Working in retail has really changed me and how I think about life. It is true that I am an optimist and an idealist to a fault, but those traits are overshadowed by the way I now react because of my experience working as a retail manager. I have been at my current job for a year now, and I have been the acting manager for six months.
Being a manager comes with a lot of responsibility. When you work under someone else, you can look out for yourself. But when you have people working for you, you have a duty towards nurturing them and their talents. I see myself as a natural leader, but I really had to come into my own when I first got promoted to the position. I didn't have any aspirations toward becoming a manager. I was offered it and so I accepted it.
Looking back, I really should have thought about the decision more. I said "yes" without weighing my options. Do the pros outweigh the cons?
Just like the food industry, retail workers deserve more credit than they are given for what they do and have to deal with on a daily basis. The higher up you go in the chain, the easier it becomes to be and feel overburdened by everything.
It has been six months and though I've grown, I still have a long way to go. I know being manager has taught me a lot:
1. People show their true selves when they don't get what they want
We want what we want, but we won't always get it. Some people cannot accept this as the truth in their reality and so they fight you. You can tell a lot about a person by how they react to not getting their way. When people don't get what they want, they will be their most real.
2. It's okay to walk away from a difficult person
When someone is intentionally difficult before you even begin interacting, it is okay to breathe and take a moment to process what just happened. Sometimes the best option is to walk away from the source of stress. Other times, it's okay to keep moving on around it because time is moving on, despite how you feel. If you can, you should step away from a difficult person. Maintain a semblance of sanity.
3. Keep work at work
Don't bring work home with you. Being on the clock means being the most productive you can be at the job. Once you clock out, you don't have to take on any other work-related problems. It is your problem when you are in charge, but after that, it's only your problem if you allow it to be. Have separate mindsets between your business and personal lives.
4. Being respectful doesn't mean allowing others to walk all over you
Everyone is allowed to have their own opinions. Opinions are not facts. You are not what they make of you. You don't have to bend to their whims. It is your job, they don't work there.
5. The customer is *not* always right
Allow customers to argue, but don't let any of them get away with imposing their way onto you. They want things and will behave in a manner that might get them what they want. Words are words. They only take on meaning when put together in a way that makes sense to others. Don't let a customer push their version of being right onto you.
6. You can argue with a customer
Arguing is not a shouting match. It is an exchange of views about a specific stance surrounding an issue. Persuasion can happen in either direction. Arguing is not bad. It can help with getting a better understanding of how people think.
7. You don't owe anyone a service
Do not give in to impossible demands. Just because you offer services, doesn't mean you are obligated to provide certain people those services. Customers choose the store. They are not forced into that choice.
8. Honesty, especially when harsh, is exactly what employees need from their boss
9. Establish clear boundaries with employees from the start
10. Being selfish is the key to winning and surviving every day
You have to preserve yourself: your mental health, your physical health, your energy, your time, etc. Think of you as the most important person. If you are not 100%, how will your team perform?
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