That is the name of the game. There is no room for selfishness. There is an ‘i’ in selfishness, but there is no ‘i’ in teamwork. I landed a restaurant manager job a while back, quite a while back, and after the first day, after just a couple of hours in fact, I realized what my real job was: Take the burden off of the owner.

Literally, in less than an hour, it was easy to see that this guy needed a break. This guy needed someone to pick up the slack. And fast.

It didn’t take a genius (I clearly am not one), to realize what needed to happen. There were so many demands on him, so many people seeking him out for this or that, his head was spinning like that little girl in the movie, “The Exorcist.”

My point

This post is aimed at all of those restaurant employees out there. In fact, let’s go ahead and apply it to all you workers out there. Forget what you thought before. I am proposing a new approach. It can be summed up in one song from “High School Musical.”

We’re all in this together

What can you do to make your co-workers’ jobs easier? Think about it. Take a look around and do more than your part.

Spago

I worked at an upscale joint in L.A. many moons ago. If I ever found myself in the ‘easy’ section (not that there ever was one in that insane asylum), I tried to help those in the crazy sections whenever I had a lull. I remember what it was like to work those stressful spots, and I wanted to be able to rely on help when it was my turn in the pressure cooker.

Bring it

https://tabletalkpdx.com/2013/11/15/

No matter what position you have in this business, there is always time to help out a co-worker. It’s called teamwork. Don’t give me that I’m a front-of-the-house guy, and that’s a back-of-the-house job crap. Help a cook out whenever possible.

It’s not my job

Sure, you could seat those people, and then go back to the front desk and text your friend about what is happening after work. Or you could pick up the water pitcher and fill water for every customer in the restaurant.

Yes, you could go open up that bottle of wine, and then hide back in the bus station and bore a co-worker about your latest exploits on the golf course. Or you could run some of that food that is sitting in the window.

I suppose you could go serve that tray of drinks to your bar customers, and then go flirt with the bartender. Or you could step behind the bar, and really help out the bartender by washing some glassware.

It’s not about you

It is not about you. Leave your ego at the door, do whatever needs to be done. Just go get the job done. Everyone’s job. It is all everyone’s job, after all.