Like many others, I got my start in my working life in a quick-service restaurant. I was humbled to be asked to join, and eventually lead, the training team a short time after becoming employed. One of the most important lessons I taught our trainers was to praise in public, remediate in private. I had such an opportunity to praise in public the other day when visiting a franchisee of that system.
The young man who waited on me was eager, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. He was friendly, quick, and professional. He was confident and didn't seem to hang his head in shame or express embarrassment in working in a restaurant environment, a trait I find all too common these days (a la the "turning fries" humiliation routine). Considering my time working in that type of restaurant, I knew their professional standards were high and he was meeting every bullet point on the service attitude training guide. The best part is, he wasn't faking it.
The young man who waited on me was eager, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. He was friendly, quick, and professional. He was confident and didn't seem to hang his head in shame or express embarrassment in working in a restaurant environment, a trait I find all too common these days (a la the "turning fries" humiliation routine). Considering my time working in that type of restaurant, I knew their professional standards were high and he was meeting every bullet point on the service attitude training guide. The best part is, he wasn't faking it.
I pulled his manager aside and said something to her, told her to keep an eye on this one because he was destined for great things. When I was done, he looked me square in the eye and said "have a great afternoon!" That's when I decided to pull the trigger on some praising. In front of several other customers who were all waiting for food, I said "keep up the good work." I explained my background, told him he was being a model employee as far as I could tell, and that if he keeps working as he did today, he'll go far. I haven't seen as big a smile as the one he gave me in a long time.
What's the point of this little story? We're an industry that has a habit of eating its own, spreading war stories and openly mocking our brethren when they're not present (and even worse when they are). I suggest that instead of continuing to publicly shame our co-workers, we instead praise them for what they do publicly, and often. This is a hard job, and we need fresh blood (pardon the phrase) to keep our services alive. By criticizing in public, we do a disservice to those who would otherwise remain. Even new EMTs and non-certified individuals should be celebrated for their accomplishments when they happen. Taking the time to praise in public leads to better morale, and better service.
What's the point of this little story? We're an industry that has a habit of eating its own, spreading war stories and openly mocking our brethren when they're not present (and even worse when they are). I suggest that instead of continuing to publicly shame our co-workers, we instead praise them for what they do publicly, and often. This is a hard job, and we need fresh blood (pardon the phrase) to keep our services alive. By criticizing in public, we do a disservice to those who would otherwise remain. Even new EMTs and non-certified individuals should be celebrated for their accomplishments when they happen. Taking the time to praise in public leads to better morale, and better service.
