I was enjoying an extra-thick, cool slice of sweet summer watermelon when Russ T. Blade peeked from behind the dark green rind. “Rusty,” as regular readers know, is the miniature, imaginary produce manager who occasionally appears to talk shop.
Rusty: You’re face is scrunched in a frown and your eyes are squinting the way they do at the end of a long day. What’s up bub?
Me: Huh? Oh, nothing. I was pondering about an old produce manager’s manual I found recently while cleaning out a closet. It was from the early ’90s — so much within still holds true today.
Rusty: Such as?
Me: In a word? Standards. I was thinking how all chains have strict standards that they want their produce managers to uphold. You know, how best to order, store and prep; how best to set up a training regimen for new clerks; how to merchandise fresh produce. Standards based on seasonality — it spells out exactly how a chain wants things done.
Rusty: Oh, yeah. More like, how the most recent produce director wants things done, right?
Me: Well, that is who a company places in charge of fresh produce operations. That’s who decides which vendors to use, what quality standards they want to see in terms of size, grades, fixtures and lighting styles, and so on.
Rusty: We get that direction all the time. It does start with our vice president of produce and floral ops, as we say. Then it trickles down to everyone else: district managers, store managers, produce specialists or supervisors — all carrying the “standards” banner, so to speak. While produce directors rotate through the years, the high standards have remained steady, all right.
Me: So, why when I visit stores around my city from the same chain, some stores are consistently in great shape, following those supposed standards, while other “sister” stores are consistently in rough shape. Same chain, same standards. Different results.
Rusty: Why indeed, I’ll tell you. It has to do with what I call “internal standards,” or as I also call it: execution. You see, you can have the thickest and most concise produce manual available, but it always comes down to the strength of the produce manager in each location. How were they trained? How is each managed and supported? Each produce manager is different. You must remember some of your own managers, right?
Me: Sure do. Some were what we learned in management classes: Laissez-faire, or easy-going managers — too easy. Some like this not only didn’t hold up company standards, but it was also all they could do to hold any semblance of running a respectable business.
Rusty: I’ve seen the too-soft brand of managers myself. Not good. The opposite extreme is referred to as an autocrat leader. That is, one who is overly hard on the crew. That’s no good either.
Me: So, at store level standard-setting and execution, which style is best?
Rusty: Somewhere in between, I’d venture. Closer to the autocrat, because as a produce manager you must insist on upholding prescribed standards, but not so crass that everyone is afraid of their own shadow. You have to surrender some control. Train your crew well, turn them loose, then hold them accountable. They’ll surprise you at how conscientious they are at maintaining high standards.
Me: I like that: a good balance of being picky about doing things done right in the produce aisle but maintaining a calm demeanor. I’ve touched a little over the years on the concept: Emotional Intelligence.
Rusty: I like to compare the difference to the old TV hit series “MASH.” Remember? At first, all-too-easy Col. Henry Blake commanded it, followed by Sherman T. Potter. Ol’ Sherm was tough as nails to begin, if you recall, with equal portions of high standards and expletives. But Potter quickly adapted. He remained the effective and lovable leader but did so while talking about horses, waxing poetically about his wife, Mildred, — all while occasionally imbibing with homemade gin from Hawkeye’s still.
Me: I like that. Call it, produce standards, distilled: Be a Col. Potter, not a Col. Blake.
Armand Lobato’s more than 50 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. He is retired from the Idaho Potato Commission and has written a weekly retail column for nearly two decades.