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AIBU?

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Original poster

Should I still be upset over Boss shouting at me today?

144 replies

bengal38 · 14/01/2013 16:23

I work in a school kitchen and today the Boss shouted at me infront of the 2 Area Managers and my work colleagues for putting 5 spoons of meatballs instead of 5 meatballs in a childs plate.

I asked the Boss how many spoons of meatballs and she said to me 5 only. I then went to do the next childs plate and she told me it was too much and she meant 5 meatballs and not 5 spoons.

Later inside she shouted at me over it. I did apologise but she said that next time it happens she will scream at me and she then started touching her head saying to me "are you not aware of what I mean when I talk to you". I got the impression that she thought I was thick.

I was really upset but I did explain to her that I said to her how many spoons but she said that I should have known she meant 5 meatballs and not 5 spoons.

OP posts:
SoWhatIfImWorkingClass · 14/01/2013 18:22
  • unacceptable
cumfy · 14/01/2013 18:29

I was picturing a small child with 20-25 meatballs.Grin

OK so:

  1. Kitchen is U because the ladle should be correct size to carry 5 meatballs.
Inefficient to be fishing around 3-5 times for a child's serving.
  1. Since you clearly accept that the ladle carries 1 or 2 balls, it doesn't make any sense to ask how many spoonfuls. That would mean some would end up with 5 and some with 10 meatballs. YABU.
  1. Clearly the manager is an angry bastard. They are unreasonable.

Everyone is unreasonable.

Happy ?Grin

KobayashiMaru · 14/01/2013 18:47

8 meatballs from 5 spoonfuls? That would mean that half of the spoonfuls were only 1 meatball? Doesn't sound right. Either they were big meatballs or you were using a dessert spoon!

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 14/01/2013 18:47

It was just a misunderstanding. Your boss is an arse!

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 14/01/2013 18:49

No maru it means you can fit one or two meatballs on a spoon.

KobayashiMaru · 14/01/2013 18:55

yes, thats what I said, you understand about the relative sizes of spoons vis a vis the size of the meatballs though?

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 14/01/2013 18:59

It means 3 spoons of 2 balls, making 6 and then 2 spoons of 1 ball to make 8. So no half balls. Grin

snowybrrr · 14/01/2013 19:01

YANBU , I blame Gordon Ramsay for leading managers to think that it is acceptable to speak to staff like that in the real world.Do you work for the council? I would speak to the HR department.

Bobyan · 14/01/2013 19:04

You seem to have constant conflicts with people, maybe you should look at your communication skills.

digerd · 14/01/2013 19:07

Shouting is bullying and bad manners. There are acceptable ways to manage staff, that is not one of them.

squeakytoy · 14/01/2013 20:32

ok, so the portion size was 5 meatballs.. the ladle was too small to pick up that portion, so why not grab a bigger ladle... that would save an awful lot of time too..

can you not see the boss's point here??.. a bit of initiative and common sense is all that is needed...

XBenedict · 14/01/2013 20:42

the ladle was too small to pick up that portion, so why not grab a bigger ladle... that would save an awful lot of time too..

I agree but why not say it like that instead of bawling someone out.

Original poster
bengal38 · 14/01/2013 20:43

I do see the boss's point of view but can no-one see mine?

I know I was wrong but when I asked her how many spoons she said to me 5 so I assumed 5 spoons as opposed to 5 meatballs.

I am not perfect. I know I have made mistakes at work and I'm sure we all have. But to shout at me the way she did and touching her head saying are you not aware of what I mean when I talk to you left me feeling very humiliated and obviously very upset plus it made it look to everyone that I was thick.

OP posts:
PickledInAPearTree · 14/01/2013 20:49

Mmmm meatballs.

You've had a few issues there Bengal - did you have a meeting with get after?

I know it's not nice but I've been shouted at in work some people have an aggressive approach.

If you think you are being bullied you need to get a little book and keep a note of times dates incidents.

Thistledew · 14/01/2013 20:56

Ok, 8 meatballs is not quite as bad as 10, but if you genuinely had misunderstood but were following your boss's instructions, you would have served 5 full spoonfuls, which would have been at least 10 meatballs. You obviously applied some common sense and decided that would be too much, so decided not to follow the instruction you had been given but to do your own thing.

Your boss saw you apparently ignoring the instruction you had just been given, which you were in fact doing but for a completely different reason.

I haven't read your other threads, but do you think there is a pattern of you not quite understanding what you have been told, not checking and then making a mistake that your boss sees as ignoring an instruction?

Original poster
bengal38 · 14/01/2013 20:58

How should I be tomorrow though? I always go in and smile and say good morning but if she says something should I apologise again or say something back in a nice way? Also what/how should I act if she looks at me in a funny way?

Yes I am very nervous of going into work now. I have never heard her shout at anyone the way she shouted at me today.

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 14/01/2013 21:00

If this is the first time you have served meatballs to people, your boss should really have made it clear that a portion is 5 meatballs too.

squeakytoy · 14/01/2013 21:01

Just go in, and get on with work. You have been there quite a while.

KobayashiMaru · 14/01/2013 21:05

Just go to work and stop obsessing about how people look at you. Act however you did the last 5 times you asked the same thing on here.

CheCazzo · 14/01/2013 21:09

OP - people 'looking at you in a funny way' seems to be a bit of a common theme with you. Do you think maybe some kind of assertiveness training would help? I'm sure quite so many people can't all be looking at you in a funny way. Really. Can they?

PickledInAPearTree · 14/01/2013 21:14

Go in and and normally. Try and keep calm as often people make more mistakes if they are flustered.

It wasn't a big mistake it was three meatballs. Why I have cost lloyds TSB 1500 before now and they got over that in a day or two!

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 14/01/2013 22:44

She really should have made it clear. It doesn't matter if you've made a mistake, everyone does at work. And actually this mistake was half hers!

Tortington · 14/01/2013 22:53

tbh, i dnt care if she was putting meatballs up her arse, the manner in which she was spoken to was not professional, and indicative of a very bad manager. that manager then undermined her infront of other members of staff.

op, i had a boss who said to me in very raised tone " CUSTY I DON'T WANT TO SHOUT AT YOU BUT...."

and in a rare moment of ballsyness i said calmly " Good. Becuase i shout back"

and a more civilised conversation ensued

OccamsRaiser · 14/01/2013 23:14

"Do any of you not have any problems at work?"

All the time! I get screamed at frequently, instructions are unclear and constantly changing, what works one day may not work the next... Jeez, maternity leave's a bitch. But at least the gummy (and now toothy) smiles help make it all easier to bear Smile

It's not on to be shouted at in front of others (or at any point in a workplace, others or not) it does sound as though you are struggling with the role and your colleagues though. Maybe clarifying things before you start a task would help, if you are unsure?

Yfronts · 14/01/2013 23:43

Her behavior is unacceptable. you just made an honest mistake while she wasn't very clear with her directions. It could have been resolved nicely/warmly/in good humor.

I strongly suggest you keep a diary of everything - date and add witnesses if there are any.

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