I'm getting ready for work this morning and I realize that I don't *have* to. HiSign will be there to open the store. I do need to run some errands, but (for the most part) they are not time sensitive.
The fact that there are days I don't have to be "on time" any longer are hard for me. I'm so ingrained in my routine that I bristle at merely suggested changes in it. I am trying to get used to it all, but it's going to take time. Given an incident that happened yesterday at the store while I was not there, that makes it all the more difficult for me to let go as much as folks want me to. When I'm there, the regulars know what they can (and can't) get away with . When I'm not, like all folks, these regulars push the boundaries of those we've left in charge of the place. That's part of growth and change for a business such as ours. It's also a tendency I'm going to have to step on the neck of quickly, it seems. *sigh*
Beyond that, not much is happening. Errands, and if I can fit it in, taking a lovely lady out to lunch...
-- GopherDave
Dave,
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher I would encourage you to have a printed list of rules up in your store. That way, even if you are not there, the employee can refer to the rules. Essentially, you have to back your employees 100% when they make a call. If things are clear and explicit, then it becomes non confrontational.
Additionally, perhaps a schedule would be helpful. As someone who goes down the slippery slope of "I don't have to do this right now." Having a schedule helps me stay on track. IE I play Mordhiem every wednesday night. I don't always want to go but I find that I enjoy myself more when I make myself do it.
Just trying to help, best of luck,
Dave
I support these words about printed lists of rules wholeheartedly. All the bonus points if it's an explicit contract that your regulars feel they've developed (i.e. you've had the "what rules do you guys think we need?" conversation and drawn up the contract and had it signed by everyone who was involved in that conversation ASAP after having it). My drama classes ran very smoothly in part because everyone knew (or rather felt) they'd gotten to choose the rules. Even though I'd been the one to call exactly what they said, and worked in a few that had conveniently not been thought of.
DeleteYeah, Loq and I have thought about putting up a list of rules, but we're having some difficulty putting something together that doesn't seem too... restrictive.
DeleteMaybe we should just paraphrase Bill and Ted and hang a sign that says "Be Excellent To Each Other", but then we would have to post potential consequences for "non-Excellent" behavior.
Hmmmm... that actually doesn't sound like a half-bad way to put this all together...
-- GD
1. "Don't be an asshole." (I heard that somewhere...)
ReplyDelete2. "If you are not having fun, you are doing it wrong." (I've tried to say this for a while now.)
3. "If the people you are with are not having fun, you are doing it wrong." (A new one that I'm working on.)
4. "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything." (My mom still pushes this one.)