Ariel Intermission: The Good Boss Model: PCIR

Without making a fuss Peg dropped a Nerf gun on Debra’s desk with a note: “If anyone at work, or any of your relatives gives you any crap, shoot them with this!” A small, funny gesture that acknowledged what Debra was going through. Peg couldn’t remove Debra’s anxiety but she did notice, empathize and reach out in a supportive way.

From a distance Peg could seem a little severe and stern. She managed five production editors who produced a total of 150 professional journals. It was a high-pressure, deadline-driven environment and emotions could often run high.

Debra, a reliable and high-output editor was about to get married, and the pressure of looming publication dates and looming high-maintenance relatives was getting to her. She kept it all together but Peg noticed something was up.

Without making a fuss Peg dropped a Nerf gun on Debra’s desk with a note: “If anyone at work, or any of your relatives gives you any crap, shoot them with this!” A small, funny gesture that acknowledged what Debra was going through. Peg couldn’t remove Debra’s anxiety but she did notice, empathize and reach out in a supportive way.

Unknowingly, Peg was using a framework for employee engagement we at Ariel call the PCIR Model. It stands for being Present, Caring, Inspiring and Rigorous:

• Peg was Present enough to notice not just whether the deadlines were being met but also what else was going on with a key employee.
• She was Caring in her small gesture that inspired loyalty in Debra.
• She was Inspiring in her confidence in Debra to get through all the pressure and achieve her usual levels of success.
• And finally she was Rigorous. She didn’t let the deadlines slip or accept sloppy work. She held Debra accountable but gave her the encouragement and understanding that allowed her to relax and handle the extra pressure.

We teach this model and I try to employ it internally with my staff. Think about how you manage your team (or how you are managed) and ask the following questions based on the PCIR model. Are you a Peg? Is your boss?

The PCIR Model

• Are you Present? Do you bring your full energy and focus to the conversation?
• Are you Caring? Do you make personal connections with your direct reports and demonstrate that you care for them?
• Are you Inspiring? Do you authentically share a compelling vision for the company and/or for your direct reports?
• And are you Rigorous? Do you hold your direct reports accountable for specific behaviors? Are you both courageous and careful in giving feedback?

We also have a mini paper assessment available for download that you can use to rate how well you used PCIR in a given situation or conversation. The first page allows you to rate yourself, the second is for your direct report to rate you.