Small Business Advice About Leadership As A Job Stress Preventive Measure

Question:
I am a new asst. manager of a restaurant, and its not going very well. I assume I need what you call A Small Business Advice.

I have a staff of either very young girls or older women and I can't seem to find middle ground. The young girls like to laugh and have fun; the older women are very uptight. I need to get the older women to understand that I am in charge.

Please help me relay respect for me from the older women and to the younger ones to respect
their jobs.

My Answer:
First, please be assured that the main problem is not yours, but your manager’s.

You may take to her the following as a Small Business Advice that would motivate to do her job somewhat better:
1. Arrange a very detailed set of missions and assign who is responsible for each (could be a team). Specify levels of standards (quality) and ways of measuring the work / results. This is the MBO (Management By objectives) method. It does take some good hours!

2. Use the team approach in order to further refine the various chores. Let the staff be a partner of the plan. Support them in their input.

3. Build your own team, using well prepared weekly meetings (30-45 minutes).

Approach the business’ owner for a reasonable budget, regarding professional assistance in the above process. A real Small Business Advice requires time! Whatever I just specified sounds easy, but you ought to use a professional.