Company Blog

Teach Me, Please

by Adam Zack — November 19, 2015

Oh Wise and Learned One

Once upon a time, I was an impressionable young 15-year-old box boy at my family’s grocery store. I didn’t act like a boss’ kid, and I sure as hell didn’t get treated like it. We had to abide by the rules like everyone else. I can still hear my manager telling me to cut my hair, tighten my tie and for God’s sake stop talking to the service deli girls! I liked my job, really liked the customers and loved the people I worked with. I wanted to learn more, do more, have more responsibility. I was always fascinated with the checkout process and although I was just a lowly boxboy, persuaded one of the cashiers (who I am good friends with to this day) to let me check on her register. We joke now that if the checkstand manager had found out we would have both been fired on the spot. Letting someone check on your register that wasn’t even trained was a definite no-no. Luckily for both of us that endeavor to learn went undetected. She went on to become checkstand manager, then store manager and for the past 15 years or so has been Human Resources Manager with an eagle’s eye out for young boxboys trying to persuade impressionable cashiers to let them check out customers.

The point I have taken the long way to try and make is that young people who really like their jobs, customers and co-workers are the ones that are thirsting to be mentored. They take pride in their work and, like a little puppy just begging you to throw the ball one more time so he can fetch it, respond enthusiastically to attention. This is where you come in, oh wise and learned one. A little bit of your attention to personally show something you have learned over the years to an impressionable youngster will not only make their day, it will ignite a little spark that will remind you of when you used to be so excited about this hectic grocery business of ours. Can you imagine the discussion at dinner when the kid tells his parents about how you, Mr. Big, took five minutes to show him reasons we turn the cans and face the soda with the labels out or why we merchandise produce with color breaks? No, it’s not every young person working for you. It’s the ones you see smiling, always dressed in uniform, always greeting the customers. Look for that kid and remember how it was once you and how some type of personal interaction from the boss made you feel. You may just be mentoring your future store manager.