Suck Ass Management

So, why am I tired of working for corporate america? Suck Ass Management! I've had some great managers, but one in particular was such a little bitch that I'd hate to find myself in the same situation again. Don't get me wrong, I've liked the vast majority of the managers I've worked for, but this guy had all the wrong personality traits for management:

1. He was stupid but thought he was intelligent. When Katrina was bearing down on New Orleans he asked how come the air force didn't just drop a nuke on the hurricane and blow it up!

2. Obviously played favorites. More than once this guy came to the bar with a full head of steam to chew me out about something. There was an attractive female bartender I worked with, and when it came to light she was the one who had done whatever that pissed him off, he fizzled out.

3. He was a control freak. Previous managers considered me to be effectively another manager due to my experience and tenure, and basically had me manage the bar (training, inventory, ordering, repairs, etc). When this guy took over, he made it abundantly apparent that I was not a manager, and not allowed to make any decisions. But, whenever something went wrong, I was the one who got chewed out although the duties had been delegated to the appointed bar manager. (I remember him getting red in the face while screaming at me because we had run out of a particular chardonnay, never mind that we had 4 other labels. When I started to defend myself he screamed "Shut Up! Just Listen!" I put the biggest smile on my face, and didn't say another word. When he finished, I turned and left, still without speaking. Hours later I could hear him screaming to other people "...and he just stood there and smiled!" It made me feel warm and fuzzy!)

4. No sense of decorum. My guests at the bar witnessed him chewing out me and other employees. I wasn't there but I heard about customers complaining after a particularly spectacular melt-down!

So you get the idea: this guy had it in for me. Then one day I come in and he asks: "You got a minute? I just want to give you some positive feedback." I'm shocked; this will be a nice change. He says to me "You've got a reputation for being able to talk to anyone. You've got a story for every occasion." This is true, and I think it's a great talent for a bartender who can read when customers want to be entertained. It gives the guest a sense of belonging, and makes them feel welcome, as if they're a guest and not just another customer. He continues to say "some would call that a bull-shitter, and I'm going to need you to stop!" Are you kidding me?! How is this POSITIVE feedback?

Now here's the funny thing: I was convinced it was only a matter of time before I got fired or told this guy to go fuck himself and get fired/quit. The day he announced he was leaving (I think in part to that afore-mentioned spectacular melt-down) I realized I had the biggest smile on my face and struggled to hide it. So he leaves and we get this young kid who's a family friend of the area director (not exactly nepotism, but close enough). Within 2 month's I'm fired for stealing because I forgot to ring in 2 beers for a customer (personally, I'm shocked I forgot to ring them in, but the kid thought it was intentional because I hadn't missed anything else from any of my other guests. Just to illustrate my innocence, when friends of mine came into the bar and I was going to take care of their check, I still rang in everything knowing it was coming out of my pocket. There's no way I would give away anything to a practical stranger.)

So there you have it. I love bar tending, especially building a clientele of regular customers by making them feel welcome. Many people have told me I was the best they've ever seen, and many have contacted me to say they've stopped going to the place I worked because I'm no longer there, and will start going to where-ever I should choose to work. I'll hear of openings at other places and my initial reaction is to go apply, then I stop and think about these events. Do I really want to put myself through that again?