O Captain! My Captain!

So tell me what makes a great captain.

I’ve only worked at one store so I cannot really make any comparisons.

Here are the things that make me admire my captain: 1.) She works every single “shift”. Obviously not in the same day but she makes a point to be at the store seemingly during every hour the store is operational (morning load, evening load and every hour in between) each week.

2.) She breaks down pallets with us. And I don’t mean a box or two, I mean stacks that she then stages.

3.) She rings at the register. She bags for others who are on register when time permits or when we are slammed.

4.) She makes a point to let us know what is going well and provides constructive feedback on how to improve both store performance and individual development.

5.) I’ve seen her “work” every section. I’ve seen her pull lugs, build flat carts, stack bell peppers, sling meat, vacuum and wipe down shelves (bottom shelves) and clean up spills.

In short, I’ve seen her do every task that is assigned to us as crewmembers. There doesn’t seem to be anything she would ask a crew member that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself.

I’ve watched her commend my colleagues when she overhears, witnesses or is told about WOW moments by a customer who stops by the bridge.

When longtime employees transfer or move on, she seems to make a point of attending their final shift to share some kind words about said employee’s impact on the store.

She’s passionate about our customers and our team. She builds people up in public and I’ve never seen her tear anyone down in front of others. I don’t see favoritism in scheduling or otherwise. And I’ve seen her go out of her way to find ways to bring cohesion across the store so that we all feel proud to work there.

So am I living in a bubble or is this type of leadership more the rule than the exception?

I don’t have any plans to transfer or leave my store. I’m just curious: what qualities/behaviors do you see in your captain that are special or unique that build a culture within the store that make you happy to work here?

And no. I’m not a corporate “plant”. I’m not a mate. I’m just a “less than one year” crew member who feels fortunate to work with the people with whom I work.

What are your thoughts?