Café Mia – the Rewards of Being an Effective Manager
Café Mia has been an Edgecliff institution for over 9 years. Family owned and family run, it is a bustling meeting place for the community, offering great food, service, and a sense of ‘security’ in uncertain times. Many of the customers frequent daily and Café Mia is literally part of their lives.
I am one such customer - one of the highlights of my day is my morning coffee run ritual – I head out to Café Mia and the experience is always pleasant and a great start to my day. The staff are always happy, pleasant, and smiling and the customer service is always exceptional.
So I asked myself why? What makes this experience one that, as a consumer, I look forward to and want to repeat daily? Could it be the management?
I sat down with Owner and Manager Michael Papadopoulos and learned that his leadership and his family values are a big part of what makes this a successful and sustainable business.
"Balance, calm and a sense of order meant that even during lockdown, Michael managed not to let anyone go."
When asked about what makes an effective manager, Michael described how he organises and motivates staff through direct and diverse communication. He described how all his workers are different and unique in what they offer his business, and as such they don’t all respond to the same way of communication. When asked what makes a good communicator, Michael used the words patience and calm. If you are calm and you display patience, this is contagious and fosters good morale, productiveness, and a feeling of security. While nothing has been easy, keeping a sense of balance and staying organised has been key to keeping people employed. Balance, calm and a sense of order meant that even during lockdown, Michael managed not to let anyone go. Rather, he balanced out shifts, made sure the business was absolutely COVID safe, and reassured his people that they would prevail together.
It’s early 2021 and it’s already been an interesting year, all the staff are in masks but somehow you can still see them smiling. There have been the quieter days and days where the café is bustling with chatter and activity AND no doubt 2021 will offer Michael and his family more challenges. The effective leader knows that another challenge is just around the corner and leads by example, staying positive, productive, and keeping the family vibe alive and well.
“Good managers create value. The reason is that in being a manager you have a multiplier effect: your influence on the organisation us multiplied far beyond the results that can be achieved by just one person acting alone.” (Kinicki 3e, pg. 7)
Learn more about why organisations value managers in Chapter 1 of Kinicki Management 3e.