12/18/2012–Luck=opportunity + preparation.
I’m going back to my home store for good. 1st I get to help this location run shifts for a month or so, but then I’m back home. Good thing I’d been thinking about what I’d do if they asked me for 3 weeks now. Otherwise I might’ve been too unsure to say yes and the chance would’ve passed. Liz isn’t happy; I don’t blame her. If it were anywhere but home I might’ve said no right away. I definitely would’ve asked Liz, Kyle and Joe how they felt also. But when family and the band are waiting I can’t say no. Kyle won’t let me tell the staff out of fear they might be distracted. I had to say goodbye to the crew I’ve managed first in my life. When I come to visit, it will be to see them.
I couldn’t have asked to be in a better place to start my management career. Working under Kyle has probably been the most beneficial part, learning how a high “c” boss is seen by the employees. As a high “c” it helped me identify my own faults and now I know to make an effort to display good high “I” behaviors, which Kyle lacks. Working with Joe made me appreciate JD and his kitchen even more. It also showed me how high “S” behaviors–unbound–can drain productivity. “S” is for “sensitive” and those falling in this quadrant of DISC are the ones who bake for the team. They are reserved (not assertive) and people oriented (not task oriented). Mr. Rogers is an example. Joe tries to make his people happy and like him. Joe doesn’t want to be a hard boss–and he exceeds there. But when quality slips he loses that respect. High “S” is great when times are good, but they are vulnerable against headwind. Liz is more of a “C” than anything, though not off the charts like Kyle. With three reserved managers, I tried to be assertive to balance the team. The result was that the employees felt like the managers all worked well together and “evened each other out”. I’ll look to transpose this idea to teams I build. I’ll miss Brookfield like crazy, and will apply everything I learned in Indy. No time to describe all I learned now, as I must arrange to move out in 2 days.
QOTW: “You guys should have that in the manual…” –Emily
?FNW: Is Skokie as good as everyone says?
11/11/2017–A great lesson for DISC: “The High S excels when times are good, but is vulnerable against headwind.”