Management, the dreaded positions where a rock and a hard place seem a bit more comfortable; the successful candidate knows how to get the best work out of his/her people. A psychologist, mediator, counselor and policy enforcer, a manger must balance the different hats it takes to be a great leader. There is also the bottom line to be considered where "Show me the money!" is crucial in today's economy. How does a person balance being pulled in every direction and maintain his/her sanity? Patience is the best weapon against the constant strain mixed with a little selfishness.
In the restaurant business, there are challenges each day. Increasing guest traffic, up-selling every appetizer, alcoholic beverage and dessert, ensuring every guest is highly satisfied. A manager must decide which of the components to educate the staff on each and every day. A good manager will simply tell them what to do, expecting them to get results no matter what. A great manager will undoubtedly teach the staff successful techniques in performing these tasks with a high level of confidence. Practice and role-play will be tools that this manager will use and he will not stop until he is highly satisfied that his staff is onboard with the ideas presented to them. This is where patience, a great deal of it, is critical to the team's success.
The selfishness aspect can and will backfire in the face of even the best managers. Again, balancing this element and knowing when to utilize it will be a great benefit to keeping one's sanity. There is an inner voice that will speak up when things get out of control. The good manager will show her frustration at the wrong time, when a host needs a day off and interrupts the manager discussing shift strategies with a key employee for example. A teenager first, an employee second, the host has very little self-awareness and is not cognizant of her behavior. Barging in on a conversation then is not a big deal to a 17 year old. The good manager loses her cool and yells at the disrespectful kid. Word spreads that the manager is mean, cruel and any number of profane words that come to mind. That can be a detrimental hole to dig out from for the manager all because selfishness was not used properly.
Using the same scenario, a great manager will feel the frustration build inside her. The opportunity to coach at that moment is of paramount importance. A look from the manager to the interrupting host tells the teenager that this is not the time to discuss scheduling issues. A few words of encouragement are spoken by the manager letting the employee that it is ok to come to her. However, the timing of her needs does not coincide with the needs of the manager. Thus a boundary has been established and the employee now knows that she must be aware of her own behavior before disrupting someone's conversation. The selfishness factor can save the manager from undue torment and will benefit her in the long run.
There is no secret to being a great manager; the position is challenging and yet can be mastered by those willing to put forth the needs of others. Patience and selfishness go hand in hand. Knowing the right moment to use both; that's the true secret. It is innate in those managers who are successful.
