The importance of leadership

As with any other industry, finding the perfect manager for your storefront can be a burdensome process. What makes cannabis uniquely challenging is the amount of responsibility that comes with the position while working in such a regulated environment. With the wrong fit, there is quite a bit to lose as a store owner. On the flipside, with the right person, there’s a relief in knowing you’ve hired someone in great confidence to lead your team to success. With the tools and skills required, the right manager can make your life a lot easier and allow your business to flourish as it should. Here are some of the aspects that we, here at Budtenders Choice, know to be benchmark characteristics of a respectable manager.  

Accommodating different learning styles

We already know that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other (thanks, JFK). But what we don't often take into consideration is the how of this equation. Finding the right fit is the first challenge, but accommodating and speaking to various learning styles is what separates the average leader to an outstanding one. Being in an industry that is so dynamic and ever-changing, something that every manager should take on as a priority is enabling and promoting individual learning in the workplace. As new information is constantly surfacing in cannabis, sharing and guiding the team with resources that enables all learning styles plays a vital role in the productivity and success of a store. By executing an actionable plan with your manager, they will gear up for any challenges that come their way while also ensuring the team is supported too. The product of a collaborative group effort of such increases sharable knowledge that customers seek out from stores. Being the industry professionals, it is up to us to share this information with the greater public - making sure all our staff are well informed is a colossal priority.

Communicate effectively

Being the liaison between you and the team, it is essential that lines of communication are clear with your manager. With such a multi-faceted role and encountering both faces of the business, a manager should be able to communicate flawlessly. Any diversion of this communication can lead to potential complications down the road with customers, budtenders, operations or worse: governmental noncompliance. By clearly outlining all the means of communication, an expectation of organization definitely comes into play here. With so many things to manage, it’s crucial that your future manager comes in with a plan of action. Clear communication materializes this action and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Embodying company culture 

Lastly, we believe that a revered manager is one who is very much so a part of the team. Getting in there and getting your hands dirty with everyone else on the floor is a wonderful way to gain your colleagues' trust, thus becoming immersed into the company’s culture. By working together, team cohesion becomes more and more apparent. Before you know it, your store will be functioning like a well oiled machine. 

Finding the perfect manager can be a long game of trial and error- especially when you are reviewing piles of Indeed resumes. To join a community of cannabis industry professionals who already have the experience and qualifications you are looking from, reach out to us to connect you with your new team.  BTA has an amazing job board you can take advantage of and we can also introduce you to our partners, the White Ash Group, for personalized guidance. You can read more about our partners here. However small or large your needs, we can lend a hand! 

If you are in search of a manager for your cannabis retail storefront, check out White Ash Group for any of your recruitment needs. White Ash Group does all the hard work for you in finding the right individual to lead your team to success. With over 20+ years of recruitment experience and a sole dedication to the cannabis industry, the team at White Ash Group work with you to find a leader you can be proud of.