If you are familiar with flying, when the pilot is ready for departure, the air hostesses close the doors and colleagues cross check to ensure that the doors are secured properly and that it is safe to fly. I can’t remember an instance when a door wasn’t closed properly but in any case this is a safety measure used by all airlines and it seems to work. There is no offence taken in being asked to check a colleagues’ work nor is it a sole responsibility or burden of one person. The Unit is cohesive and the job gets done.
I totally believe in independence and the ability to work on your own or working with minimal assistance but professionally I believe in Cross Check…peer reviews for correctness. I can think of several roles where immediate cross check by peers is possible or even necessary (e.g nurses). Many businesses may have this mode of operation or your workplace might heavily promote independent working or some might simply don’t care once the job is done. It may be a good idea to find out before hand the kind of working environment/system is implemented beforehand or early on to avoid misinterpretation. In some places peer reviews may suggest incompetence or something negative even if it’s not the case. We all have our own views or perspectives and what may be good and healthy for you may not necessarily sit well with your bosses. Even if your approach to accomplishing tasks is the “right thing” that may not matter if it’s not pleasing to your boss and could cost you your job. At this time of Covid 19 or any other time, keeping your job may be you ultimate priority and you may be forced to make adjustments.
In changing jobs, I have faced the task before of adjusting to different modes of operandi. I’ve functioned independently, embraced the “cross check” method and the whole range in between. In the end it was always about getting the job done…Cross Check!
