the age old cliche: "it's hard to find good help"

[Upst8]

I prefer to only promote or advance employees from within but I’m running out of options. I need a manager. Someone who has my back, is responsible, and trustworthy. As hard as it is to find someone like that, I feel like the real challenge will be getting my guys (cooks, pizza makers, drivers) who have been with me for years to take orders from a new guy. Opinions? experiences? success? Failures? Same frustration?

 

[Steve]

I prefer to only promote or advance employees from within but I’m running out of options. I need a manager. Someone who has my back, is responsible, and trustworthy. As hard as it is to find someone like that, I feel like the real challenge will be getting my guys (cooks, pizza makers, drivers) who have been with me for years to take orders from a new guy. Opinions? experiences? success? Failures? Same frustration?

Just chiming in to say we have the same frustrations. We can hardly find drivers, let alone anyone who wants to be a manager

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[Piedad]

The issue of stimulating existing employees to take direction from a new manager doesn’t have to be difficult. Experience has shown me that if the owner holds an initial employee meeting (it’s mandatory, and everyone is ON the clock) to enthusiastically introduce the new manager, review his/her credentials and make is perfectly clear that “every single person in this room” will follow the manager’s directions, or else … and tell them that the “or else” includes the new manager’s authority to discipline anyone who fails to follow instructions. Explain that you chose him/her because of their proven record of fairness and achieving both positive and profitable results. After you have finished, ask the new manager to say a few words, and then introduce him/her to every person in the room. Then monitor progress like crazy, and pray.

 

[GotRocks]

Being a long time “Kitchen Person” and I have worked in a team environment in my entire career, That manager is going to need to EARN the respect of the crew. it isn’t just granted.
One thing I tell my new guys, “You aren’t ever going to be asked to do anything that I do not already do” Instead of just “telling them” to do something, it is better show them and work side by side with them to prove that you know WTF you’re doing, and can do it better and faster than them.
A new person barking orders, and the cooks realizing they don’t know dick about things will get them to revolt.

 

[David_DeSantis]

I found my best pizza manager was not from my kitchen… She came from my pool of drivers… Remember, hard worker and leader are unique skillsets… You can be a hard worker and a lousy leader, but you can’t be a leader, without being a hard worker in the pizza biz… Even if hired from the outside, a leader will rise to the top of the crop… Once you find them… Pay them… but more importantly, talk to them, train, inspire and encourage… A good hard look at how we lead our leaders is also a good thing, especially in a high turnover situation…