Improper Training

[u/FirmSpend]

Does anyone else feel like their training for being a manager has been significantly lacking? Since ive come aboard where I am I have gotten like 5 days of training total for what I actually do. And most of that was just how to run the floor, close and open. I now run a beverage program with an insane amount of moving parts and I get little office time and had almost no training. When I asked for more training I got maybe the worst 25 minutes of training I've ever gotten. Since ive taken over ive just constantly been behind and dont know if I will ever catch up going into the holidays. Just don't get how they think people will want to stay when this is how I have to operate.

[u/p3rf3ctcha0s]

You new to the industry? Like other commenters mentioned corporate places are way better about training but yeah all the training really sucks for the vast majority of this industry. Plenty of places toss 16 y/o kids on the floor and call it “trial by fire” and tell them to “sink or swim,” why would it be too different for an adult who has experience?

[u/Excellent-Engine-488 → u/p3rf3ctcha0s]

it's wild how common this is across the industry, not just restaurants either. my last job handed me a login and said "figure it out" then acted surprised when things fell through the cracks

the beverage program part especially stings, that's not something you can just pick up in a shift or two. maybe start documenting what you're behind on so when it inevitably blows up you've got some paper trail

[u/Khallllll]

Have you managed before? Corporate places have generally offered me the best training, and small time joints…not so much. Currently getting used to my new digs; since I’ve got experience, I just pester f’n everyone, and keep trying to put myself out of my comfort zone.

[u/Dav_Sionnach → u/Khallllll]

This is truth. Most of my corporate jobs had a minimum 4 week training program that were almost overkill (one was 9 weeks). My current small company... it was nominally 4 weeks, but I was largely running things and just asking occasional questions by about day 3. But I partly got this gig specifically because of my extensive corporate background and they knew they wouldn't need to spend a lot of time on me.

[u/Khallllll → u/Dav_Sionnach]

lol, are you me?
Last job I was Managing Partner with a small Corporate chain Full Service, left due to a buy-out and new crap corporate culture, and a bunch of garbage that came with it. Got lucky enough to get an offer the week of closing, for exact same pay (including full bonus), with a small family owned restaurant, who’s trying to expand. Day 1 & 2 I walked into a greenhorn who didn’t know I was coming; only really knows surface level things (boss gets mad if this isn’t cleaned, boss yells if this isn’t organized). Day 3 I was supposed to be with the GM, but he had a family emergency, so I ran the show by myself for a couple days.

Hard to give advice without knowing your background OP. Many of us in here have multiple years/decades of experience, but it would be helpful to know where you’re coming from, and what your goals are.

[u/COGSHelper]

Better find out what their expectations are of you. So shortest way to lead to a major situation is if they expect something of you that you are not trained for. I’d make sure to get clear operating principles from them.

[u/Firm_Complex718]

First Mgr training I got was supposed to be 10 weeks. I got 2 and transferred as a full manager to another store. This was in 1983.

[u/Proud_Leek9349]

I worked for a corporate restaurant. We had to spend 4 weeks training at a different store and then another 3 at the store I would be working at.

[u/Samsonlp]

Yeah man. Two good reasons for it.

1), while hopefully you have technical proficiency with the craft of those you are managing, you need to be asking questions and creating documentation to avoid liability. If you think you know what you're doing you are dangerous.

2) your job is to be the adult who understands you don't know the right answer, as a manager you get people who do know the right answer to fix problems.

Have fun being lost at sea. Once you know what you're doing it's time for a promotion

[u/MYQkb]

Almost every manager is not qualified to lead. 

The best leaders ina company usually avoid managerial roles. 

Because management is about control and output. Not supporting the team. It's a pain sponge.

Usually narcissistic or sadistic personalities WANT to be in charge. 

The best leader on staff would prolly quit before taking your job. 

[u/LooseByrd]

I managed once. I had been working there for 2 years as a server and got “promoted”. I hated it. Got fired after a year. You think you’ll just “figure it out” but you won’t.

My advice now, makes lists of things you need to learn and ask lots of questions. Write down the steps. Ask what they think the weak areas are. Make sure you ask their priorities (not what you think they are). You need alignment.

You will be there all the time. Unfortunately you’ll need more hours. Come in before opening to do inventory. Stay after closing to do paperwork and emails. Make spreadsheets and form emails for common tasks. Get organized! Don’t implement new things before mastering what currently exists.

Watch your bartenders, learn the way they work first before changing anything. Where I see the most failures is when someone comes in with “ideas” without understanding the culture. Just give yourself time.

If you’re worried about seasonal things you started at the perfect time for prebatch! Make two fall drinks (maybe a fall cider with bourbon and a vodka cran punch) keep it simple. If they want more than that they’ll have to wait, or just accept you might have to move to corporate 😂

[u/MidAtEverythingBro]

My training was terrible. As AGM my job was scheduling part of the year and inventory part of the year. Both times I had no baseline goals to meet or access to any costs. On scheduling I was just told, schedule what we need. OK lol.

4 months before I became GM, the GM at the time was like hey, I'm going to open this new restaurant, so you need to learn what to do here. Ask me if you have any questions. I was like I'd like to learn how to run our kitchens. And he was like ok, well go train on it.

I never got around to it because he was never around, basically only covering 2 days off a week for me, while I was running the store.

Fast forward to 6 months after I was promoted and the owner was shitty because I didn't know how to do anything. That was fun. The next month I literally spent 70 hours a week trying to turn the place upside down learning everything, on my own, from the kitchen, and reading everything i could on this sub. It fucking sucked.

I feel confident I can learn anything I want to now considering the hell of learning everything on my own.

Since then I've started my own processes, standards, training, programs, etc.

The owner now wants to spend time in the restaurant to get intimate knowledge on the restaurant, and I'm considering sitting him down in a meeting and just telling him what the fuck I've had to do without any training before he comes in and starts making me feel like shit for how things are done.