BrainTrust Query: Successful Time Off
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from Retail Contrarian, the blog of the Dynamic Experiences Group.
We all need time away from work to clear our minds, recharge our batteries and dedicate precious time to our families and friends. That's easier said than done for many owners, managers, and executives.
When I started managing my first store at The Sharper Image I was always stopping by or checking in with the team on my days off. It didn't bother me at all to give up a few minutes of my free time, but I eventually discovered that it bothered the team. They interpreted my actions as a lack of trust in their ability to run the store without me, which of course was far from the truth. But their perception was their reality.
Whether it's just a day or two or a weeklong vacation, there are certain actions you can take (or not take!) to make your days off a better experience for your staff.
1. Don't "check-in." If the staff needs you, they'll find you.
2. Use your time away as a growth and learning opportunity for your assistant. Your absence is a wonderful opportunity for your assistant to practice and develop his/her leadership skills. Just make sure that the two of you identify those behaviors and actions before you leave, not after you return.
3. Establish decision-making parameters. It's great practice for an assistant manager to step up and run the store while an owner or manager is on vacation, but he can't do that if he doesn't know what he can and cannot do. Make it easy by defining what decisions he does or does not need to contact you about.
4. Don't second-guess those decisions. Sometimes the assistant, or someone else on the team, will make a decision you don't agree with. That's part of empowering people. If you start second-guessing those decisions you disempower your team and they won't be able to make decisions in your absence. What you can do is to learn why the person made the decision he/she did, and discuss how a different decision might be made the next time.
5. Set clear expectations before you leave. Be clear about what you're looking for. Set your team up for success, not failure.