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Jodet, Samovar Leader Reports on her Learnings

Jodet
Jodet

“Work is love made visible. Everything else is secondary.”

I have learned this past year just how much love one can have for something they believe strongly in. It could be a cause, a person, a book, or in my case, the essence of tea culture and everything it stands for at Samovar Tea Lounge: Community, vitality, equanimity.

So, yes…I have learned an immense amount this year. I feel that if I were to break down the myriad of things that I have learned, I could write a whole book. Just to sum it down, I would say this: I have truly learned the beauty of patience. If it were not for patience, I may have pulled away from management a very long time ago. I have learned that dedication and hard work…really pay off.

I have learned through the team and my experiences that respect is not granted to anyone or anything. I have learned this through my interaction with the staff and the way they treat me now, in comparison to the first week I came here.

I have learned how truly the way you feel and think affects those around you; especially a team in which you are leading. I have learned to separate myself from situations where I felt I could act on emotion, and really learned to put the well-being of a team ahead of my own “thoughts and misconceptions.” I have learned that “what you think is really happening, is not always an accurate reality of your truth.” By this I mean….remembering not to make assumptions. I still have a tough time w/ this one.

I have learned that the way others feel or behave is not a direct reflection of who you are—that doing your best, is your best. No more, no less. I obviously don’t need reassurance in my skills—not anymore to say the least. I know I do well. It shows through the effort I have put out.

I remember when I first started managing, I wanted so much to be reassured that I was doing well. I constantly felt that others actions and problems were always my fault. I felt insecure, fearful that I would not do well, that the staff would not “favor me,” and that I was not cut out for the job. Slowly……very slowly, but surely, things changed. I stopped thinking negative, and starting bringing in the positive.

With confidence, and time, thank God for TIME, I have truly learned that I am not the center of my own universe. I have learned what is truly important in life. Listening. Trusting. Letting go. Believing. Acting w/ intention and integrity. Being effective w/ words. Engaging. Inspiring. Smiling. Paying attention to detail. Being aware. Being kind. Being compassionate. And being open to everyone and everything around me.

Managing a business like Samovar is like a puzzle—every single piece counts; from the team, to pouring tea, to tea inventory, to the food, to COGS, to payroll, to customer feedback, to employee retention. The list goes on. Its endless.

And that’s only half of what I have learned at Samovar Tea Lounge. To be continued….next year.

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