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