Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You publicly tell Bill that you want to talk to him after the dinner
rush passes, when you both have more time.
This is the real-life decision that restaurant manager Eric
Brandt would make. "The other employees probably noticed that Bill was late.
They will all know why you want to talk to him, but they won't have to
listen to someone getting into trouble," he says.
"Bill will also know that you noticed he was late right away, but won't
have to deal with getting into trouble right before it gets busy. By waiting
until later, you give yourself a chance to calm down so you won't say
anything to Bill in anger that you will regret later. You also get to do it
at a time when neither of you will feel rushed to get back to work, so you
can have a fair discussion and talk for as long as you need to."
This is the best choice because Bill does get disciplined, but in a manner
that isn't harmful to the restaurant or anyone else.
Brandt has this final piece of advice: "When you find a boss who uses this
kind of discipline, stick with them. When you are the boss, your employees
will appreciate you more if you can keep cool and do this yourself."