10/23/2012–Develop everyone, all the time
I missed an opportunity this week. A dedicated, multi-functional host put in his two weeks. He performs a vital function in the restaurant–GSA–in addition to doing various clearing and maintenance. There are a few factors at play; first, he wants to be a server but has not prepared himself, so he feels neglected. This was compounded as he watched two other people get promoted to another position he wanted. Second, he was or is in a relationship with a co-worker and did not expect/respond well to the inevitable drama that ensued. Basically, the rest of the staff started noticing them talking to each other too often, when they should’ve been working. While I believe they talk too much, I also think people only saw it once they started dating publicly, which made it more noticeable. I explained to the two that it’s their choice to date, but a workplace relationship comes with added responsibility and the previously described downside (among others). I think my telling him this was a major factor in his decision to leave. I will be more careful next time before I handle this situation. His given reason was that he wanted a more set schedule so he could budget his money. The way I know he lied is because he never mentioned money before and instead of asking for it, he went straight to quitting. I tried to convince him to stay but he’s already checked out. On the bright side, I get to interview/develop someone new! Considering the host stand is my biggest area of opportunity this is an invaluable chance to put in place a rock whom I’ve selected and molded into the ideal GSA (and I know what that looks like–Liz Kizewski).
After a few weeks off O3s, they’re back. I scheduled one each day of the week on the next schedule–a system I plan to repeat if practical. I bought dividers and a separate binder–look who’s organized. Also, organizing my time in a calendar has proven effective, though I’ve yet to stick to it a full day. Simply thinking of tasks for the day just puts it in your mind to be productive–and it just happens. Can’t wait to see what it’s like to actually stick to a calendar…
QOTW: “The veterans love that you do O3s. They feel like you really care.” -Erika
?FNW: Will Schaumburg like me? They want to trade for me.
11/12/2017 review–It’s much easier said than done, but the title “develop everyone all the time” is what the effective manager does. My fault was not proactively discussing his progress with each of my direct reports. At times, one employee will be progressing faster than another, but all employees need consistent, measured development plans in order to ensure their value to the company is at least keeping pace with what’s needed to remain competitive. From the employee’s perspective, I’ve never met one who didn’t enjoy growth, even if only after the fact (some have been really adverse to the beginning–it’s uncomfortable!).