Some Thoughts For A Rainy Day

     As I sit here ready to order another coffee my thoughts turn to my continuing studies on the topic of Communication.  True I already have a Bachelor's degree from Purdue on the subject but I don't know nearly as much as I want to!  I have become very good about taking a book with me every place I go that I might have even five minutes of free time to read.  These books turned from fiction and became self improvement books.  Most of the books I am re-reading deal with people skills.  I just sat here this morning and read an entire book on becoming a better conversationalist!  I realize more and more that these books are good to share with others but unless I actually take the information in them and start practicing them I will not be any better than I am today.  For example, I have an immense amount of trouble initiating conversation with strangers whom I'd like to get to know better.  I read tips in most of these books on how to go about doing just that but I still have not been able to bring myself to try them out!  Perhaps my problem lies in the fact I am looking at the end result right away? I should instead work up to initiating conversation.  Another example, I see people every single day walking down hallways and all around campus so perhaps to start out I should make eye contact (which is a big problem of mine) with ten of them and then work up to eye contact and smiling.  Eventually I can go up and start talking with them.  Sometimes you have to crawl before you can walk right?
     In other news work has been going well as of late.  A new supervisor has been hired for the day shifts so that will take a little weight off my shoulders eventually.  I have even more responsibility for a while, though, teaching him the basics of making drinks and whatnot.  There are days when I feel like my delegation skills are a little off target or sloppy but there are also days (such as Saturday) where I feel I nail it and things run smoothly and I also teach four or five people at the same time during a rush how to make drinks or what jobs need done and how to do them.  Also, I am getting more comfortable telling people, when it's a point I feel is important to be followed, they need to follow my instruction.  Not in a mean way, but assertively, I let them know they can voice their opinion and argue the point and I'll gladly listen and respond but when the final decision has to be made I am the supervisor and what I say goes.  There have been moments the last week where the decision I made was not popular and was argued by employees but I stuck to my guns and, in time, was proven wise.  Six years of experience counts for a lot here and if my gut tells me to make this decision or that decision it is almost always correct.  Long story short, I am gaining confidence in my authority and abilities quite rapidly now.  
     That's really all I have to talk about today, I have been a little bad at making consistent entries but I have not forgotten about it completely!  Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day ladies and gentlemen!

People Watching

         The Jack Johnson song "People Watching" set the tone for this entry!  Tis my second day off and I came to Starbucks as per custom to make this entry and to relax a little on campus.  I also have another reason for always coming to such a public place.  Some of you who read my blog may know I spend an enormous amount of time reading books on Communication (theory, techniques, nonverbal, etc.) and I am just now starting to come to places where there is a lot of foot traffic so I can practice "people watching" to really help my studying take hold.  Now the trick for me personally is to actually make eye contact with people, I have a lot of trouble with that due to my mild case of shyness.  I know that lack of eye contact, though, can suggest lack of interest or dishonesty (neither of which I wish to convey).  I always feel like when I make eye contact at all, at least for more than a second it will seem like I am staring and I get uncomfortable.  So basically you get me often looking around when I talk to you or if I try to use eye contact for an initial meeting I only use quick glances!  Well, at least I know my problem right?  I'll work at it and get better in a matter of months because I know the eyes are the most important tool at my disposal for nonverbal communication and connecting with people that are important to me.  Not to mention I have some pretty gorgeous eyes!
      In other news it is a grey slightly rainy morning here in West Lafayette.  Well I am counteracting the urge to stay in and sleep all day by using the 3 days worth of music (according to iTunes) at my disposal as well as yet another book to reread dealing with people.  I won't go too much into what the book is about because it would take four or more entries but it is called "Winning With People" so you can imagine what it might be about basically.  It is written by John Maxwell, one of my favorite authors and speakers so I would give it a look as well as his other dozen books!  As long as I keep my extremely large mind on other things I can combat my Seasonal Affective Disorder fairly handily as I move into that time of year.  By the end of the winter months I will probably have written dozens of these blog entries and read about twenty new books to be honest.  As long as I grow as a person every day in some way, learning at least one new thing or making a connection with an idea I have thought about in the past then I am happy.  Anyways, I think I better get to reading, listening to my music, and begin people watching!  Fascinating stuff this is :)

A Crisp September Morning

   It has been a while since I've written anything!  I have been caught up in work the last few days and haven't had the energy to come up with a blog entry believe it or not.  I'd like to say I have found, or at least I've started to find my own unique way to be a supervisor but I have not.  It has been almost two months and I am still working on getting the basic parts of my job down.  When things start to go south during an unexpected rush or when we are unexpectedly missing staff I come through though.  There have been times, I'll be honest, where my calm exterior was in danger of cracking but it has not yet happened!  I always feel when a huge rush happens and the employees are starting to get nervous, where do they look to see how they should feel?  That's right, if I stay calm at all times then they will stay calm at all times (eventually).  Another point I wanted to bring up on the topic of leadership is that of how close you can be to employees.  Most people have told me that you can't be friends with your employees outside of work (or at the workplace even) if you are also their supervisor.  The logic of it feels correct in my head and I agree with them there but deep down in my heart it doesn't feel right.  Thus the first dilemma has been presented in my first leadership position.  I think this is one of those times where I can define what kind of leader I want to be.  If I work to keep my emotional distance from the employees here then they will still follow my example and when I give direction they will follow but they will follow because of my title.  If I work to build working relationships at work (and outside if I happen to see them) they will follow my example and my direction because they want to.  People say they don't want to be friends with their employees but that is an old, outdated leadership principle.  I am going to use my knowledge I gained as a Barista to know what needs to be done (I haven't missed anything yet during my shifts) but I am not going to change who I am as a person.  I am still going to be genuinely friendly to everyone I am around.  I am also aware of, and I'm also staying away from, the trap where people will try to walk over me and get what they want because they think I'm so nice I'll say yes to anything.  I know the line and when saying yes is bad for the company and the greater good.  I say no when it is necessary!
     Other than that I am still trying to figure out my favorite haunts in West Lafayette.  I think I zeroed in on my first favorite place.  I am going to try to be a regular at the Irish pub here just down the hill from work called Nine Irish Brothers.  Some of the servers already recognize me by sight so that's a start.  I also tip very well so that doesn't hurt!  On the weekends there is live music so I always enjoy that.  It is a little more expensive but everything is quite delicious so I don't mind, especially since I am making more money now and can afford it.  I also come to Starbucks on my off days as well, that's where I am now, to hang out and have a coffee or two and think.  I am the opposite of a lot of people in this way.  I have often been asked how I can concentrate with hundreds of people coming in and out of this store all day.  I just really like being around crowded public places such as a coffee shop.  It's a great place to meet people and it staves off my seasonal depression during the late fall and winter months.  When that time of year comes I really don't like to be alone so I head to a place like this and I get to at least feel a superficial connection with a lot of different people.  As I get settled into this city a little more I'm sure I will find a few more places to enjoy as well as meet more people to enjoy those places with.
       All that's left I can think of to talk about is I am getting ready for football season and I finally jumped on the fantasy football bandwagon.  I have never gotten into this so we'll see how I do.  I actually have a pretty decent team I think but I have to get in the habit of signing in to see the score every once in a while and be sure to put the right players on the active list and bench the others.  This is a pretty good way to get me to watch teams other than the Colts all the time.  Alright y'all, I think that does it for now.  I'll try my hardest to make entries a little more often now that I am really starting to get settled in.  Even if nothing big is happening I still want to make entries, that's why people read these things yeah?  The exciting and the mundane.  Have a good one ladies and gentlemen.