Many parallels can be drawn from William Shakespeare’s, Taming of the Shrew and the taming of dysfunctional waitstaff.

First a brief synopsis of the Taming of the Shrew, as most of us know it.  The story depicts the courtship of Petruchio, a gentleman on the verge of bankruptcy, and Katherina, the wealthy daughter of a nobleman, with a sizable dowry.  Katherina, is headstrong, an unruly shrew!  Initially, Katerina is an unwilling participant in the relationship, but Petruchio tempers her with various psychological torments... thus ~ the “taming” ~ until she becomes an obedient server... Oops, I mean bride!

Allow me to pluck a few Shakespearean plumes of mélange stereotype’s which permeate deep from within the bowels of the unruly waitstaff dominion.  All of these personas exist!  Which one or which combination has waited on you?  Or, which one are you?

Decisions!  Decisions! Decisions!

The egocentric ~ “I know it all, how hard can it be to slap a few plates on a table?”

The royalty ~ Professional, qualified, who has no need to learn anything new.  “I’ve been doing this for twenty years and know everything I need to know about serving.”

The cyborg ~ “Program me and I can do anything.  This is a recording.”  Monkey see, monkey do.  No questions asked. (Refer to our 19 Mar posting entitled, “Cyborg Food & Beverage Servers (Waitstaff, baristas, bartenders, catering and banquets)

The eclectic ~ “Guest should be honored to have me wait on them.”

The zombie ~ “I can do this job in my sleep, and I usually do.”

The clocker ~ “I clock in, I clock out.  Cash me out. Nothing else matters.”

The swiffer ~ “I can do 2,000 covers a night, what the heck do I care if they ever come back.  As long as I collect my tips,  I’m satisfied.”

The know-it-all ~ “Of course I’m smarter than everyone else.  So what if I don’t know what grass-fed beef is or where the damn salmon comes from.”

The saint ~ “I do this job out of the goodness of my heart.”

The 007 ~ “I know all the tricks to the trade and I’m not afraid to use them.”

The pollyanna ~ “I’m cheerful, optimistic and usually obedient.”

The mcslut ~ “My provocative approach earns me big tips.”

The bluffer ~ “I don’t have to study the menu, it’s right there in black and white.  They can read can’t they?”

The diabetic ~ “Sure you can have extra lemon in your water, sweetie.  Sure, you bet, no problem, absolutely, raaaaiiiiiight.”

The entertainer ~ “Hey folks, here’s the deal... come on, come on, come on... let’s move this along now.”

The flim fan man ~ “Let me tell ya what I’m gonna do.”

The UFO ~ “What day is this?  What time is this? Where am I?  May I borrow your pen? May I borrow your wine-key?”

The attitude ~  “No Madame, you’re pronouncing it wrong.”

The weight watcher ~ “Are you really going to eat all that?”

The activist ~ “Are you really going to eat a dead animal?”

The warden ~ “That’s the way we serve it.  Like it or not.  Just eat it and be done with it.”

The merlin ~  Who disappears every time there is work to be done.

The atticus finch ~ “I’m here to do everything I can to please the guest and finish my work.  I leave nothing to chance and do more than what is expected of me.”  (Refer to our 14 Jan posting entitled, “Do not hustle the lobsters” vs “The Atticus Finch code of work ethics” for food servers.

What Really Motivates Workers

Progress is the true top motivator of performance.  On days when staff are making headway in their jobs, or when they’ve received support that helps them overcome obstacles, their emotions are positive and their drive to succeed is at its strongest.  On days when they feel they are spinning their wheels or encounter roadblocks to meaningful accomplishments, their moods and motivation are at their lowest.

Now back to Shakespeare’s, Petruchio and Katerina. As soon as Kate began making defined changes in her behavior, her progress improved within the household and so began the Taming of the Shrew. 

Employee Board ~ The incentive gift that keeps on giving... 

A Great incentive for the crew... “An Employee Board by any other name would be great for the taming of the Crew.”  Used for training (taming), motivation and feedback. 

Featured on the board are:

~            Responsibilities of a server

~            Tools required

~            Product Knowledge Feature

~            Menu alerts and ingredient

~            Feature a “Behind the Scenes” employee bio each month: photo,

              name, function, place of birth, languages, family, hobbies, music,

              other skills, .....what their parents always told them.

~            Recession Tips:  Best price to buy gas in the local vicinity

~            Educational Resources: Free Public Library computer, or language

              classes

~            Tool box service recovery

~            Wines & Spirits

~            Safety and Sanitation

~            Weekly inspirational quote

~            Employee Exchange (Featuring disclaimer)

Everyone is looking for help in this difficult economy.  The exchange functions as a hub for those struggling with multiple issues.   Posting's are previewed by management and deemed appropriate.  The exchange communicates between employees.  An example: someone to help out as a sitter for different shifts.  Cleaning, elderly care, moving, mending, ironing, or seeking a part time job for a partner.  Selling a car or giving away a ceiling fan, books and clothes.  Car-pooling, moving boxes to lend or borrow.  Résumé writing, job leads.  (I'm happy to share a template of the board set up's, I design.  Email me at ptsaldari@gmail.com)

This information can be utilized for DAILY ramp up meetings. They are posted for your unlimited use and convenience. Write to us about what specific barrier you may be encountering and we will make recommendations in forthcoming postings, or email you directly.

Hope you like this posting,

Thank you, I am always grateful,

Pen

ps: From the prior post, Taking a big bite out of a Schumpeter Cookie, Part: Great Looking Wait Staff.  Photo 19 received the "Mother Load" of email attention!!! Wonder why?

(c) 2010 ptsaldari.posterous.com : PTsaldari Group Inc. | The Art of Serving Well | Serve Me Well Inc. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared on ptsaldari.posterous.com blog authored by PTsaldari.  This article may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it. Email: ptsaldari@gmail.com