12th June 2013, 09:15 PM
Worked with a guy who used a sharpened mattock to clean sections - surprisingly good, too!
As for Supervisors digging rather than delegating, remember that for most of the 20th century the US Army armed its soldiers with a 30-06 rapid-firing rifle (200yd effective range without telescopic sights, 500+yards with them) and its officers with the Colt .45 ACP (inaccurate beyond 20ft, but able to stop a rhino). The reason was simple - a Lieutenant who was busy attacking the enemy was not doing his primary role of tracking the tactical situation and directing his men to achieve their mission! The sidearm was just there as a last resort. We may all like to get out and dig all day, but if you're in charge you have other tasks that shouldn't be neglected nor carried out in unpaid spare time. Sure, if it's wet you may want to be seen to share the misery, but do it while directing the actions of those you supervise! And don't be afraid to take time record-checking - the record is the whole reason why we dig. After all, once we've destroyed the features, the record is all that's left...
As for Supervisors digging rather than delegating, remember that for most of the 20th century the US Army armed its soldiers with a 30-06 rapid-firing rifle (200yd effective range without telescopic sights, 500+yards with them) and its officers with the Colt .45 ACP (inaccurate beyond 20ft, but able to stop a rhino). The reason was simple - a Lieutenant who was busy attacking the enemy was not doing his primary role of tracking the tactical situation and directing his men to achieve their mission! The sidearm was just there as a last resort. We may all like to get out and dig all day, but if you're in charge you have other tasks that shouldn't be neglected nor carried out in unpaid spare time. Sure, if it's wet you may want to be seen to share the misery, but do it while directing the actions of those you supervise! And don't be afraid to take time record-checking - the record is the whole reason why we dig. After all, once we've destroyed the features, the record is all that's left...