I firmly believe that everyone (basically) is equally capable of being exceptional at what they do. Life takes hard work, commitment, passion and a dedication to a job well done.
I am infuriated and saddened by seeing people who are this/close to being phenomenal at what they do give up the extra effort it takes to escape the close confines of mediocrity. To see someone who works just hard enough, or someone who tries (again, trying is failing with honor) when they could so clearly just do, it makes me angry and sad and sometimes makes me want to lash out at them.
It frustrates me in a way that I can't quite put words to.
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One man's life and journey as a McDonald's manager.
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Michael, I love your blog -- it's always interesting to get an insider's perspective here. I have a question, though. I appreciate your dedication to hard work, cleanliness, management, and the McD's way -- but what about people skills? There's a reason there's a saying like, "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." It's true that relentless attention to detail, and demonstration of same, with all the literal interpretations -- that's all important. At the same time, one has to have a certain essential motivational skill. This is the kind of thing that makes people work hard, have fun, AND feel proud about their job. One of three isn't enough, my friend. Good on you for being a hard-ass -- that will only take you so far. I look forward to continuing this convo, but as I said, nice job on the blog and good job on sticking up for your work ethic.
Thanks for the compliment!
I don't know how to open this comment without sounding as though I'm defensive - I don't feel so.
I know that my people skills are just a tiny bit rough around the edges, but with over 200 hours logged in selling training, over 800 books I've read on, let's say "managing conversations" and motivating people to do things you want them to do (like purchase things they don't need!), I am very skillful with people.
In general, the crew members all like and respect me, and they know I like and respect them. I heap praise upon them all, and in the McDonald's system this is done with Constructive and Appreciative Feedback.
Some examples: In my first month in this store, this older woman G. would stand around and chit-chat when there was a slow period now comes to me to ask if there's anything I need done. Or better yet, will just start moving things that need to be cleaned behind and doing it.
One young woman, another G., used to do all of her work incredibly sloppy. I mean, everything she did she did without caring. I crossed a very difficult language barrier (she's only been speaking English for about a year, and I've only been speaking Spanish (again) for about 3 months), and explained to her that it's great how fast she is, and that she'd be even more of a professional if she could do her work neat, and put things where they go, and clean as she works. She told me how her sister is an absolute professional at another McDonald's and how it's just so hard for her to do it. So I made a deal with her. For the next 10 shifts, when we worked together, I would point out at least two things she was doing professionally to her and no more than one opportunity to improve based on that day's work. Not only was I setting it up so I praised her more, but she got a manager's training and attention and felt like an important part of the team because she saw how her professionalism helped and how her sloppiness hurt our team.
As a further example, I've recently been told by one newer crew member, M., who I discussed in a previous post I believe, that the only shifts she wants to work are mine, because it's the only time she feels all the crew people want to do a good job. Another crew member, who's been in this particular store for 6 years, tells me pretty regularly that I'm the most efficient manager the store has. This is a guy who every other manager says is lazy and won't do his job, but when I'm working he's busting hump, sweating and everything he does he does professionally (with strong direction).
Now when it comes to my co-managers, my people skills are a bit weaker. Why? Well, I don't put as much effort into Feedback for the managers. I feel, and they feel as well, that the store manager needs to counsel them on their growth. I know they feel this, because they, bluntly, do not welcome my Constructive Feedback. I believe I tend to be perceived as a threat by my colleagues, and it's something I've experienced often in the past. I know the signs. Ego aside, when someone has done the same job for 2 or 4 or 10! years, and along comes a guy who isn't even from that industry who just exceeds you in every way, in the first couple weeks, that guy is going to become either an example of how you want to perform (very rarely, based on natural egoism, human ability to justify and the general psychology of self-motivation) or they are going to be a target of ire (much more common, based on those same psychological principals).
However, I know that most of the managers respect me to some degree, even the ones who don't want to. When something breaks, or goes wrong, or some unknown situation arises, or they want to know "the McDonald's Way" on something, or if after 4 years at their job they don't know how to access specific information out of the ISP, or there is a procedure they have never encountered, in general, if I'm around they ask me. Even if our store manager is around (in which case I usually direct them to B., it's his store and his job to teach managers). The thing is, each of the managers I've worked with has seen me in a sticky situation and seen me keep my smile, keep my cool, encourage the team to do their best and we'll make it happen! And each of the managers have seen me lose my cool as well, because, well... I'm human!
A couple of the managers have even presented me with things I have never encountered myself nor thought of encountering. An example, one day Jy. (I discussed her in a previous post, my first current post in fact) and I were lamenting over the pump for our Sprite on our beverage dispensing unit in the backroom not working. For two days the pump had been broken and Sprite just wasn't coming out as Sprite, so customers were repeatedly angry with us. So finally we were discussing it, and she said, "Well how do we fix this? What do we do?!" B. the store manager was in the kitchen at that moment and I got his attention and said, "Hey B. we need to get our pump for Sprite fixed." His response was, "We'll get Coke out here soon." After a few seconds in which I expected him to pull out his (pocket PC) phone and make the call, with Jy. staring at me like "Wow, big difference that made" I said, "B.! Can I call them right now? I'll call them if you give me the number." He pulls out his phone and says, "I'll call them right now." Jy. is looking at me with disbelief, I said, "That's how we take care of it." He proceeded to dial them up, Sprite pump was fixed within two hours. I motivated the store manager to do what he had to do in a respectful way, and showed Jy. that when you present a problem to me, I find the solution, even if I'm not the solution.
I'll never say I'm perfect (just close!), and I make mistakes, and have been wrong. Here's the difference between me and most people though. I have enough pride and self-value to say, "I'm sorry I was wrong in that situation. Let's fix it!" Pretty hard to hold someone's mistake against them if they're letting you know they made a mistake (again, back to people handling). Also, I'm the advocate for proper behavior. I'm known for saying "Not in front of the cameras!" when people misbehave or screw around. Why? There's 100% camera coverage in and around our store, except the bathrooms and break room.
As to people skills with managers, in another aspect. My store has my store manager B. with 15 years experience, our assistant R. with 6 years experience as a manager and 3 as crew, a manager named Jn. who typically closes and has 4 years experience in management for various Owner/Operators, two brand-spankin' new manager who are both 19 year old girls named By. and E. and both of which are... usually over their heads and have about a month of experience each as managers, but 2 years each as crew. McDonald's is the first and only jobs for all of these other managers. Then there's me with 3 1/2 months of McDonald's experience, preceding by two years as crew over a dozen years ago. I've also owned my own businesses, worked in retail or food service management for a combined 6 years, and most recently was an Executive Vice President of sales for a debt-collection company. Balanced against people who have only ever worked at McDonald's, I've got some headway on them, I think.
The thing is, if I'm standing here with 3 months experience on my job, and you've got years on me, there's no way in hell that I am going to cut you slack. Period. The assistant of all people better being doing everything she can to be better at the job than me, because I'm in training as an assistant or potentially store manager. The store manager better be doing his job better than me, because, well bluntly, he's supposed to be a respected figure. The store manager of a McDonald's should be very infallible. They should do everything 100% by the books, never skimp, never miss things, and for god's sake they should never, ever, ever, never, NEVER leave early if everything isn't 100% and all the responsibilities for that day are not complete. And there are *alot* of responsibilities in a McDonald's store on a daily basis.
So, when it comes to managers, I'm rougher on them, and willing to say "Hey listen, if you don't want to do your job, don't come in." Because I am willing to say the same thing to a crew member. I've just never found the need to do so.
Hi MichaeL!
your blogs are fairly interesting. i stumbled on it when i was trying to find some information on the management of mcdonalds. im a student in australia and im kind of studying scientific manamgenet at the moement. would u agree that mcdonalds would follow that managerial approach really closely?? because i would! if you reckon so, would u be able to give me some ideas and points that might relate to the principles of the scientific theory. scientific theory being the specialisation and standardisation etc etc. and the pay system. its very standard pay rates yeh?
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I have been never a fan of MacDonald cause they charge a lot of money and I can't afford that much money so that is that.
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