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

[bengal38]

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.

And evey false accusation of bullying involves someone who is over sensitive, reading things rhe wrong way and probably, at fault.

Have you read the OP's other posts? I stand by that it seems unlikely that everyone in her workplace is picking on her. And some friends. And some children in the playground. And some family members.

I agree with everything flatbread has said and am shocked at those who think its perfectly reasonable for the op to be humiliated because of a couple of misunderstandings at work.

We've all made mistakes at work. I once spent 2 hours stocking the crisp isle when i should have been stocking the cake isle (back in my supermarket days) and probably should have realised considering the crisps weren't that empty, but in the work place i just did what i was told. I had misheard but i didn't know i had misheard, obviously! No one shouted at me. Just laughed along with me when we realised my mistake. I was nervous and not confident (like the op by the sounds of it) and shouting would probably of had me in tears.

Don't you worry about that though eh DSM, curious and cosmo, you just carry on telling the op how incompetent and thick she is just like her boss does. Aren't you lot just lovely! No better than her bully of a boss.

I truly hope none of you are bosses because you have no idea of what is appropriate in the workplace. Blaming an employee for your own loss of control for eg. would not be appropriate, so it doesn't matter if the op made a mistake, it should always be dealt with in a professional controlled way. No shouting, threatening future screaming and humiliating gestures implying low mental capacity.

Should this really need explaining?!

fuckadoodle - if you had read the thread properly, you would know the answers to some of your own questions. It is long though, so maybe skim reading has meant you missed bits. Easy done.

The point I (and others) are making is that perhaps her boss didn't 'shout' at her. Perhaps she isn't being bullied. Perhaps the issues are her own. It;s not always horrible bosses who are at fault.

I also stated a lot earlier that I am in a management position, and have been for 13 years. I do know what is appropriate in the workplace. I have never shouted at anyone.

I didn't blame her, I said the boss shouldn't have shouted. But honestly - read her other posts. She has been in the job for months and still needs guidance on basics like portion size, food storage, cleaning, I could go on. Her probation period has been extended more than once and her managers have suggested this job isn't right for her.

However the boss shouldn't have lost it like that, however frustrating she is to work with. And often bullying can occur when a member of a team is constantly making mistakes and being incompetent - the rest of the team can band together without realising and if it's happening it needs to be nipped in the bud.

I've read every single word DSM.

Although i missed the bit about you being in management!

DSM Tue 15-Jan-13 00:47:06
ShellyBoobs I completely agree, on the principal that I too have been in management roles for a long time (13 years) and have never shouted at anyone.

It's just there. No shock required - I can find it for you.

Fuckadoodle, I am questioning how much of OP posts are perspective and how much are facts. I am not bullying her. I am writing my opinion, like you are yours. Unlike you, I read her own posts and I feel I am reading a very biased perspective rather than facts. Therefore, I question how much is perspective and how much are facts. You are taking her posts at face value - your choice. But please don't accuse me of supporting the alleged behaviour when I am actually questioning how much of the alleged behaviour is OP's perspective rather than facts. Oh, and no I'm not calling her a liar.

cosmo - you put that so much better than I did

I don't think you should have been treated like that.
Tomorrow I would just go in with a pleasant "Good Morning", and carry on.
Maybe buy yourself a little notebook and pencil that can fit in your pocket to keep track of your duties and what you are to do/serve that day. If you are unsure you can check you book. Hope tomorrow is a better day.

No one should be shouted at. I won't be shouted at.
BUT, I agree with everything else DSM writes.
Op seems incapable of doing some of the basics. she has had inumerable previous problems. And is clearly just not up to the job. The job is just beyond her.
When she gets a new job she will be able to see this with clarity. It is hard when you are there. I had an accounts job and it was just too much for me. Now I am so happy in my current accounts job, I can see that more clearly.

I haven't read OP's other posts and don't intend to (think it is bad form to bring in stuff from other threads)

But I did work in the university cafeteria while studying. We had very clear instructions on how much to serve. E.g., a tray of rice crispies had to be cut into 18 squares as that is what the pricing model required. We didn't have to ask, the instructions were clearly written or communicated with each activity.

I would think a half-way decent supervisor would have budgeted a weekly menu and written down portion sizes for each meal and sides. This should be avaiable and hung on the service counter so there is no confusion.

Also, expecting serving staff to count 5 meatballs and poke around each time is just silly. It should be based on an easy scoop size or pre-divided into portions.

So it seems to me the supervisor is sloppy and and inadequate at her job. And clearly has poor management skills.

I have had teams working for me comprising of medical doctors, PhDs and MBAs. You will always find some people who don't 'get it' and I have to make the effort to communicate very clearly to get the work done to standard. I would not dream of raising my voice or making rude gestures. I am fairly sure I would get fired if I behaved like that.

They count meatballs pretty easily in Ikea. Is it too challenging to count to five?

You really think its too hard to count out 5 meatballs?

Fishing out five meatballs from a sauce each time is time-consuming and inefficient. Especially if you have a lot of portions to serve within a short time.

The meatballs should have been dry on the side and plated in portions of five. If they are in a stew form, it should be by ladle size. No poking around to find the right number.

In any case, the quantities per portion should be clearly communicated to the serving stuff. And it seems that wasn't done properly. And the supervisor seems to be covering her inadequacies by bullying others.

Sadly, I think this might be a common occurrence. Don't know why OP is getting slated here

Really? You think they have the time/space to portion out the meatballs

Your suggestion is definitely more time consuming and inefficient. Have you ever run a kitchen?

Flatbread - I hear you saying you think it is bad form to bring up other threads, and normally I would agree, but honestly, you are being really misinformed by not knowing the background. If this was the only post I had read, I would completely agree with what you were saying (apart from the portioning out meatballs in advance)

Lol, DSM, the only kitchen I run is my own.

And I don't cook meatballs because I am a vegetarian . Although I have made dumplings. Delicious stuffed with butternut squash, mushrooms and cheese

They sound delicious

I say flatbread I'd want more than five of those!

So.. OP - any thoughts? How was today?