Thursday, September 27, 2012

Who's the boss?

For many weeks now I have intended to write a new blog. I would get on the computer and stare at the screen. I could not find a single shred of inspiration. Usually hardship and drama fuel my posts. Recently I haven't endured anything significant enough to gripe about. In recent times the blessings have outweighed the tribulations. My career path has shifted and launched me into what I've been preparing 9 years for, even if I didn't know it back then.

 
I've been working for my company since 2003, back then I was still dating my wife, my daughter didn't exist and we lived in a tiny apartment on Kenilworth Ave. After being laid off from a furniture delivery business, I reached out to my wife's father. He worked at the deli counter at a natural and organic grocery store in Georgetown. At that time all I was looking for was a paycheck. I didn't imagine being where I am today or even knew that I wanted it. I started working in the kitchen. I basically was in charge of putting away the orders. All the meat and produce, packaging materials and even cases upon cases of oranges for the juice bar.

I would have to go to the meat department to get the meat and poultry for the kitchen. Sometimes our product would be at the bottom of the pallet, since then I have come to learn that there are times when the meat guys can't get an order put away when it comes in. Instead of waiting or coming back later, I would put their stuff away in their cooler, then take my stuff. After about the 3 months, the meat manager at the time, Jason, offered me a job.

I didn't take the job with aspirations of becoming a meat cutter, and subsequently move up in the ranks. I took the job, because they offered me a buck more. I also took the job because I wanted to become a cook in the kitchen, but they wouldn't let me, eventhough I prepare dishes during my down time. What I didn't tell Jason was that the seafood manager and beer and wine manager also offered me a job.

Thanksgiving week 2003, just 4 months after starting with company, I started working in the meat department. I didn't know the slightest thing about meat or meat products. In no time I was learning a lot and doing as much as they would allow me to. Jason moved onto a store in New York a few weeks after I started. Less then a year after that, my daughter came into the world.

By the following Thanksgiving I was invited to attend a holiday planning meeting for all the regional teams. At that fateful meeting I met a guy named Mike Moore. He was the meat manager at our store in Annandale, which was due to relocate in August 2005. The first thing he asked me was if I knew how to the cut meat. I said yeah. The very next day I went back to Georgetown and begged the meat cutters to teach me so I could be ready by the opening of the new store.

I started working in Annandale in March of 2005. They opened the Old Town location, which replaced Annadale, in January of 2006. Between those two locations I made some of the most important connections of my career. I believe now, that if I had not lied about knowing how to cut meat, I would not have made it this far. By the time the doors opened in Old Town, I was a certified meat cutter. In March I applied and was accepted into an assistant manager trainee program. When I completed the program I became Mike Moore's assistant, then he left for another region.

It was very intimidating to run a department of that size mere month's after accepting the position. Little did I know that it would take me 6 more years to go from sidekick to main character. After a couple of months of winging it and doing the best I possibly could we hired Charlie as the meat manager. Let me tell you, this guy changed my life. There are things I still do today because Charlie did them that way. As fate would have it I would only work for him for about 6 months. In that short time I learned so much. On April 1st 2008 I became the assistant manager in Baltimore.

I tried everything I could to not leave Charlie. The regional guys didn't let up until I gave in. I didn't want to drive so far, one because of the commute and two because I was driving some clunkers at the time. In the 3 years I worked there I only had 2 flat tires, thank God. My time in Baltimore really made me complacent. I really wanted to prove that I was ready for my own shop, but with time, my clout dissipated. I was just going to do my 8 hours. I didn't develop new management skills.

With the upcoming opening of the newest store in Washington DC, I had a meeting with the manager at Georgetown at the time. He was chosen to be the manager new store named Foggy Bottom. He was about my age, confident, and smart. I didn't think he would give me an opportunity. A lot of their decision to give me the position was influenced by the regional manager. This guy was known for being tough, but also having one of the most well executed departments in the region. When I left for Foggy Bottom, I vowed to never return to Baltimore.

I honestly didn't think we would get along. It didn't take any time for us to be so reliant on each other that a strong bond was formed. The store and department didn't perform financially the way the analysts expected. We were forced to go into survival mode. He left a lot of the daily operations to me and never hesitated to point out my areas of opportunity. I didn't let it get me down. I worked harder. There were good times and bad times. He never made me feel like a failure. He also empowered me and allowed me to make decisions. This was my final exam in management.

About 2 months ago, I get an email from an old friend. One of the store managers in Baltimore. He sent me his number and asked me to call him to talk about some things. I did. I figured he needed information about holidays from the time I was there. Instead he notified me that the manager I worked under while I was there no longer worked for the company and the position was vacant if I was interested. I learned a long time ago, when a manager calls you about a position, it usually means you are expected to go for it.

I honestly wasn't too interested in returning to Baltimore. Things had just begun to level off a Foggy Bottom and my current manager was interviewing for a store level management position. If I played my cards right, I would have been first in line to take over. About a week before they called me from Baltimore my boss interviewed. About 3 days before I talked to them, he was turned down for the job. This meant that I had to continue waiting for my opportunity.

Granted there are 41 stores in the region. A position would have come along sooner or later. Unfortunately for me, at the time, it would be Baltimore. I was uneasy about returning. I had laid that place to rest a year prior. Turning it down was not an option, especially after they sought me out, that would be the kiss of death. Word would spread quickly and I would be overlooked for anything for at least a year. I applied and interviewed.

I got the job at the end of August, but didn't start until a week ago. I was very apprehensive. There is a lot riding on my success. Leading up to my starting date, I had many a conversations with my manager at Foggy Bottom, and the regional managers. As the time came closer, I started to accept and even looking foward to the challenge I have ahead of me. Before starting I had a meeting with the team. I wanted to let them know as a unit that I was ready bring a new era to that department. I also assured  them that I would need their help and that I would help the ones that helped me with their own personal career goals.

The first week was great, by my estimates. I prepared myself for the worst. Everyone told me it would be rough. I didn't let the anticipation cloud my mind. I held my head high and took on anything that came my way. Even though we were short staffed, I was able to bring some semblance of order to the department. The few team members I had to work with really went above and beyond. They put their differences aside and put the needs of the department first. From what I saw, I am certain that we will succeed and that I made the right decision in giving Baltimore another chance.

This week I had to travel to New Jersey for the holiday planning meat meeting. This was a big deal for me for a few reasons. First because I've been wanting to attend this meeting for years. Secondly I would be seeing many of the guys that I worked for over the years. I also was the last one of my peer group to have made it. About six of the other managers started out around the same time I did. It was like a homecoming. I was beginning to think I would never make it. 

Going to New Jersey was a  culmination of everything I went through over the past 9 years. I thought about the early days. I though about the times I cried because I wanted to move up and wasn't given the opportunity. I thought about all the times I thought about giving up. My career literally flashed before my eyes.

I rode up with my last manager. These days, Jason, the guy that gave me my first chance in meat is the regional meat manager. The person I looked forward to seeing the most, and that made me feel like I had finally arrived, was Charlie. He calls me Pizza boy, and welcomed me to the club. Over the two days, Charlie and a dozen other guys I worked for or with at one point or another gave me a ton of advice and encouragement. It really helped with my confidence and I finally felt like a manager.

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