When I taught Food and Beverage Management at Middlesex Community College (I really miss it actually), one of my lessons was on personnel management. In fact, other than another lesson plan that would be titled “Spend more money than you receive and you’re toast”, I have always regarded the personnel issue the most important one of all. In life and in business. My business anyway. It is the basis, each and everytime someone askes me what my “secrets of success” are. Hire nice people, treat them nicely, and “what comes around goes around.” (Funny to me, that as I am writing this, it is TOTALLY not what today’s blog was supposed to be about) I will push on…bear with me….
The name of the class was “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round.” The premise is, as mentioned, whether in raising your kids or motivating your staff, show them love and you will reap the reward sought. Coopeartion, good attitudes, teamwork, etc. I would then launch into a valuable, and memorable story about my brother–the moral being HIS take on life, being, “All anyone in life wants is to be loved.” I will not share that awesome story today, because this would no longer be a blog post, but a chapter from my book. (The one being written in my head) So, now, I have clearly double–maybe even triple digressed. Back to “Love makes the world go ’round.” That story about my brother, whether in class or with staff, would lead me to: “Defined in many ways throughout society– The hipsters call it “Good Karma.” The bible set? “The Golden Rule.” Some more challenged by metaphors might say “You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours.” And then there’s the ‘Jenny from the block–round the way girl’ perspective (and my own neighborhood growing up) where one would say “What comes around goes around.”
Which, finally, leads me to my blog post point of the day. The last expression actually allows for some reverse interpretation. And here it is…
I have taken some heat lately for a column I wrote for Merrimack Valley Magazine, where I alluded (apparently not ambiguously enough) to the shitty attitude displayed by a couple of local restaurant owners. The couple, have a restaurant locally, and whose food is actually pretty damn good– who make great drinks with a couple of really well liked, talented bartenders. The service otherwise, is generally untrained and slow, but forgiveable. (I imagine they have real trouble retaining staff. They, apparently, reject the whole love theory) But what is not forgiveable, in my book anyway (both the one in my head, and my day to day dealio) is to be treated shitty by the owner. And on the night that inspired the column I wrote–criticizing my peers–I was in their (empty) restaurant when my cell phone died, so I asked to use their bar phone to call the group of people who were meeting me downtown. (Read between the lines–to meet me, to EAT AND DRINK, in THEIR EMPTY RESTAURANT) I got the phone, with a huge dose of bad attitude–and then, after being put on hold on the other end for LESS than two minutes…I was rushed off the phone. By the owner. Who knows me. Who knows me to be a local restaurant owner. And I simply submit… “What comes around goes around.” (I know there are those that would say… “Turn the other cheek”, “take the high road”, etc. but quite simply, the high road is paved with boring stories!
So, anyway, recently, someone I know very well called “Them” for an order of Pad Thai to go.
“Peanuts on the side please”
“Pad Thai with or without peanuts?”
“No, with peanuts, but in the side”
“No peanuts on the side. Pad Thai with or without peanuts?”
“Um, I want the peanuts. I just want them on the side…” (becasuse I am sharing with someone who cannot eat peanuts)
“Pad Thai only comes with or without peanuts”
Seriously folks, I don’t make this shit up. True Story.
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