Joel With The Soul

There is a dear friend of mine, that used to be my manager, but has gotten a promotion and has also flown our little coop. He is probably the most attuned, conscientious and dedicated person that I have ever met. Not to mention he is the cutest "little boy" I have ever met. When I started with my company, he was a cook...one of the best. He is always fired up, boosting the troops, egging us on and inspiring us every step of the way. He is a "corporate" dream come true. I miss and think of him every time that I walk through the door at work. He is ALWAYS positive, always upbeat... and always an inspiration to every person that he comes in contact with. Unfortunately he has moved on to a restaurant that doesn't appreciate him to his full potential. In my thirty years of being a server, I have NEVER EVER met a more dedicated and inspired manager. Obviously in downtown Atlanta, they are either extremely lazy or extremely stupid. He is the epitome of excellence in a leader, manager and boss. He has come into his position the hard way... through the ranks. We can only hope that he can somehow find his way back to us, back to the people that love and admire him... and appreciate him. He is missed on a daily basis, and talked about every time that one of his "little Quotes" is spoken. "Pick it up, don't pass it up " is one of his big ones, about picking up the floor of the restaurant. When my brother in law had open heart surgery; the nurse that took us back to see him was walking down the hall of the surgery floor with us in tow... and there was a scrap of duct tape on the floor.. she knelt down to pick it up, and I just wanted to say to her "Don't pass it up, pick it up" ...but obviously my manager had gotten to her already! It is the small things like this that not only get the point across, but make the difference in perception from the guest's point of view of our restaurant. I am hoping that he will come back home to us, to inspire and encourage us even more.The store that he is currently at is obviously filled with idiots; not knowing what a mountain of knowledge, experience and wealth of information he has to share with them... to not only help the store, but help them as well. COME BACK SOON... We still love you, and live by your rules everyday (at least the smart ones do)... the others will be gone by the time you get back !!! TILL LATER....COTTON

The In"VINCE"able Force

One of my managers at work is a consummate Drill Sargent.He can rally the troops, or break them down to the point of submission. Another former military man... I can guarantee that he has probably never been late for anything in his entire adult life. If punctuality is his strong suit, I don't know what in the world we could possibly call his work ethic. Some of the servers either can't stand him ( a sign that he is a good manager) or fear the crap out of him. Being a lifer, I get along great with him. As I have mentioned in previous posts... the harder you work for our company, the better you are treated. I know one thing for sure... he is determined at all times to make sure all of our guests have a positive experience at our store, and leave feeling satisfied and happy (even the guests that don't really deserve it). This is the main reason I quit being in management... I just couldn't stomach it anymore. But he does, and the guests love him. When he is in the window expediting food... it gets DONE ! We will have Captain Cunningham on the kitchen side of the window, and our drill sarge on our side of the window... Let the shouting begin! He will call you out when you don't carry your weight, do your job, or support the team effort. Sometimes even I don't agree with his decisions, but at the same time I realize that he in fact IS my boss; in charge of making the decisions, and as an employee, it is my job to follow his directions...no questions asked, no comebacks needed... JUST DO IT! The good thing about him is that if you do a stand out job, he will be one of the first ones to pat you on the back, and say "Well done, soldier." If you do a bad job, be prepared to "drop and give him 50. " He looks amazingly like Dave Chappelle ( another one of my heroes) and it doesn't hurt to have a celebrity in our ranks. One of the things that most all our servers don't understand is that when you have a boss... they ARE YOUR BOSS. There is not room to quibble, bitch about or question their authority. They are the ones making the choices, and taking the fall when they have to. Sometimes I wonder who will need the defibrillator first... Captain Cunningham or the Sarge?? We may have to get two of them, just to make sure we are covered. He is a "STRICTLY BY THE BOOK" kind of manager. And if you follow the rule book as closely as he does, the problems disappear, the shift runs smoothly and the job gets done. It's no wonder that "Desert Storm" went as well as it did... He was over there. Maybe we need to send him to Iraq.... Cause I don't see it as going too well at this point. He would have the insurgents running for their lives, and they wouldn't even have to look back, because they would hear his thunderous threats, and would be shaking in their turbans.If all the employees would JUST follow the rules and instructions that management gives them, whether they agree with them or not...our little "battlefield" would run more smoothly... and we'd have a LOT less casualties. Till next time... COTTON

"Shrek" Ya Later, Alligator !

ANOTHER manager of mine is flying our little coop. I call him "Shrek" because # 1 he is a pretty massive man...# 2, he has a pretty massive head. Big heads don't bother me, my daughter has one of the biggest noggins I have ever seen, and she is one of the most beautiful people that I know. Back to "Shrek." He literally fell into our lives at the restaurant. He knows exactly what I mean... and because I love him, and have already essentially called him a fat head (a fat head that I completely adore) I will let my last little comment just be known between him, me and all the employees that read my little blog. After he fell into our lives, took a few days off for recovery...he was back with a vengeance. He , like all of my other managers...is hard working and dedicated to our store and the company. He has an EXTREMELY quick wit...(and this coming from the Queen of wit). He has a beautiful wife and two kids that drive him as nuts as mine do...DON'T THEY ALL? He has the opportunity to move up in the company, and is abandoning us...at least that's the way that I feel. My twelve year old daughter seems to be more upset than anyone...she LOVES our "Shrek" and even bought him a Shrek antennae topper for his car. He SAYS the "DUNkey" took it, but we just aren't sure. But what I am sure of is that we will ALL miss this man more than he could ever possibly know. He has been a bright spot in my day many, many times. He has been on my butt when I needed it, yet always had my back. He is a hard working , honest man that I respect and admire totally. My daughter actually wrote a letter to our corporate office, demanding they keep him here. It was written on purple notebook paper with a pink pen, in her "swirliest" writing. Thankfully I intercepted that one, and explained that this was a step up for him and his family. We will not be the same without him, he will leave a hole in our hearts and a memory of another great boss that we will miss. Good luck my friend... and I call you my friend because you ARE!! That is the great thing about you; you boss us around when we need it, are concerned for us when we need it, and lift us up when we need it. Plus, I will lose A LOT of good material when you leave, and that just plain HURTS!! Always keep in touch, and know that my voice expresses the voice of MANY,MANY people. You have always taken my kidding so well...although you are pretty darn good at it yourself. I wish everyone had a boss like my "SHREK" ... I know he means the world to us, and I hope he takes that thought with him on his journey to a greater opportunity, and greater things for his family. I want nothing less for him, and he deserves even more... especially after putting up with me for all this time.... maybe I am the reason he is leaving! I love you, and may you have a "RICH" and fulfilling life . Come back to see us or we will hunt you down and make you climb a fireman's ladder...BLINDFOLDED!!! Till next time...COTTON

"Scotty...Beam me up!"

One of the most important and influential people that I have ever met in my life, is my BIG boss.. Let's call him "Scott." He is probably the most important person that I have ever known in a workplace environment. He is an absolute mentor to me , and an addition to the store that I work for. He is probably the most attuned, consistent, professional boss that I have ever had the honor to work for. He is almost as obsessive as me in regards to the store that he tries to run on a daily basis. His label system, his notes on the wall, and his constant verbal direction; often and frequently fall on deaf ears... I am assuming that a lot of twenty year olds have severe hearing problems. To be an 48 year old woman in a store full of twenty year olds, is one thing.... to try to make them do their job is another. But my boss never waivers, or gives up. He is constantly at the helm, trying his best to influence a bunch of bratty kids that we CAN make a difference, CAN make a profit by being the BEST that we can be. Unfortunately only the Old farts listen or care... But isn't that what is wrong with the entire Nation as a whole? Where is the concern.. where is the conscience... where is the commitment? I know that I am just a server, just an employee, but when have American's forgotten to appreciate the fact that they are living in the greatest Nation in the world, and could always be super-sizing it at a drive through window? All my co- workers... (at least the slack ones) think that he is way too strict... but that is where they differ with me. He is an amazing man of integrity, and a man that actually WANTS to make a difference. Granted he has a small and limited number of employees that feel the same way... But it only takes a spark to ignite a fire... and as long as he has me as the lighter fluid... baby... it is going to be a bonfire. I take my hat off to him , my other managers, and the people that CARE. It truly is a DOG eat DOG world, and if you don't take care of the person that fills your food bowl.. you will surely go hungry.. and the collapse of the whole food chain will certainly NOT work to your advantage. I am so grateful that I have the boss and the managers that I work for... We are all working for the same goal... consistency, value and the greatest output of service that can ever be expected from anyone walking through our doors. "Thanks Scotty" I couldn't love or respect you more Till Later COTTON