My Employees Show Me Up

Or, “How To Lose Respect From My Employees”. My wife and I went to a fast food place this weekend (Arby’s - yum) where I got to experience one of those, “really?”, expressions on my face. Supervisors should be the ones providing the walking-the-talk attitude for their employee’s . . . not the other way around.

The supervisor was running the register when we got up to the counter – very quickly, I might add. He took our order quickly and efficiently and then went around back to help with the preparation. At that point one of the employees relieved him at the register. She also was very nice and helpful to the additional customers. So far, so good.

When the supervisor placed the boxes with our sandwiches in the slide one of the lids opened up and we could see that the bread had not been toasted. So my wife said something and the supervisor’s reply was – wait for it – “the bread was accidentally put through the ‘warmer’ instead of the ‘toaster’”. That’s it! He didn’t have it toasted when he noticed it was not done correctly, nor did he even OFFER to fix it. He just continued on his merry way.

Upon seeing the, “really?”, look on our faces, the employee immediately told us that if we’d like the bread toasted that she would “personally” do it herself. PERSONALLY. Those should have been the words of the supervisor. As appreciative of this employee as we were, it should never have been up to her. She told us she’d bring the sandwiches out to us, finished taking a customers order, and went right back and fixed our sandwiches.

This was a perfect example of not walking-the-talk. Being the good supervisor he is, he’s certainly not making a very good example for his employee’s. It’s great to have knowledgeable and caring employee’s. It’s even fine for them to sometimes be more versed in their particular job than you. But NEVER put yourself in a position that, as a supervisor, you’re shown-up like that by an employee of yours. That gentleman not only lost any respect from my wife and I (and the other customers listening), but I’m sure he lost it (if not already) from that employee.

Walk-the-Talk. Act as you want your employees to act. Attitude=Attitude!