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Author Topic: First Day As Assistant Manager, It's Today!!! Wish Me Luck Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-01-2004 10:26 PM                     Well, my first day as Assistant Manager of a Drive-In/Swap Shop will be next Tuesday. Any help would be appreciated for advice on things to do or say to the staff. I don't want to be their friend, but I want to be a fair manager too. I have never managed before, but I know with help I can get the hang of things. Hey, everyone had a first time! So, any help or advice on being a manager(ex. handling employees,customer complaints, employee behavior, etc.) will really help. I am projectionist too, so I have extra responsibility doing that. My manager/boss is a very experienced projectionist and is familiar with FT. However, my main duty will be taking much of his current burden off of him so he can handle other matters. I will be in charge of the concession and box office by myself on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Thursdays - Saturdays, I will be working together with my manager/boss. Next Tuesday is my first day, I will be working with him and he will be showing me the ropes on Tues and Wednesday and through the weekend next week. I will start by myself that following weekend. Thanks Richard  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 12-01-2004 10:40 PM                     Well first of all congratulations Richard! I'm sure you'll be able to handle it fine. One piece of advice I can give you, and I know that most of F-T is going to disagree with me, is to be the employees friend. I'm not saying to let them get away with everything and be the manager that everyone knows they can run over. I'm saying that I think you should do what I do. Make them feel comfortable working with you and treat them as equals and as part of the theater team as a whole. You are just another part of the team, but youre one of the captains of the team. You dont have to put yourself above people, and have a holier than thou attitude, just to be respected. Those kind of people get the least respect from me. You can gain the respect of the employees by letting your experience take over in tough situations, like when its really busy, or a customer complaint, or a booth problem. Its pretty obvious that you have more experience than the employees, otherwise they would have been given the job. The trick is to use that experience and establish yourself as a leader. Still part of the team, but a leader. Its OK to be their friend!!! I dont care what anyone says about that, you shouldnt either.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-01-2004 10:42 PM                     The GM that hired me warned me not to be their friend too I am naturally a friendly person, but being nice does help sometimes.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 12-01-2004 10:54 PM                     You'll have a tough time at first most likely. A lot of the time when a new manager comes on board, especially when it's someone the staff has never heard of you'll have to put up with a lot of back talk, uncertainty, insubordination, and in some cases they'll try and make you look like a bumbling idiot. The key to all this, as mentioned above, is to allow your experience to proove yourself. Try not to get too flustered with it because it can be very annoying but rather, be pleasant, and roll with the punches. If a subordinate gives you crap you have to remain pleasent, firm, and unwaivering. Never let them get away with something you know they shouldn't because once you do you'll be stepped on forever. You'll always get good results from good employees when you're firm without being rude and having an attitude about it. The bad ones who don't straighten up tend to work themselves out. Your boss is right though, don't be their friend. Their friend is someone they can get away with things with. But a good manager is someone they respect and enjoy working with. All the rules of being a good coworker still apply, but you've got to ballance it by setting a good example. So, no off-color Hillary Duff comments  |  IP: Logged David Yauch Expert Film Handler Posts: 206 From: Mesa, AZ, USA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 12-01-2004 11:21 PM                     There's a limit to the whole friend thing, as others have stated. Don't go hanging around with them outside of work, you gave up that privelage by becoming their boss. Do not let them break rules, even if no one else is going to find out. Do, however, be a fair manager. If your GM doesn't want you to become friends with them, then that's what you need to listen to, because he is YOUR boss, he hired you, and thats how he wants his business run.  |  IP: Logged Chase Hanson Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 12-02-2004 03:20 AM                     Agree with Jeremy 99.99% You can be friendly with someone, without being their friend. Just as you can be someones superior without acting superior. If its a theater youve been working at: Get ready to make lotsa enemies fast, your peers are not going to adjust well to being your subordinates. They will re-warm up to you once they realise that you are the same person you always were, just working in a different capacity. If its a theater you havent worked at: You are new, new is a change, change is bad...unless its back to the way it was before. -Generously apply that friendly attitude to everyone, if their first impression of you is a warm greeting and a smile they are going to know the answer to their first question about you "Is this guy cool or a dick?" -You learn before you teach. You are most likely stepping into a pretty well oiled machine, so take a few minutes on your first couple shifts to observe the pre-established teamwork see who does what, when and where. This is a great time to take mental notes on who naturally gravitates towards what tasks. -Roll up your sleeves. History has demonstrated that leaders who are willing to share the burden are more respected than those who dont.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-02-2004 10:21 AM                     CONGRATULATIONS!!! Richard Good luck on your new job. When I was in theatre management years ago and was assigned a new theatre to work. I would go to the theatre a few days or a week before as a patron. Just to see what kind of operation I was being assigned too. That's if I've never been to that theatre. I would just go in as a patron, buy my ticket and go to the snackbar and buy a coke & a popcorn and enjoy the show. Then you can see how their staff treats their patrons and what kind of show they put on the screen.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 12-02-2004 11:33 AM                     Congratulations Richard.  |  IP: Logged Chris Brown Expert Film Handler Posts: 105 From: Fairport, NY, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-02-2004 11:36 AM                        Hey Richard. I understand your concerns...I was in a similar situation when I first got promoted a few years back. It was at the same theatre I'd been working at for over a year and I was just 18 at the time, so at first it was difficult dealing with the staff. The key I think is to find that fine line between them respecting you and your authority, and not letting them get away with murder. I've found that the best way to do this is some kind of disciplinary measure (I dont know about your theatre, but we have a 4 step write up process). Just enough to make them know that you deserve the respect, but at the same time, they dont think you're a total asshole either. I will admit, it will be difficult at first. But after a few months, you'll settle into it. Good luck!  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-02-2004 01:41 PM                     No matter what you do, the first 3-6 months will be awkward for you. One of the best tips I can give you is to ask people to do things, not order them to do things. For example: Hey Peter, would you please sweep up that popcorn spill? ...as opposed to... Peter, go sweep up that popcorn spill. It really does make a ton of difference in how your employees will treat you. If you respect them, they will respect you. Now if you want to add a little Scott Neff to your management style, you can always say... Hmmmmm, say Peter, do you think you could make that floor, ummmm, not dirty please? Also remember, THEY are the ones on the front lines. Always support them.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-02-2004 07:17 PM                     So are you dealing with just the drive-in aspect of the business or are you going to be handling the swap meet as well? If you're dealing with the swap as well, THAT will blow your mind.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-02-2004 08:23 PM                       Drive-ins are fun. And yours should be running a good intermission clock. Especially if they've been without one for 20 years or more.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-02-2004 08:46 PM                        I'd love to work at a drive-in someday, even if it's just for one night. Does your DI run year-round in Florida? I've seen Tim's clock and it's very good--and the new prints look gorgeous. Much better than the splicy old ones that most drive-ins use.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 12-02-2004 09:09 PM                  Congrats Richard! Like the others, I'd like to work at a drive-in too. BUT! NOT for the resaons they cited... I just want to catch teenagers in the cars having sex and take photos!  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-02-2004 09:10 PM                        Another thing that bugs me about some managers/supervisors is the power trip that they don't realize that they're on. You can recognize these managers instantly when they say things like "In 5 minutes I'll get you a break" or "I'm going to move you over to concessions" or "I need you in concessions", etc. As you can see by statements like that, it's all about the manager/supervisor who's doing the talkin'. It gives a subliminal message that he (thinks) he controls everything that can be controlled. Don't do that. Instead, try to say things like "In 5 minutes you'll be able to take a break" or "Could you please move over to concessions?". That way it's not all about you, it involves them and helps make them feel like maybe, just maybe they actually might exist. Also just in case you didn't already figure it out, thank your employees even when they do something you ask, such as "Hey Shaniquiarolandwetta, would you please empty the trash?" to which she replies "Sure" or "OK" and then begins to go and then you simply respond "Thanks". Yes, it's their job to do it, but thanking them makes them feel like a wee bit less of a drone. Don't go out of the way to make your authority known unless you have to!  |  IP: Logged

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