to discuss the previous evening’s

events. While the rest of the flock took off to the food

court to begin the workday, Scott and Charlie stepped

aside for a chat.

“I just want you to know that we hadn’t figured on

having our feedback land so harshly on your shoulders,

Charlie,” Scott explained.

Charlie nodded as if a truce had been struck.

“But I also want you to accept that our concerns are

real. I mean, just look at us.” Scott paused to observe the

cadre of seagulls that were waddling, fluttering, and flying

their way toward the food court. “We’ve grown and

changed a lot since we first came here. The old ways just

don’t seem to be cutting it anymore. We’re stuck, Charlie.

We need your guidance, your collaboration, your support,

even, to help us get through this. Every gull deserves

a full belly. After all, isn’t that why we followed you here

in the first place?”

Having had an evening to calm down and think

through the gravity of the situation, Charlie was more

open to the flock’s feedback than he had been the night

before. “You guys are right,” he admitted. “I just want

you to know that I have been trying. I just didn’t realize

that I wasn’t doing a very good job. I’ll do everything in

my power to fix this. I’m willing to change.”

News of Charlie’s desire to turn over a new leaf was

well received by the rest of the flock. The gulls had newfound

energy to put back into their work—until the

weeks flew by and nothing happened. Sure, Charlie was

a little more patient with the flock when they squabbled

over food or asked for help, but it remained apparent that

he didn’t think there were enough hours in the day for

him to solve their problems. So, the flock decided to present

their own ideas for how to handle the increasingly

desperate situation.

The flock had always talked about how much food

there must be in the park, if they could just figure out

how to get their beaks on it. Surely their tried-and-true

strategy of snagging food from inattentive diners couldn’t

be the only way to keep their bellies firm and round.

Scott was more brazen and prone to taking risks than

the average gull, and he had been with the flock since

they first came to the food court. It was natural for him

to suggest that they quit lamenting the food they were

missing out on and go straight to the source. He’d noticed

that all of the food served by the food court was

delivered early each morning before the sun came up. If

some members of the flock just got up earlier, they could

probably snag enough food from the delivery men to feed

the entire flock all day.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Charlie heard Scott’s

idea out and even acknowledged its potential, but he wasn’t

about to let the flock implement the strategy. “There’s

no way we’re adding a night shift,” Charlie told them.

“It will be a major disruption to our schedule. We can’t

have a bunch of tired zombies roaming the food court.

This flock feeds at the food court—during the day—in

one shift. Period.”

Maya’s idea was next. Her clever strategy was focused

on another untapped source of food in the park—the gift

shops. She noticed that most of the park’s gift shops had

shelves filled with snacks and candy and many had their

doors propped open to catch the eye of hungry customers.

Maya wondered why a stealthy gull couldn’t just wait until

the clerk was preoccupied, swoop on in, and fly off with a

tasty bag of chips.

Charlie could sense the flock’s growing furor over his

rejection of Scott’s idea, so he decided to let Maya give hers

a try. Charlie understood that Maya’s strategy was something

of a stealth mission, so he let her be the guinea pig. Just as she

often was with her peers, Maya was quiet as a feather on her

way into the store. The initial missions went beautifully, and

she returned with a bag of chips every time.

News of Maya’s successful runs convinced Scott that

he should give it a go himself. The flock knew Scott had

trouble keeping his beak shut, so they reminded him to

approach the store quietly, but Scott was too enamored

with visions of heroic commando missions that would

save the flock to heed their request. He waited outside the

store until he found his moment, went in squawking, and

came skidding out on his rear with the assistance of the

clerk’s broom. Charlie promptly announced that stealth

missions did not work and that no further raids on the

park’s gift shops would be conducted.

Yufan’s idea was the last one for Charlie to ruin.

Everyone feared it was the last thing standing between an

easy life in the food court and a return to the miserable

seashore.

Yufan was something of a bulldozer when it came

to getting work done. No matter how daunting the challenge,

he was the first gull to spread his wings and get to

work, not stopping until he was done. Sleeping, eating,

and free time meant little to Yufan when there was an

unfinished project at hand. It was only natural that Yufan’s

idea was something of a sink-or-swim proposition.

His system was simple: find enough to eat and you get to

stay; have trouble feeding yourself and you’re back to the

seashore.

Charlie loved the idea. It made sense to him. But

from the moment Yufan’s plan was implemented, teamwork

turned to strife as each gull shifted focus to the

self-centered goal of maintaining his or her place in the

food court. The entire flock became increasingly aggressive

in the pursuit of their next meal, which created a

chaos that engulfed the food court. Patrons were divebombed

on all sides by pecking gulls the moment their

orders came sliding through the service windows. Food

went flying, children left crying, and park employees

scratched their heads over this abrupt change in the

seagulls’ behavior.

The park staff couldn’t stand there scratching for

long. They weren’t about to have their customers scared

away by a bunch of birds, and they decided that they

must treat the gulls just the way a forest ranger treats a

bear that has developed a taste for human food and won’t

stay away from campers. They would capture and relocate

the aggressive seagulls.

As intelligent and swift as Scott was, his brazenness

made him a primary target for capture. In fact, he was the

only gull the humans came away with in their net, because

their “hunt” sent the rest of the flock back to the roost in a

panic. Kamikaze assaults on the food court ceased.

Charlie was off on the other side of the park when

Scott was captured. When he returned to roost that evening,

Maya and Yufan were waiting to speak to him.

“Bad news, Charlie,” Yufan spoke first. “My plan

didn’t work so well, and the people captured Scott.”

“Oh my!” Charlie was shocked and genuinely upset.

“Where did they take him?”

“One of the dolphins overheard the humans saying

something about taking Scott to the Salton Sea, way out

there in the desert,” Maya replied. “Poor thing; it’s going

to be a long flight home.”

“What did he do to slip up and get captured?” Charlie

asked.

“He was just doing what we all were doing, Charlie.

We were fighting over the food because none of us

wanted to be sent back to the seashore,” Yufan said.

“I see,” Charlie continued. “Looks like you guys are

going to have to stop doing that.”

“Oh, we’re stopping, Charlie. We’re going to go right

back to what we were doing before all this. We’re not going

to change a thing,” Maya said.

“Great! It’s settled then,” Charlie said happily.

“Not quite, Charlie. I’m sure you remember a few

weeks ago when we all spoke to you. You said you’d

change your approach. And you didn’t,” Yufan said.

Charlie gulped.

It was Charlie’s job to manage the flock. He had

promised to work alongside them and make things better.

He had promised to change. Now the gulls were stuck—

they were trapped in the food court and starved by the

seagull manager that had led them there.

“We’re through waiting around for you to change,”

Yufan continued. “There are a few new eggs that are

ready to hatch into chicks, so we’re going to have to stick

around here for a month or so until they’re out of the nest

and can fly on their own. After that, we’re returning to

the seashore.”

“You’re what?” Charlie bellowed.

“We’re leaving, Charlie. We’ve had enough of this,”

Yufan said.

“Maya, are you in on this?” Charlie asked.

“We all are, Charlie. It’s been a long time coming,”

she said sadly.

Charlie looked up at the stoic faces surrounding him,

and the room started to spin. For a gull who prided himself

on his work, this was an intolerable position to be in.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Charlie,” Yufan said,

placing a compassionate wing on his manager’s shoulder.

“It just didn’t work out.”

“It was fun while it lasted,” Maya added.

Charlie reeled away from the other gulls, spun

around, and flew off sulking. As the night wore on, competing

thoughts tore through his brain. Since taking over

the flock, all he’d ever done was try to help. He’d given

years of blood, sweat, and tears to ensure their dominance

over the food court. But now the old ways of doing things

weren’t working. Nothing seemed to be clicking, and

Charlie didn’t know why.

Midnight came and went, leaving Charlie deep in

thought. He wanted to return to the roost with a plan.

He wanted to prove to the flock that they could stay in

the food court and be well taken care of. Most of all, he

wanted to lead. He paced along the rim of the sea turtle

tank until he was startled by a baritone voice that echoed

from the darkness. Rattled by the sound, Charlie turned

so abruptly that he slipped and fell backward into the

water.

Charlie recovered quickly, using his webbed orange

feet to right himself, and skimmed about the tank, peering

into the darkness for the source of the interruption.

“Who’s there?” he asked.

“I’m right here,” a voice replied. This time the voice

was so close that it sent Charlie flopping about again.

Charlie looked down and saw the scarred shell of an

old sea turtle floating beside him. The turtle’s head poked

high above the water’s surface with a wry smile.

“Why did you scare me like that?” Charlie asked defensively.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the turtle replied. “I didn’t mean to

scare you.”

“Then what are you bothering me for?” Charlie spat.

“Can’t you see I’m busy? I’m trying to think over here.”

“Well,” the turtle explained, “you looked like you

could use some help.”

“That’s for sure,” Charlie muttered under his breath.

“Indeed it is,” the turtle answered back.

Charlie was instantly peeved. Who does this guy think

he is, a psychic? Imagine this sleepy old water dweller helping

me. Boy, I’d looove to see that.

“So, what is it exactly that I need help with?” he

asked.

“My name is Oscar, for your information. And you,

Charlie, need to come up with something quick if you’re

going to stay in charge of that flock of yours.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know!”

Oscar had captured Charlie’s interest, hidden beneath

the sarcasm. Charlie studied the turtle for a moment.

He’d never paid much attention to the sea turtles in

spite of their exhibit’s proximity to the food court. Charlie

was so busy each day that he’d hardly glanced in the

direction of the turtle pool, let alone stopped by to say

hello to his neighbors.

Travis Bradberr y

“So you’ve been watching me,” Charlie said.

“Indeed I have. And I must admit, Charlie, you’re

kind of hard to miss. You’re always moving about, flapping

your wings in the air, and squawking up a storm

every time the other gulls get into a bind. It’s really quite

a scene,” Oscar said.

“Thanks a million for those encouraging words, Oscar,”

Charlie said sarcastically, “but I’ll be going now. I

have to come up with a plan before morning, or you won’t

have a chance to see me squawking up a storm anymore.”

Charlie used his wings to contemptuously punctuate Oscar’s

words with imaginary quotation marks.

“Really? Why is that?” Oscar asked.

“You really want to know?” Charlie hesitated, realizing

that he was about to spill his guts to a slow, flightless

sea turtle.

“Absolutely. Fire away,” Oscar said.

“Well, OK, here’s the deal. You see, the flock is starving

because the food court has become extremely competitive

now that there are so many of us. Everybody says

that I just make things worse when I try to solve their

problems. But dang it, if I see some gulls in trouble, I’ll be

damned if I’m not going to go in there and lend a hand,”

Charlie said.

“That’s admirable, Charlie, to care so much about

your work and the gulls that work for you,” Oscar observed.

“So what do you suppose the flock wants you to

do?”

“They want me to stop being me, I guess,” Charlie

moaned. “Either that or they want me to make food rain

down from heaven.”

“But why do you say they want you to stop being

you?”

“I’m not really sure. I know there are things I do that

frustrate everyone, but now it seems, with times as tight

as they are, that it’s taking everyone over the edge.”

“You’re taking them over the edge,” Oscar stated.

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Charlie said defensively.

“Seems to me you’re outnumbered in terms of who

wants who to change.”

“Well, I’ll give you that one,” Charlie replied as he

stared off into space. He was beginning to fret again about

what he was going to do with the flock.

“So, what’s the plan?” Oscar asked.

“Mine? I don’t have one. The gulls said they’re gonna

stick around for another month or so until the new chicks

grow up a bit and then they’re outta here. They’re all heading

back to live along the seashore.”

“That’s a shame.”

Charlie nodded quietly, a wilted look of defeat on

his face.

“Well, at least you have a month to do something

about it,” Oscar observed.

“Hardly. They’ve already made up their minds. Nothing

I do is going to change their minds.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Charlie snapped back. He was feeling

a bit fired up again, and he figured it must be because

Oscar was being such a moron.

“What would you say if I told you that I have something

you can take back to your flock that will regain

their trust and get them to stay when the month is over?”

Oscar asked.

“I’d say you’re crazy,” Charlie said, “unless maybe it’s

a warehouse filled with food.”

“Nope, don’t have that. I have something that will

feed your flock much longer than a warehouse filled with

food. In fact, it’ll feed your flock forever—or as long as

you’re willing to water the garden, so to speak.”

As annoying as he found Oscar’s beating around the

bush, Charlie couldn’t deny that his suggestion was intriguing.

“And what, exactly, do you have for me there,

turtle?”

“I’m glad you asked. What I have is the only way you

can expect to win back the support of your flock. You’ll

need to adopt the three virtues of superior managers.”

Charlie threw his wings across his belly and acted as

if he was going to throw up. “Oh, gawd! Which anointed

one decided that there are three virtues that will make me

a better manager? Was it you, swimming around in this

think tank of yours?”

Oscar couldn’t help but laugh, “No, Charlie, I had

to learn them myself before I could appreciate how im-

portant they are. I learned them from some friends of

mine—friends who live outside of this pool.” Oscar

continued: “You see, I used to be something of a ‘seagull

manager’ myself. I suppose I still am on rare occasions,

but back then I was having many of the same troubles

here in the pool that I’ve seen you having with your flock.

Then I learned the three virtues, and they flip-flopped my

approach to running this tank.”

Charlie remained skeptical but, to his own surprise,

felt compelled to ask, “And what are these three virtues of

yours, turtle?”

“They’re things that you—well anyone, really—need

to do as a manager,” Oscar said. “And the only reason you

aren’t doing them now is that you aren’t aware of them.”

Oscar finally had Charlie’s undivided attention.

“The first virtue is creating full-fledged expectations

for every member of your flock. The second is altering

your communication style so that it clicks. And the final

virtue is my personal favorite, though I have to admit it

was the hardest for me to learn: paws on performance. All

you need to do is learn ’em and use ’em, Charlie. They’ll

take care of the rest.” Lost in his own excitement, Oscar

had said a mouthful. He looked up and saw a blank look

on Charlie’s face.

Charlie cleared his throat, and the fire returned to

his eyes, “Well, that’s a nice little intellectual exercise

you’ve got going here in your turtle pool, but let me

tell you something—it ain’t gonna fly in the real world.

Travis Bradberr y

In the real world we have to compete for our food.

We don’t just get to swim around all day conjuring up

cockamamie theories while we wait for the attendants to

come and feed us.” Charlie was furious. He exited the

water and paced along the edge of the tank as he spoke,

“I’m out of here! I can’t believe I’ve wasted this much

time already.”

Oscar reached a flipper up over the pool’s edge in

front of Charlie, as if to stop him. “All right, Charlie,

but before you go, let me ask you one question,” he said

calmly.

Charlie threw his wings on his hips and tapped a

webbed foot impatiently while he waited for Oscar to

speak.

“Would you be willing to learn the three virtues of

superior managers if I can prove to you that they do work

in the real world?” Oscar asked.

Charlie remained there thinking for a moment. He

knew he was out of options, though he doubted this old

turtle had half a clue what he was talking about.

“What do you have to lose?” Oscar asked.

Charlie’s wings fell to his side, and his foot stopped

tapping, “All right, if you prove it, then I’ll try and learn

one of your virtues. But don’t waste my time, turtle! I’ve

got a lot of gulls relying on me.”

“Great! You won’t be disappointed. Tomorrow morning

I want you to go meet a friend of mine. She’s going to

show you how the first of the three virtues works in the

real world. Once she convinces you of that, she’ll show

you how to use it,” Oscar said.

“Who’s your friend, and where am I supposed to

meet her?” Charlie asked.

“Her name is Imata. She’s a sea otter. Just meet her

over at the Otter Encounter exhibit.”

“A sea otter? You can’t be serious,” Charlie’s worried

look quickly faded; for once, he had realized that his

fretting was not about the otter. “Tell me, turtle, what’s

the point of this plan of yours to show me the three

virtues of great managers? Why do you care whether I

change?”

Oscar was slow to respond, “I suppose there are a

couple of reasons. First off, your flock provides daily entertainment

for us here in the pool. As you can imagine, it

gets pretty boring for us swimming around and around in

a circle all day when we used to be free to roam the ocean.

Anyway, it’s pure comedy watching your flock dive-bomb

the humans to steal their food. We’d hate to see you all

go.”

“And the second reason?” Charlie asked with a wry

smile.

“I wouldn’t mind helping you, Charlie. You seem

like a good guy, now that I’ve had the chance to get to

know you a bit. And you’re really in a tight spot here with

the flock. I honestly believe that using the three virtues

will get you back on their good side. Permanently.”

Charlie was silent.

“Look, you’re just going to have to trust me, buddy—

it’s the only way I can help you,” said Oscar. “Just head

over to Otter Encounter first thing in the morning, and

you’ll see what I mean. Imata will be expecting you.” And

with that, Oscar drifted down deep into the murky water,

leaving Charlie alone to choose his fate.

Travis Bradberry

2011-08-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

“We’re hungry, Charlie. Nobody’s getting fed,” Scott

replied, glancing at the gaunt birds huddled on either side

of him.

Charlie scanned the flock of gaunt seagulls himself.

“Oh, man, just look at all of you! Are those dang sparrows

snatching all of our food?” he asked. The flock responded

with a profound silence. “Are you listening to me?” Charlie

demanded. “Don’t worry—you don’t need to worry—

just get to it. You guys can outwit any bird that’s leaving

you hungry. I know it.”

“Charlie, you’re not getting it,” Maya said as she

squeezed her way forward. “That bird—the one that’s

leaving us hungry—it’s you.” Like Scott, Maya had been

with the flock since its inception, and her wisdom and

insight were highly regarded. Unlike Scott, she was generally

understated, and her poignant allegation sent an

immediate murmur through the flock.

“Whoa? What? Me? ” Charlie stuttered, dumbfounded.

“I’m not the one who’s been eating all of your

food. I hardly even see all of you most days.”

“Well, that’s part of the problem, Charlie,” Maya said.

“What do you mean, exactly? How am I eating your

food if I’m not even here?” Charlie scratched his head

with the tip of his wing as he spoke.

Scott stepped back in, “You’re not literally eating our

food, Charlie. The problem is we don’t have enough food

to go around, and under your leadership things aren’t getting

any better.”

“How am I supposed to make sure everyone has

enough to eat when you don’t even tell me there’s not

enough food to go around?” Charlie asked indignantly.

“We’ve been trying to tell you for some time, actually,

but you just don’t listen to us. Kind of like tonight—you

assume you know what’s going on. It’s why we gathered

here, so we can talk to you about it.”

“All right, if that’s the way it is, then let’s hear what

I’m doing wrong,” Charlie continued. “I want to know

how I’m responsible for you all not getting enough to

eat.”

Yufan, a recent import from Taiwan who had joined

the flock (he’d become trapped in a shipping container

that was, fortunately for him, filled with cans of tuna,

although his beak was still a little dull from the journey),

stepped forward and asked if he could share the flock’s

example with Charlie. Heads nodded enthusiastically

around the semicircle. As Yufan prepared to speak, Charlie

felt a lump growing in his throat. Everyone is in on this

one, he thought.

“Charlie, you don’t understand the problems we’re

having with the food supply because you aren’t around

most of the time. You disappear until you see us squabbling

or we ask for your help, and then you come swooping

in out of nowhere and . . .”

“Well, I’m busy. Would you rather I followed you

around all day and fed you myself?” Charlie asked sarcastically.

There was a nervous shuffling of webbed feet until

Scott ventured, “Now, come on, Charlie, that’s not fair,

and it’s not even the point. Please allow Yufan to finish.”

Charlie held out the tips of his wings toward the

group, took a couple of steps backward, lowered his head,

and pursed his beak together tightly to let everyone know

that he would now keep it shut and hear them out.

“When you swoop in on us because we’re having a

problem with something,” Yufan continued, “you don’t

get the full story because you don’t even try. You’re too

busy squawking to listen.”

Scott joined in again. “Just like tonight. You go right

into telling us what to do like it’s all so simple and we’re

too stupid to know what to do.”

“Wait just a minute!” Charlie spat. “I never called

anyone stupid.”

Although some of the flock began to cower, Scott

wasn’t fazed. He knew Charlie well and had thought it

would come to this. “You’re right, Charlie, you didn’t.

But it sure feels like you think we’re stupid when you

swoop in out of nowhere and fire a bunch of orders at us

like we’re a bunch of hatchlings that can’t come up with

any worthwhile ideas on our own. And what’s worse is

that you take off and leave us behind to clean up your

mess.” Scott was on a roll and felt that he just might

be getting through to his seagull manager, “It’s like the

time—”

“Like when?” Charlie was through with listening

and back to butting in.

Yufan jumped in. “All right, Charlie, I know what he

was going to say. He’s talking about last Thursday afternoon.

Everybody remember that fat, hairy guy in the orange

tank top who bought his wife a super-sized plate of

nachos with jalapeños right before the food court closed?

The humans started to argue—something about she’s allergic

to jalapeños and he should’ve known better—and

then the two of them stormed off and left the nachos

right there on the table.”

“And?” Like most who are forced to endure a heap

of criticism, Charlie was growing more impatient by the

minute.

“And we all flew over there for the feast. But even

with that huge plate of nachos, there wasn’t enough room

for every gull to get his beak in there. So, we had to stop

eating and figure out what to do.”

“Yes, and . . .” Charlie beckoned, tapping his foot.

“And we weren’t sure what to do. There wasn’t enough

for everyone, and there wasn’t any other food available, so

we couldn’t just send some of the flock off to another

table. Plus, no one really had any kind of priority on the

nachos ’cause that couple just left them there.” Yufan finally

had Charlie’s attention. “We’re finding ourselves in

situations like these every day lately. That’s why so many

of us are going hungry.”

Charlie had calmed down considerably, “All right,

I see your point. That situation poses an interesting dilemma.

But I still don’t see what this has to do with my

management.”

“You don’t?” Maya blurted out in genuine amazement.

“No, I don’t. Is there some kind of connection between

me and your problem last Thursday?” Charlie

asked.

Yufan shook his head with disappointment. Behind

him, all the exasperated gulls rolled their eyes.

Naturally, Scott took over. “Well, Charlie, Maya

went off and found you so you could help us figure out

what to do with those nachos. You swooped in, landed

in the middle of the table, and shot off a bunch of orders

that didn’t do us any good. You said something glib, like

‘Whoever snatched these nachos gets to eat them, and

the rest of you need to go find your own food. There isn’t

enough for everybody.’ And then you grabbed a couple

for yourself and were gone. Poof ! It should’ve been problem

solved, but instead you left us right where we were

before, minus some nachos.”

“It also made me feel like a foolish hatchling—and

look like one to everyone else—when you told the flock

that I shouldn’t have come to get you and we should be

able to figure these things out on our own,” Maya said.

“We’d been sizing up our options for some time and were

planning on sharing our ideas and potential strategies

with you. But when you got there, you didn’t even give

them any consideration. You left us worse off than we

were before.”

“Ya, instead of helping us solve the problem, it was

like you, well, like you . . .” one of the gulls in the back

said, his voice trailing off nervously.

“Like I what?” Charlie barked.

“Like you pooped all over everything,” Scott piped

up reluctantly.

An almost audible hush fell over the flock.

Swallowing hard, Maya decided to back Scott and

drive the point home, “You pooped all over us and our

problem—you pooped on our ideas, you pooped on our

hard work, and then you just flew off and left us there to

clean up the mess. To clean up your mess.”

Charlie felt as if he’d just taken a crushing physical

blow. Seagulls pooped on people intentionally to demonstrate

their superiority. It was unthinkable that one gull

would ever do such a thing to another gull.

Charlie’s body began to feel heavy as he stood there,

motionless, in the midst of the deafening silence. The

sting of his flock’s feedback made it hard to think straight.

He was failing them, and he didn’t know what to do. Finally,

with all eyes still fixed intently upon him, Charlie

spoke, “OK. I see how it is. You’ve made your point loud

and clear. I’m outta here.”

And with those words, Charlie flew away.

How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results

2011-08-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

To all of us, for those moments when we find ourselves swooping in on a problem, squawking up a storm, and flapping our wings about, only to discover that we have just pooped all over everything . . .

The Seagull Manager :

For as long as he could remember, Charlie had been

flying high at work. When he shared this sentiment with

others, most forgave the pun—not just because Charlie

was a seagull, but, quite simply, because he was a seagull

who truly loved his job. And up until recently, it was an

easy job to love. As the head gull in a flock whose sole undertaking

was pillaging the food court of a marine theme

park in Southern California, he felt business was a genuine

pleasure.

Many years earlier, Charlie’s flock had lived with the

rest of their breed at the seashore. Charlie was well known

among the gulls because he was gutsy and passionate, and

his head was always swimming with ideas. One day he

shared a fascinating vision of a place where a little ingenuity

would ensure their prosperity. Charlie had seen the Travis Bradberr y

place firsthand, and many of the gulls returned day after

day to hear him talk about it. In time, the cocksure leader

convinced a group of them to break away from the petty,

pecking grind at the seashore and join him to form their

own flock in a place they knew only as the food court.

When the new flock landed at the marine park, they

found that the food court was even better than they had

imagined. All of the food there was fattening and easy to

come by; the unsuspecting humans were no match for the

gulls’ aggressive dive-bombing. For years the resourceful

gulls enjoyed a life of abundance, snatching food from

unsuspecting tourists by day and roosting safely on a

craggy hillside at night. While the other flocks back at the

seashore battled the pelicans and humans for the ocean’s

dwindling supply of clever, speedy fish, Charlie’s flock

enjoyed a generous supply of tasty grub brought to them

daily by the patrons of the food court.

And no gull in the flock knew more than Charlie

about when, where, and how a gull could nab a hearty

meal. Charlie was so good at eating that the flock named

him their manager. Not that there was much for him to

manage. There was so much food around that keeping

the flock content and their bellies full was easy. For the

longest time, Charlie didn’t have to worry much about

keeping everyone happy.

Nowadays, things were decidedly different.

At first, there was the odd baby pecking out of an

egg here and there, but the babies grew quickly. Soon, the newest members of the flock had hatchlings of their own.

In what felt like no time at all, the flock’s size tripled.

Unfortunately, the food court did not.

The marine park continued to be a popular place,

but only so many sunburned tourists could squeeze

into the food court at one time. Initially, the flock’s new

mouths to feed were welcomed with open wings because

there was plenty of food to go around, but it was only a

matter of time before abundance and prosperity gave way

to bickering over who got to peck first at an abandoned

plate of nachos.

In the old days, a squabble among flock members

wouldn’t last long—some of the birds would simply move

on to the next ready meal. As time and change transformed

food into a scarce commodity, the squabbles became more

frequent and more dramatic. With each passing month,

the food supply became increasingly inadequate, and the

gulls’ hunger eroded the camaraderie of the team.

When the latest hatchlings reached maturity, Charlie

still felt he was doing an excellent job running the show.

He filled his days with the same essential activities he always

had—negotiating the boundaries of marine park turf

with other birds, resolving conflicts between flock members,

undertaking an occasional grunt mission to divebomb

unsuspecting children and snatch their sweets, and

(for stress relief ) dropping precision-guided munitions

down the backs of shirtless sightseers. It was business as

usual for Charlie, and he loved it.

That is, until he returned to roost one blustery evening
and found the flock in the middle of a heated discussion.
Charlie overheard small snippets of their conversation—
something to do with concerns about the food
supply—and he immediately mistook their debate for
bickering. As he was prone to do, Charlie was squawking
orders before his feet even touched the ground. He
landed in the middle of the flock, flapped his wings like
crazy to back them off, and finished with a tirade that
supposedly held the best course of action.
Usually, when Charlie finished “solving” the problem,
he would fly off to his next responsibility, leaving
little opportunity for discussion. But on this night, with
all the gulls gathered together in the roost, he had nowhere
else to go. Charlie’s slow realization of this fact
created an awkward silence. He strutted around with his
chest puffed out and wings pulled back long after he had
run out of things to say. He looked at the faces surrounding
him and realized they didn’t hold the usual array of
befuddled looks. Instead, the gulls looked strangely determined,
almost as if they were expecting this.
Scott stepped forward. He was the flock’s top performer,
and his glossy coat of feathers and stout frame were a stark
contrast to the emaciated gulls behind him. Scott had been
with the flock since the beginning, and he was not one to
mince words, “Charlie, we’ve got a serious problem here.”
“Really? What’s the matter?” Charlie asked, assuming
there had been some type of accident.