Managing Teens

Managing Teens

I think most Family Entertainment Centers are run by a large majority of teenagers, or at least that's what I have become accustom to. Usually around 65% or more are teens with the other 35% as adults (probably of which 90% of the adults are in management roles of some shape or form). 

Which is why I think this blog is so important... Managing teens is just another way of saying 'Managing' when it comes to FECs, and managing is key to success! So here are a few things I've learned in the last decade working with teens in different capacities.

1) They want to Learn! Teenagers today are not degenerates. To the contrary, they want to be the opposite of degenerates, they want to be productive and useful. They are just learning how to spread their wings and are on the verge of leaping from the nest... and we need to encourage them in that transition of life. So teach them. One of our 4 C's is 'Coaching' because we don't want to discipline our staff (because discipline is a negative word) - we want to coach them! If they think we are trying to harm them by punishing them, then they will shut down, but if they know you are only getting on their case to correct them so that they will be better workers and better people... they will do anything you ask without grudge or complaint. It also makes for a very positive feeling environment... and positivity begets positivity...

2) They want to be Organized! Help them in this! The responsibility of any manager of teens is to give them the tools to be organized individuals who can then function more orderly throughout life... (And all of them are different, so different approaches are necessary). I have some employees who don't have a 'cleaning' bone in their body, but one of our 4 C's is constant 'Cleanliness' in which our management staff instructs them to clean up wherever they are. If the bathroom is in disarray when you take a restroom break, then clean it up... If there is trash on the floor, pick it up... I heard from a mom a few months back that her son wouldn't clean his room for anything... now he walks through the house picking up and straightening up randomly as he passes through... They want organization but don't know how to get there... show them... Order is the conquering agent of Chaos...

3) They want to Succeed! This is the most important part of teen employees... the one thing you should latch on to and instruct your other managers to do likewise... Help them be successful! Set them up to succeed and give them the tools needed to get there... I will intentionally mark the dusty top of a game to see if it gets cleaned on Friday night. If it doesn't, I coach the person cleaning (that's a no brainer). But if it DOES get cleaned, we must also (and always) honor them for doing a great job! If you plan to punish, but don't plan to encourage - you aren't a manager, you're a tyrant... We need to encourage good behavior just as much if not MORE than we discourage bad behavior... because let's face it, they want our approval as managers more than we may ever know... Help them become good workers so that when they leave, they become active citizens in society...

As a final thought - When your employees leave, they should want to come back to see you... not because you became their friends, but because of the respect they have for what you and your managers did for them...

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Managing Teens and stories are always great... they teach others who might not be bold enough to ask!

Brian

Running a Fun Park (The Struggle is Real)

I want this blog to inspire and to challenge me.

I want this blog to help me to understand.

I want this blog to be a bridge between you (the reader) and I (the writer).

I want this blog to make us better at what we do...

The Struggle is Real

If you haven't ever been in charge before, it has its definite advantages and disadvantages. Sure, you make the schedule, it's 'your way or the highway' and the buck stops at YOU. But on the other hand, when you make the schedule it also means you have to fill the schedule when no one else can. When it's your way or the highway, it also means that if you point the highway going south, but you were meaning to go north... it's all on you... When the buck stops at you, it also means that the weight of all decision making is on your shoulders. 

I like to keep blogs brief - so I want to share 3 of my struggles with you.

1) The Repeating loop of Stress that comes from LABOR. I try to keep our park running at an overall Labor of about 15% (including salary managers and all). In order to do that, I work 3 shifts a week, as well as Friday and Saturday. I am often on the floor working on the weekend, and I use the week to do bills, payroll, scheduling, park walks and maintenance. I get EXHAUSTED because a lot of times I am working 45-65 hours a week, but this is what has to be done to maintain a low Labor Cost (and to me, it's worth it because of the benefits that come. (I can explain what those are if you're interested.)

2) The Repeating loop of Stress that comes from State and Local regulatory systems... We are just getting into our slow season, which for a manager means Fire Marshall Inspection, DEHEC, Sprinkler System Inspection and Go-Kart Inspection. All of that along with my day to day work can be a lot, but its also renovation season to fix up the park from the Holidays and ready for the Spring and Summer. This is then compounded by the fact that (for us) our town can be the worst to deal with. They want the most absurd things from us (which I think is just because we aren't a multi-billion dollar corporation... I guess that's why there aren't many locally owned companies in this particular town.)

3) It is so hard to keep up with the industry because things are ALWAYS changing. Did you hear that people are retrofitting their Key Masters to hold Yeezy shoes? They are apparently revolutionizing the Key Master Market... Did you hear that the best giant plush for the Xtreme Big One is Giant Pikachu? He made our company nearly $5,000 (on less than $400 worth of Product) in less than a month. Did you know that the Ticket Time Crane is coming out with a second edition that in beta testing is out doing the first edition by almost 30%. We can learn so much from one another. Let's talk and be active with one another in what we are doing to succeed... that way we don't have to struggle through the easy stuff :-)

I hope this was interesting! Comment away! And Hit us up on Facebook to Use our Open Forum

www.facebook.com/FECMGR

Brian Lee

General Manager

Charleston Fun Park