94: Superthread 10

[Eelementary]

I can't stand it, and I am criminally underpaid.

 

[Bazal]

I, too, suffer from sh*tty job syndrome! There is also a lot of pressure, but seeing as I am outta there as soon as someone offers me something else I couldn't care less lol.

I don't thin I've had a panic attack, fortunately. Meltdowns, however...I have meltdowns quite often. Damn life.

I got a new job now, start in a week. Hopefully it's better, certainly less stressful

 

[Eelementary]

Good luck, mate. I hope it treats you better.

 

[Bazal]

So do I, lol...it's a trainee store manager job, so hopefully starting from scratch takes out a lot of the stress. The assumed knowledge and the crazy differences when you change companies as a dept manager are insane....and cos I'm doing whatever the job is to put me through uni, the stress of that and uni would probably give me an aneurysm

 

[Eelementary]

That's what I do now - store manager. It's...Not for me lol.

 

[McLovin]

I worked in a few larger stores when i was younger. Every manager bar probably 1 or 2 was stressed out and always seemed on the edge...

 

[Bazal]

That's what I do now - store manager. It's...Not for me lol.

I enjoy management...I like leading, been captain of a zillion sports teams and was a successful dept manager and another company and whatnot. It was just the total, utter conflict between the way the company I was with expected managers to managed and the way I manage that got me...

 

[Eelementary]

I suppose it depends on who you work for, but I wouldn't recommend my company to anyone.

There is little in the way of support from higher ups, and the expectation to grow from here to here given the location of the business is unrealistic, and places enormous amounts of pressure and stress on myself and my management team It's ridiculous.

But the cruelest part is that our 'positions' as managers don't mean squat outside of that company. I've been pretty much told so pointblank by potential employers.

 

[Eelementary]

I enjoy management...I like leading, been captain of a zillion sports teams and was a successful dept manager and another company and whatnot. It was just the total, utter conflict between the way the company I was with expected managers to managed and the way I manage that got me...

I'll admit right now - I can be verbose at times and whatnot, but I am a man of few words; I'm not a 'deliver an impassioned speech to stir up the masses' type of leader, but rather a 'STFU, do what you're here being paid to do and let me do my job' kind of leader. I'm minimising costs as we speak as well as key aspects, but still my style comes under instense scrutiny. I can't take it. The results are there in plain view, yet I still don't get support. Bah.

 

[Bazal]

I'll admit right now - I can be verbose at times and whatnot, but I am a man of few words; I'm not a 'deliver an impassioned speech to stir up the masses' type of leader, but rather a 'STFU, do what you're here being paid to do and let me do my job' kind of leader. I'm minimising costs as we speak as well as key aspects, but still my style comes under instense scrutiny. I can't take it. The results are there in plain view, yet I still don't get support. Bah.

The problem I found was that my company expected me to be a 'sit back, direct things and watch it unfold" manager...to be cold, calculating, work within a strict framework (with no room for error but also no room for improvement, just to maintain the status quo). Basically, I was expected to be a robot monitoring a computer system that did all the management duties aside from delegation. I'm just not like that... I'm a hands on, get in the thick of it, run everything from ground zero type of manager. I love leading from the front, I love being part of a team as opposed to having a team underneath me and I love putting my stamp on whatever it is I'm running, and I manage by being a part of everything that goes on as well as statistics and feedback, because it gives me a better feel for it. I want to control and co-ordinate everything from within the team and the department. What I don't want is to be some detached entity lording over my staff from somewhere else entirely, with no feel for how the place is running or what can be improved

 

[Eelementary]

The problem I found was that my company expected me to be a 'sit back, direct things and watch it unfold" manager...to be cold, calculating, work within a strict framework (with no room for error but also no room for improvement, just to maintain the status quo). Basically, I was expected to be a robot monitoring a computer system that did all the management duties aside from delegation. I'm just not like that... I'm a hands on, get in the thick of it, run everything from ground zero type of manager. I love leading from the front, I love being part of a team as opposed to having a team underneath me and I love putting my stamp on whatever it is I'm running, and I manage by being a part of everything that goes on as well as statistics and feedback, because it gives me a better feel for it. I want to control and co-ordinate everything from within the team and the department. What I don't want is to be some detached entity lording over my staff from somewhere else entirely, with no feel for how the place is running or what can be improved

I understand 100% because I'm in exactly the same boat. I can't sit back and do nothing in a quiet store, knowing that every second counts. We need to boost our service however possible, and having me sit there and do nothing but 'direct' and 'observe' doesn't sit well with me. But that's precisely what they want - me, manager; you, underling. Yeah...Nah.

 

[Bazal]

I always find it weird that they think that kind of sh*t will improve things...Every department and store I've worked in runs better with a manager that gets involved and actually leads, it's a no brainer for mine. Work with the staff and they will work with you happily. They won't be as happy or as productive working FOR you...

 

[Eelementary]

Agreed.

I've had several staff members approach me and say the moment I leave, they will too. It's going to be interesting to see the layout of the place after I leave...

 

[Bazal]

:lol: Funny thing is, that's exactly what happened with my previous company. We got a new store manager who was a merkin, a real lazy bastard but a real control freak. I said get f**ked and got a transfer to a better store. Four weeks later they had an entirely new staff in the dept...

 

[Eelementary]

:lol:

These higher ups have no idea, I tell you what...

 

[Bazal]

Some do, I'll give them that. I had some excellent store managers and a tops regional manager. Also had some right bastards, though. :lol:

 

[Eelementary]

Few and far between, though. Makes me often wonder how they got their jobs to begin with, because they rarely show any real sort of skill.

 

[Bazal]

I've found that a lot of retail companies especially essentially get their higher management staff three ways;

1-Intra-company relationships
2-Nepotism
3-They're just the only pricks who hang around long enough

 

[Eelementary]

Yep, that about sums it up.

They come down to spend a bit of time with us 'lower' management types to see how it's going and they soon realise they have no bloody clue.

 

[Eelementary]

Anyway - I am off to sleep my worries away. And there are lots of them, unfortunately...I hate my life. :sarcasm:

Have a good night, everyone! But specially Baz.