Quote:
Originally Posted by gafftaper
Protocols and procedures are everything. I would suggest that you develop an exact procedure that you ask every volunteer to follow. This way it's not you the student telling the adult what to do, it's you reminding them what the standard procedure is.
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This is absolutely the way to handle it as many adults rankle when a mere 'child' tells them what to do. If it is posted procedure, then you have that to fall back upon.
Our theater is driven by volunteers, many of them getting up there in years and I have the same problem, even though I'm well over 40 (*ahem*). They don't want to talk orders from a child (okay, usually that's flattering, but not in this case). Do you have a volunteers meeting? At that time, it could be brought up that "in an effort to facilitate the seating procedure, x,y and z have been put in place. If you have any questions, ask Max as he is in charge."
if they are unwilling (or unable to do that), then you need to have a heart-to-heart with your director. To yell at you for a late start after you have alerted him or her to the situation is not fair to you.
No matter what, you are going to get control freaks in the box office. Perhaps that person's name could be struck from box office duties or (s)he could be placed elsewhere, like an usher or concessions.
Charlie