I just finished another 55 hour work week & am wondering why the hell I moved into management, why does anyone? Why do we give up great money, normal shifts & the lifestyle? We give up all these things because we are ambitious, have leadership qualities, & it is inevitably the final step in your career. The difference between management in Canada vs Australia is that back home you get paid more as a manager than as a bartender. Here in Canada & in the US, bartenders make ridiculous money in tips & would never think about giving that up to manage.
When I first started my management career I was a very green, very young 22. I had supervised & managed various departments & venues but this was the first time that I had someone training me to be what I have become. “Cheers” was a small suburban tavern & it was run by Paul who I attribute my basic training to. Paul was the general manager; he had been in the industry for about 14 years & had been with “Cheers” for about 2 years. He interviewed me along with a dozen guys who were older & had more experience. I am not quite sure why he hired me but he took me under his wing & showed me the trade. He taught me everything that I know about back of house operations.
I moved on from “Cheers” after a year or so & jumped around a while managing various places from 120 seat restaurants to 3 story five star cocktail bars. Every time I have moved I have started over, learning new tricks, new secrets. Each place I have worked I have realised that I work a hell of a lot for little pay. It has been worth it, I am 26 & I have a lot more experience than most 35 year olds. I have said it once & I will say it again, you can never stop learning.
I had a decision to make earlier this year, either open my own bar & restaurant with 3 of my best mates, or come to Canada & travel. I am here in Canada & I have a job at Moxies Classic Grill in downtown Victoria, it’s a beautiful room with an elegant touch of casual class. I started there as a server / bartender & loved it, I was making a minimum of $600 a week just in tips. I was lucky enough to have the perfect blend of bartending & serving. I fell in love with the industry all over again.
When I walked into that restaurant, I just needed a job. Lindsey is the GM & was more than happy to give me a job. I didn’t want anything but an easy, simple bar job. I thought I knew everything about management until I met Lindsey. I had spent so much time perfecting my back of house techniques, my cocktails & my customers happiness that I had never developed my people skills with regards to staff. Lindsey has the inane ability to read people, make them feel fantastic & be able to get the most out of his staff.
My dad taught me my people skills. He was ex military & when I worked with him it was “yes sir, no sir, & three bags full sir”. I have realised now that this is not the way you should talk to people especially Canadians. I am not like that all the time but when we are in the weeds I tend to forget please & thank you’s & just tell them what I need. Lindsey is teaching me slowly how to interact with my staff more efficiently & I suppose more politely. He is probably one of the most influential people I have had in my career & I am glad every time I walk into work that I made that decision to come over here to Canada.
These are the reasons you get into management, to be nurtured, to learn & become the best person you can be. Sure there are times when I am rolling cutlery at one in the morning & I am pushing an 11 hour shift & I am thinking that all the servers tonight walked out with $200, why do I do this? It’s the fact that I love leading, I love being shaped into a better manager & shaping people to be better servers & bartenders. I love talking to customers & being able to give them the experience they deserve. So when you are posed the question, “to do or not to do” weigh up the pros & cons, figure what you want from your career. Love what you do regardless of what it is.
Shawn Soole
December 1, 2006
Return to the bartending guide main menu
Go to next article: bartender’s survival guide
