Interview

Interview Consent and Introduction

Role: Shop Manager for almost 1.5 years.
Current Position: Marketing Manager for 11 months.
Total Management Experience: Approximately 3 years across various roles.
- Managed teams and taken leadership positions before.

Achievement: Consistently overachieved on sales goals.
- Implemented sales goals given by ownership.
- Influenced team performance through initiatives and incentives.
- Achieved through location popularity and personal management strategies.

Nature of Sales Goals: Set by ownership and primarily focused on retail sales.
- Goals typically on a weekly basis, occasionally monthly.
Incentives: Provided to employees to motivate performance towards sales goals.
- Emphasis on encouragement and teamwork to achieve objectives.

Experience in managing conflicts among younger employees.
Strategies employed included direct communication and fostering trust within the team.
- Regular check-ins and an open feedback loop contributed to a productive work environment.
- Emphasized on understanding employee sentiments and addressing concerns proactively.

Importance of Meeting Sales Goals.
- Especially critical during the holiday season for retail coffee bag sales.
- Demonstrated the ability for sales to significantly exceed previous year’s targets.
Perspective on Goal Achievement:
- Significant for stakeholders, including owners, given the financial impact.
- Highlighted the story of family heritage tied to the product to enhance customer connection.
- Gained increased customer interest and sales from storytelling efforts.

Focused on customer interaction and understanding preferences.
Trained baristas on engaging with customers by suggesting products based on individual tastes rather than personal preferences.

Listening: Rated 5/5; valued by employees, aimed to improve manager-employee communication.
Empathy: Rated 5/5; understood and validated employee concerns and feelings.
Healing/Conflict Resolution: Started at 2-3; rated 4-5 after gaining experience managing conflicts.
Awareness: Generally rated 4-5; fluctuated due to personal circumstances.
Persuasion: Rated 4 due to self-criticism of performance in this area.
Conceptualization: Rated 4; felt room for improvement but achieved goals consistently.
Foresight: Rated 5; became adept at planning for seasonal changes and managing resources effectively.
Stewardship: Rated 4; recognized areas for improving leadership.
Commitment to Growth of People: Rated 5; prioritized employee development.
Building Community: Rated 5; emphasized the importance of community in a coffee establishment.

Encountered an ethical dilemma regarding a friend demoted to a lower position due to ongoing performance issues.
Personal and professional conflict when having to manage the situation, ultimately leading to termination of the friendship and employment.

The decision to let the friend go was difficult due to personal ties but necessary to maintain team morale and customer service quality.
Outcome involved numerous warnings prior to termination, including issues like tardiness and poor consumer interaction.

The friend was initially demoted after a significant period of performance issues, leading to her eventual termination approximately three years into their employment.

Listening: 5/5—remained empathetic and communicative throughout the process.
Empathy: 5/5—understood the emotional difficulty of the situation.
Healing: 0—no healing was achieved due to the eventual severing of the relationship.
Awareness: 5/5—maintained a strong awareness of workplace dynamics.
Persuasion: 5/5—attempted to provide constructive feedback.
Conceptualization: 5/5—anticipated potential outcomes based on previous behavior.
Foresight: 5/5—acknowledged the potential ramifications and worked through necessary next steps.
Stewardship: Recognized the need for better boundaries with the friend in the role.
Growth Commitment: 5/5—demonstrated commitment to the team's overall success.
Community Building: Acknowledged difficulties when facing conflicts that affect community dynamics.

To carry on the Peychotto family legacy of coffee, prioritizing the family's roots and community connection.
Founded in response to the realization that the coffee legacy was diminishing within the family.

To promote and expand awareness of the family coffee story from Brazil to the American market while ensuring quality control.
Aim for a sustainable growth model without compromising product integrity.

Emphasis on ownership and taking initiative in managing shop as if it was one's own.
Encouraged addressing customer issues proactively to ensure shop success.

Drive to Achieve: 5/5—focused on aligning with organizational goals.
Openness to New Ideas: 4/5—balanced ideas from ownership with operational realities.
Problem-Solving: 5/5—comfortable devising solutions as a new manager.
Decision Making: 4/5—made informed decisions with some hesitation in conflict situations.
Taking Initiative: 5/5—recognized for proactive measures that contributed to rapid promotion.
Guiding Others: 4/5—maintained good relationships and delegated effectively by the end of tenure.
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