What the Best Manager I Ever Had Taught Me About Great Leadership

Every manager has a character to them that helps them stand out in the mind. I am going to start profiling the managers I used to work for to help you understand how you can create your own character that does not need to fit a picture of what you think a successful manager ought to seem. I’ve had so many managers that have had strengths and weaknesses, things about them that I appreciated and became frustrated with, but there is one manager from my past that I truly feel was flawless in her job. In this post, I will give a breakdown of the best general manager I ever had and what made her so great.

I didn’t think much of her when I first started working at Einstein Bro’s Bagels, other than that she was very personable. She had crew that seemed to fight for her regardless of the conditions of the store. Though some team members may be a bit late from time to time, there was no problem with calling in or people avoiding work. She had mastered the skill that I had never even come close to understanding – employee buy-in. I’ve spoken about this concept before, but I can’t explain how grateful I am that she was able to explain to me how to develop this skill in employees. I truly believe this skill is what has turned my management career from failure to success.

She explained employee buy-in like this: Employee buy-in is a balance between team goals and individual focus. Each team member needs to feel like that are a part of the team and valued based on their individual personality, but the goal of each day is team-based. You find something with which to connect with each employee personally and then use these to weave together a team that all works together despite their very odd differences. To me, this is the skill that turns a manager into a leader.

She and I were not similar in personality, but we were the same in work ethic, and I feel she really capitalized on that with me. She respected me despite our differences, and I noticed that in her. Because of that, I developed the respect back for her. Mutual respect can be developed in your store too, and if you can do it, you will find yourself in a much better position of leadership.

One of the most intense memories I’ve ever had during my whole career as a manager was her evaluation of me. Up until then, I really thought I excelled as a manager in all areas. However, her evaluation of me quickly humbled me to the point where I felt like I was no better manager than if they pulled a random person in to run a shift. That’s not to say that she ridiculed me and humiliated me. Not at all – her critique of my performance was kind and thoughtful. But her evaluation was honest – and in the employee buy-in section, on a scale of 1-to-5, I remember her giving me a solid 1.

It hurt, but it was so good for me. I think she knew that I would be receptive and would work to be better. I am eternally grateful for that evaluation, because it was the kick-in-the-pants that I needed to get off my high horse and realize that I still had plenty to learn. To employees with big egos, this can be helpful or hurtful, depending on how receptive they can be. Regardless, each employee needs to be kept honest about where their strengths and weaknesses are. I’m glad that she was able to help show me how a manager can be both very friendly and personable and also be so honest about weak points.

If you are able to harness the same ability, your influence over your crew will be exactly where you want it. There is no better leadership than to balance the powers of authority and friendship. She was able to show an intense care for her crew on such a personal level yet remain perfectly professional in all situations. This is the ultimate skill, and it’s why I am so repetitive about the importance of it. Employee Buy-In is the wonder drug you are looking for to having a stress-free work environment. To this day, I still dream of being able to do the same as her.  

Another memory that I am ashamed to talk about, as it diminishes my authority of a great manager, is when I had a full-on conniption during one of my shifts. During my absolute freak-out that I always feared having, she calmly arrived at the store and calmed me down gently. She didn’t condemn me or criticize me in the least. She, instead, helped me develop a path forward to success despite this. That belief in me helped me truly have a lot of faith in myself and in others. If she hadn’t been so patient with me, I probably would’ve left the restaurant business and never came back. It was truly a turning point in my career, and I’m forever grateful to her for her patience and understanding.

I’m glad to say that she has since developed further and she is now a district manager of the same district in which she used to be the GM. She definitely deserves it, and I can’t wait to see how much further she will go in the journey of restaurant management. I still call her often and pick her brain as to what I ought to do in situations that puzzle me. Though it may not be much, I want to dedicate this post to her, since I know that she was the person who helped me the most in my management journey. I’ve never seen another manager who makes it look easy like you do.

Thank you, Taylor, for not giving up on me despite me being an absolute lunatic while working at your store.