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I love my job! (warning- long)
Technically we aren't allowed to talk about work, but somehow anonymously posting about how much I love my job doesn't seem like something I can get canned for. And I think I absolutely have the best Store Manager, ever.
brief background-
My last job as a manager was so miserable, that when I finally quit I was a total empty shell of my former self. I am typically very outgoing, very confident and a natural leader. My prevoius employer/company/store manager had managed to completely strip that away.
So, when I started working where I work now, I was very timid. I always asked for instructions, worried I was doing things wrong, and refused to take initiative (something that got me verbally flogged at my former job).
But here- encouragement! My 90 day review came up, and my boss told me how impressed he was with me. He gave me the highest score he'd ever given anyone in a 90 day..and enumerated all the things I had done to earn that score. He told me what he wanted to see from me so that I could achieve the next point up- the highest score possible in our company. When I thanked him for my review- he told me not to thank him- because he hadn't done me any favors- I earned it!
Both he, and the assistant managers encouraged me to be a leader. They have nurtured me and have been giving me management training. At one point, I had some trouble with another employee- which seriously concerned me because I knew the Store Manager was friends with her. Did I get reprimanded? NO! I was told to keep doing what I was doing. I was doing everything that was expected of me, and that if anyone ever gave me a hard time, I was to ignore it unless he, himself, asked me to change my behavior. And, I later found out, all the managers had been defending me when they noticed this girl going at me or complaining about me.
Additionally, we have been having troubles in other areas in our store. The boss has been coming to me asking what I feel causes these things and what I would do differently to fix it/what I observe that is different when he runs the store. Now, I had been asked those kinds of questions in my old job, but usually it was a sand trap to get me in some sort of trouble. I wondered aloud how much I was allowed to say- and he replied that I could say anything I wanted- he wanted to know what I was thinking so that he could coach others- not tell them what I said. I know that at least partially, he is using this to coach *me* but it feels so great to have my advice listened to and know that it will also go towards the betterment of our store.
When I thanked him today for our conversation, he told me that he hoped we could have the kind of relationship where we didn't need to thank one another for our talks. I almost cried. I have never had a retail manager be so respectful and try so hard to help me be the best employee I can be.
I couldn't help but tell him today how much working for our company has meant to me and how much he and the others had done to bring back my confidence!
I love my job! I don't know that he realizes it, but I want to be a great manager like my boss someday...maybe even better.
And- I did achieve that high score! I found out from the boss that they had a huge manager's meeting- and all the managers were asked who their top score employees were. Nobody else had a top score employee...he got to make a presentation- and it was all about me! I am now just awaiting an opening so that I can be a manager. I know it will be soon; the boss told me; "things will be getting better for you around here." happy-
brief background-
My last job as a manager was so miserable, that when I finally quit I was a total empty shell of my former self. I am typically very outgoing, very confident and a natural leader. My prevoius employer/company/store manager had managed to completely strip that away.
So, when I started working where I work now, I was very timid. I always asked for instructions, worried I was doing things wrong, and refused to take initiative (something that got me verbally flogged at my former job).
But here- encouragement! My 90 day review came up, and my boss told me how impressed he was with me. He gave me the highest score he'd ever given anyone in a 90 day..and enumerated all the things I had done to earn that score. He told me what he wanted to see from me so that I could achieve the next point up- the highest score possible in our company. When I thanked him for my review- he told me not to thank him- because he hadn't done me any favors- I earned it!
Both he, and the assistant managers encouraged me to be a leader. They have nurtured me and have been giving me management training. At one point, I had some trouble with another employee- which seriously concerned me because I knew the Store Manager was friends with her. Did I get reprimanded? NO! I was told to keep doing what I was doing. I was doing everything that was expected of me, and that if anyone ever gave me a hard time, I was to ignore it unless he, himself, asked me to change my behavior. And, I later found out, all the managers had been defending me when they noticed this girl going at me or complaining about me.
Additionally, we have been having troubles in other areas in our store. The boss has been coming to me asking what I feel causes these things and what I would do differently to fix it/what I observe that is different when he runs the store. Now, I had been asked those kinds of questions in my old job, but usually it was a sand trap to get me in some sort of trouble. I wondered aloud how much I was allowed to say- and he replied that I could say anything I wanted- he wanted to know what I was thinking so that he could coach others- not tell them what I said. I know that at least partially, he is using this to coach *me* but it feels so great to have my advice listened to and know that it will also go towards the betterment of our store.
When I thanked him today for our conversation, he told me that he hoped we could have the kind of relationship where we didn't need to thank one another for our talks. I almost cried. I have never had a retail manager be so respectful and try so hard to help me be the best employee I can be.
I couldn't help but tell him today how much working for our company has meant to me and how much he and the others had done to bring back my confidence!
I love my job! I don't know that he realizes it, but I want to be a great manager like my boss someday...maybe even better.
And- I did achieve that high score! I found out from the boss that they had a huge manager's meeting- and all the managers were asked who their top score employees were. Nobody else had a top score employee...he got to make a presentation- and it was all about me! I am now just awaiting an opening so that I can be a manager. I know it will be soon; the boss told me; "things will be getting better for you around here." happy-