exactly that; be yourself and fun/chill but stick to your standards (that you’re getting paid to enforce) and do your job.

it’s also goes a long way to treat your baristas right and listen to them. learn body language. talk to them and make sure they’re always in a positive headspace.

coaching is a part of your job, but it’s not your only job. don’t forget to praise the wins, even when they’re small.

don’t micromanage. you are also part of the deployment. utilize your own skills when necessary to keep the flow. jump on CS for a bit and help them out. relieve a bottleneck on bar. take an order on DTO if your expediter is getting warming or is away.

it can be intimidating but just be yourself and have fun with your job. you’re a leader and whether you like it or they like it you will now influence your team and plays more than you think. be aware of that influence and have a good time!

good luck!

Don’t micromanage your partners. I can’t stand when I’m busting ass on bar for a 3 hour-long peak, get a second to breathe and take a sip of my water, and a shift asks me to clean steam wands. Bro you know I’m a good worker and I’m gonna do it, just give me a second to breathe.

So I guess... trust your partners (unless you know the partner is actually terrible at their job)

Edit: also congrats! And good luck. I’m sure if you want to be a chill but good shift, that’s exactly what you’ll end up being. Don’t overthink that. Be confident in your abilities

honestly just creating a relaxed and chill atmosphere is what does it for me. the shifts i work with in mids and mornings feel tense, like you can tell they are tense. but the evening shifts have a lot more of a chill vibe that just radiates within the room. I would say, talk to your baristas like regular people, don’t yell or demand, don’t degrade anyone, or call them out in front of others. continue to talk to them like you’re a fellow barista and not their superior.

i have been a shift for almost 10 years so this is what i got for you - don’t forget that “leaders eat last” aka make sure your partners are breaked and rotated out of positions even if that means delaying your own break or biting the bullet in an un-fun position like a slammed bar. when baristas can trust you and feel taken care of they will keep the vibe up themselves!

model the behavior you want to see and when you do need to a coach a problem behavior try to not come from a place of defensiveness or reactiveness - “assume positive intent” and do it with some levity. also remember to explain WHY they need to do or not do something - not just “bc it’s the standard.” and remember that sometimes you need to vary your approach with different people based on how they receive feedback.

finally, if you coach a standard, confirm it is understood, but the behavior doesn’t change, give it to your manager you don’t have to be the bad cop!

(On mobile, the format might be fucky) I’ve been a closing shift since Halloween, and honestly the two things that I balance are:

1. Getting everything done as early as possible

And

2. Prioritizing your baristas first

Basically, if you are making sure that you are always busy (usually on cs!) then the shift goes by super quick, you get your tasks done, and you leave yourself room for later in the day to do either extra tasks, to touch up previously done tasks, or to fuck around and have a good time lol. That being said, the barista’s always take priority. If someone wants to be switched positions, but it disrupts your play and prevents you from doing the pull right away, it is better to switch the partner and figure out a new plan than saying SOL. Putting yourself in a place to be able to flex onto positions for bathroom breaks, emergency calls, etc. is always a good way to support your baristas, and be able to give them their breaks on time.

Go in with a plan (I like to make plays in advance!) but be willing to change it at any point.

Don’t forget to take your breaks (I usually do after I make sure the rest of my team has had theirs) Even if it’s a terrible day and you feel like you want to skip, the company doesn’t deserve your time a minute more than you’re scheduled. Plus, it makes it easier to focus on your job if you do take a couple minutes to mentally/physically remove yourself from work.

Good luck! I believe in you!

1)trust your baristas. They really do appreciate it💛
2)barista is more important than bux. If someone doesnt feel good or is really mentally not doin well I tell them its just coffee, go home. Maybe we wont get everything done that night but if someone needs to go home thats way more important than drive times. You wont be fired for caring for your partners and they really develop trust in you and will be honest with you
3)be yourself. Bux will want you to become a customer service focused robot but being yourself and just being there for you team is gonna make you alot happier
4)congrats and good luck!

Honestly just be yourself and make sure your partners know you care about them. Never treat them like you’re better than them just because you’re a shift supervisor. If they can see your care and concern for them you will be a great shift and they will respect you! Congrats on becoming a shift! 💗

Don't be the shift who doesn't shit and has all other baristas do all the work

Be willing to coach in the moment if you see something wrong (ex, queueing shots before steaming milk), but don't micromanage. It's a balance between checking to make sure assigned tasks are completed properly, but not hovering over people's shoulders watching.

The attitude you bring to the floor has a lot more effect on the mood of the shift than any action will have. If you come in with high energy, ready to knock shit out and get it done, your baristas will feed off of that (usually). If you come in grouchy or pissed off, and snap at people when they make mistakes or get behind on tasks, you're going to create resentment and a bad mood.

And don't stop listening. Just because you outrank a barista doesn't mean a barista can't teach you something. SSVs have to be able to admit when they're wrong too. Listen to what your baristas have to say about standards, but also listen to interpersonal things too. If someone has a bad shoulder and they say they're sore today, don't put them on bar for eight hours straight. If someone says they're really struggling at home today and they're worried about accidentally snapping at a customer because they're upset, maybe let them be on CS until they get themselves together a little better. People like working with managers who respect them, so showing that respect will go a LONG way towards having a happier floor during your shifts.

All of my shifts are super positive and upbeat, and also are really great about coaching and praising for a job well done. they make it really fun to work with them and makes me so much more comfortable.

I really appreciate the patience I get from my shifts when I ask questions or ask for help or admit I made a mistake, especially when I first started. so! just give grace. I know easier said than done but you can tell when someone is a slow learner & when they’re just being lazy/don’t care. also others have said this but there is nothing more defeating than when a SSV micromanages. I’ve had, my SM actually, come over & completely take over even when I’m not stressed out or need help. I think it’s her anxiety so just maybe be self aware about how you manage under stress & pressure! congrats & I’m so glad you asked this question cus I’m moving on up to SSV soon too :)

a lot of great comments here. my advice? treat everyone as your equal as much as you can. you are the leader but only a bad shift act superior.

as simple as this sounds... say thank you as much as you can. it’s hard work. some times you just want someone above you to take you aside and say “i see you. i appreciate you.”

I’m not a shift, but this is what I’ve learned watching the shifts Ive worked with. I’d say first always prioritize & trust in your partners, make sure they are comfortable in whatever position you have them in for your play & if not ask them what they do feel comfortable doing and trust them & don’t micromanage them, if you’ve got baristas that know what they are doing then let them do their thing. Other things I’ve learned is to always try to be encouraging, one of my shifts when she ask for the time or just when we are in a big rush will say “You guys are doing amazing!” another one of my shifts when it gets a bit crazy he will come over the headset and say “No stress zone, you guys are doing great” and it’s nice hearing those words especially when it gets super busy during peak and you’re stressing to the the OTW time down to the expected goal. I’m sure there’s much more to being a shift that I have no clue about & im sure it’s stressful but if you don’t let your team see you stressed & keep encouraging them you will be a great shift to work with.

Honestly it sounds really dramatic to say considering we just sling bean water, but some people will dislike you no matter what. I’ve been a shift for over a year and it’s taken me this long to come to terms with the fact that at the end of the day, I’m not there to make friends. I have goals and plans within the company, and that’s important to me. Sometimes you’ll have to get sassy with partners who aren’t listening to you, or you’ll have to be off the floor longer than you thought and partners might feel like you’re slacking off. But just follow your gut and follow standards. Have fun, but work while you have fun. It’s hard to stay positive sometimes, but just remembering that it’s literally just coffee helps me take the hard days a little less serious. Also just COMMUNICATE. Communicate with your partners. If you’re going to be off the floor for a minute, let them know! Keep your team in the loop about what you’re doing. The last thing you want is to be doing something important in the back, and to your team it just looks like you’re slacking off doing nothing while they’re getting slammed. Just don’t overthink things. If you know something is wrong, correct it. Don’t just let things slide because you want to be the fun shift