Has anyone held a lead position?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:42 am

(and has anyone wanted to step down)?

Well, seeming things have been depressing in the general forums lately, I have been curious.. Has anyone been a lead at their job, and has anyone who has, considered stepping down? And if so, have you?

And have you, why so? And if you have not, then, well... why not?

And if you have yet thought about not, then why so?

Benefits? Not-so-good benefits? WTF did you do? Help a man out..

Post by **3DO Experience** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:09 pm

The problem with being in charge is that you get blamed for all the people under you when they screw up. The choice to step down is weighed by which is more important to you, the money, perks and further advancement or having the piece of mind that no one but you and those above you can mess up your work. It really depends on how bad it is.

BryWI · Post by **BryWI** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:56 pm

I was a Grocery Operations Manager for a major supermarket chain in my area. It was a salary position where i was required to work 50-55 hours a week. A lot of the time it was more like 60. The company I worked for liked to run big operations on sub minimum workers for a bigger profit. We never had hours to give to people and for the same reason we couldn't hire anyone. I was mostly scheduled shifts like 2p-12a. In the evening there was never enough employees. Most of the time the Dairy/Frozen department had no one in it so I would have to send someone over to fill milk. If there was no one to send, I had to do it. The Front End was always jammed up so I had to be up there during the peak evening hour to help get the customers out of the store. Then there was trucks. We would get up to 3 trailers and I would have to unload them all if it was before 11pm. Basicly all this madness would never allow me any time to get the backroom straightened out like it should of been. After leaving everyday feeling like I had accomplished nothing, I basicly lost my mind. I woke up one day, walked into work, and quit.

I heard that everything got worse after I left too. They switched everyone to mandatory 55 hours a week. Changed the dress code for the 7th time in 5 years (it seems). Got rid of all their Directors of Area Operations people. The company was always doing horrible things to their workforce and making sure the stress was high.

Before I had that position though I was a Night Crew Lead at a different store which that wasn't so bad. It was stressing at times but I did my 8 hours and went home. I also had the best night crew ever. Which allowed me to get other things done. I had that store running great from my side of things.

Now I am a Backroom Team Member for a major discount retailer (not walmart, thank god). I don't make anywhere near as much money but I love my job and the people there. The work environment is infinitely better and so is the company as a whole. It truly seems like the company cares for their employees.

The money I made before was not worth all the stress. It doesnn't bother me that I make less money now. I mostly have everything I need and want. I owe no one. I still have a money in the bank, but I pretend it's not there. It's sort of the emergency fund I guess.

Well, thats my story!

Post by **3DOKid** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:38 pm

I wouldn't step down. Get a new job and quit would be my advice every time. Move side ways, move up, move diagonal, but never, ever, move backwards. If you really don't like the job / position, talk to your bosses and find a way to move side-ways. All companies have bullshit job titles, get one, invent one, discover one, grow one, sh*t one, but don't back slide.

Most managers/directors are merely trying to look to their bosses, I have and would abuse this. My over arching career plan has always been 'be useful' and if you can't be useful, at least appear useful. Useful can also be interpreted as giving your boss something inventive new and exciting to say to his boss.

In the same way we all have to have little ego boosts, little wins, small steps to make yourself feel like you're progressing some how, the counter is a self induced lose. Get pushed back? Fine. Move back yourself? Big Mistake. Everyone should keep trying. Doesn't matter what. Doesn't matter whether you are a 90 years old triple amputee in the desert all alone dying of thirst or a fully functional adult 30 something in a city, you should never, ever, give up. It ain't healthy.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:22 pm

Thanks for the advice/stories. I think you said it best, 'Kid--Move sidways, never backward. I haven't looked at it that way before and in the past I had the tendency to move back, either by stepping down from certain projects because of stress or lack of compensation, or quitting all together. I have some ideas where I want to go here, perhaps something more technical, but I don't feel it's management. I wonder how I can propose that sort of change to my manager. Hm.. things to think about..