19
Overheard a shift lead say good managers stay out of the way
Last Friday at our diner in Portland, I caught our shift lead telling a new hire that the best managers just stay out of the way until something breaks. I've been a server for 6 years and honestly thought good managers were the ones hovering and checking every table. But watching that shift lead handle a 40-person rush without micromanaging made me rethink my whole approach to asking for help. Do you all prefer bosses who step in only when needed, or do you want them more visible during the chaos?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
the_jason13d ago
But isn't the real trick knowing when staying out of the way is actually a choice and not just laziness? I've had managers who vanished during a rush and then popped up at the end to take credit, and that's worse than a hoverer any day. The shift lead you watched probably earned the trust to step back because they'd already fixed the small stuff earlier, like making sure the expo station was stocked or that the new guy knew the table numbers. The problem is most people can't tell the difference between a manager who's watching and waiting versus one who's hiding in the office on their phone. So maybe the question isn't visible or not, but whether they're actually paying attention when they're not in your face.
4