reputation

A place where I developed a strong reputation was the old pool I used to lifeguard at when I was in high school. I started working there the summer going into freshman year of high school just as a normal lifeguard. The pool was a small neighborhood pool that required membership, so not many people that lived outside this neighborhood would go here. This meant that it was usually a very relaxed shift with minimal chaos and as lifeguards we would only have to watch over between 5-12 people max while in the chair. On every shift there would be 4 lifeguards that would come in and one manager- with one guard watching the pool, on working the small snack bar, and the other two left to sit at the front desk on break scanning people in. The guards switch positions in 15 minute increments and rotate and the first summer I worked there the managers allowed for the two guards not watching the pool/ snack bar to both be able to be on break at the front. A lot of the guards that I worked with there were people I was friends with so almost all of the shifts were very enjoyable- and the managers rule to let both guards on break sit in the front was very well received. 

Fast forward to the second summer I worked there, very similar staff, except our previous managers all graduated and were now in college. Two of the three new managers were the relatives of the person who owned the small, neighborhood pool and they changed the break rule. Most likely under pressure to look good for their uncle, they implemented a stricter rule that made the guards have two rotations in the chair, regardless of how many people were in the pool. While it would make sense to have two guards when it was very busy to maximize eyes on the patrons - usually this pool had less than 10 children in it and it was very easy to guard alone. So if there were 3 kids in the pool you would have to be on the chair for 30 mins straight and 2 rotations; cutting into everyone's break time. This rule was definitely not well received by the guards who were now expected to work harder with no increase in the actual intensity of the work and have less break time out of the hot sun. The owner of the complex never expressed that this rule was necessary and all the guards definitely did not like it - everyone was hoping eventually it would get changed back. Fast forward that summer and another one, that rule was in effect and the guards had minimal break time. 

However the summer going into my senior year I was promoted to one of now four managers as well as my friend Pete. Pete had been working there as long as I had and definitely hated the less break time rotation structure like I did. We quickly became favored to be working with over the other two managers as we would not make the double chair rotation happen unless it was absolutely necessary (pool very busy). It was usually never busy and the guards appreciated us allowing them to have more break time, as it makes you much more alert for the one shift you actually have on the chair. To keep my reputation in tact I just allowed my guards to have more break time all summer - cementing myself and my friend Pete as the 'cool managers'. The only time I strayed from my more relaxed style of managing was on the 4th of July I was working and the owner came in. Although there was only around 7-10 people in the small, rectangular pool at the time - I implemented the old style of rotation for the 1.5 hours he was around the premise. I did this only to appear that I was more proactive than I was on this 'busy pool day' for the management, but in reality it was a farce. Once he left I let the guards return to the more relaxed rotations. I never cashed it in for an immediate gain, I liked being the 'cool manager' and allowing for more breaktime and opportunities for the guards to hangout with each other at the pool.