We also changed our model from having one shop manager to creating multiple job positions with defined descriptions. We have two paid mechanics and a volunteer coordinator and a youth coordinator. We also have set up teams with different responsibilities that can be shared with volunteers. This also leads the way to having a more community run organization. We are still working on it, but our new model is proving more successful in eliminating bottlenecks, staff overload and getting more volunteers involved. John http://www.sibleybikedepot.org St. Paul, MN
On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:47 PM, thethinktank-request@bikecollectives.orgwrote:
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Today's Topics:
- Re: Suggestions for finding a good shop manager (joshua muir)
- Re: Suggestions for finding a good shop manager (andrew lynn)
- Re: Suggestions for finding a good shop manager (joshua muir)
Message: 1 Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:40:04 -0700 From: joshua muir muirjoshua@gmail.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@bikecollectives.org Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Suggestions for finding a good shop manager Message-ID: 8ab5b3a81003162040w50e95f65q3c73ffef72813c1e@mail.gmail.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
From the collective perspective, I say "open up". Give collective members
responsibilities, understand that sometimes you'll all have to take up some slack, and find managers within your community and organization. Coming from the Bike Church in Santa Cruz with the clerkship model, that's where my heart lies. management jobs are open to the whole collective and they rotate. If you truly give the responsibilities over, the folks who love your org will take it on as their own and really come through. I know, sounds hard to believe, but it works.
And it works in a way that creates a shop space that actually represents the collective personalities (yes this includes faults as well as excellences).
This model also takes time to develop the job descriptions (clerkships) in a way that is acccessible to more than one individual (so that they can rotate, and still be performed well.)
It sounds like this might be a large leap for some other shops, but it has many benefits.
And if you need qualified mechanics, offer a series of master mechanics classes to your volunteers and go thru some manuals start to finish. In my mind the point of the community bike project is to dispell the myth that you have to hire out to find someone knowledgable enough to do the job.
best of luck
josh
On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 9:02 AM, Rich Points <rich@communitycycles.org
wrote:
Hey All, We've started looking for a new shop manager. After a week or so of
resume
submissions nothing stands out. We had the same experience last time we hired a shop manager. I wanted to ask the shops who've sought out and hired a shop manager what their experience has been like. Do you have any suggestions about where
to
find qualified bike mechanics with non profit backgrounds? Ride On!
-- Rich Points Community Cycles Executive Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich@CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 (W) 303-589-0597 (C) Donate your old car to Community Cycles http://communitycycles.org/get-involved/donatecar.html
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-- Joshua Muir muirjoshua@gmail.com
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