I have unfortunately not had a chance to trail a manager, but I am quite clear on the effort, time and dedication it takes to be a manager. Fortunately for College program students it is quite easy to network on Disney grounds. Every cast member you come in contact with can have a potential to help or put you in the right direction. In my work location at the marina, there are so many part time cast members who are retired and have joined Disney’s team in order to have extra money and get the privileges cast members get.
My managers are not very accessible to talk nor do they seem very approachable to talk to. That might be because they are so busy running between two resorts. But from observation I can see how hard and meticulous their job can be. And by us doing our jobs corrects how easily it can change a task for them. Our managers have 9 hour shifts, with no specific break; they basically have to find time between tasks to take a break. Because my managers also deal with lifeguards they also always have to be on guard if there is an accident.
From reading the article, “Transitioning into a Leadership Role: On-the-job Success strategies for Newly Promoted Managers” a lot of the dos and don’ts that they suggest for managers, can directly relate to how we as cast members do our job. In the article they suggest managers not try to make alliances or try to take things slow at first. I found it reliable to observe what and how people do things at my job so I can see what is expected of me. My first few weeks and now well into the program I still find myself watching my coworkers to know what I should be doing or not be doing.
Dear Nadia,
I can also relate in that I still also look to my fellow cast members for guidance.There are always going to be areas that we can improve upon and room to grow as cast members. There are also some leaders at my location that are somewhat unapproachable and always seem to be on the move but luckily there are a couple of designated leaders for CPs that we can go to when we need guidance or have questions. I hope that you also have leaders in your location for CPs or at least someone in management that you connect with. It can also be difficult in my location to connect with anyone in particular because there are so many leaders and coordinators that I do not see a particular one very often so I also observe as much as I can.