My Theory Y Experience

It was the first day at my extern site, Bottega Restaurant in the beautiful Yountville California. My whites were clean my hygiene was tip top; my attitude unchanging from anxious and anticipated. As I walked in at nine in the morning for the beginning of morning prep I got suited up and met with my chef de cuisine Nick Richie. From that point on he showed me around the kitchen and sent me into the battle field of the back of the house.
Tasks were as strenuous as they were long, peeling and dice 3 cases of thumb carrots. Julienning a case of zucchini and squash for vegetarian spaghetti. Making all the stocks for the day. The list just didn’t seem to end. Throughout all my work on top of that was the wondrous yelling of the head chef. “Why are you doing it that way?!” “Who in the right mind told you to do that task before this one?!” They just would not end.
Ever sense I started into the work force I have always enjoyed working, especially with my hands on the activity. I think I have always been considered and Y worker. I enjoy my work that I do, I have to be involved in it, and I have always been encouraged to work harder if I have a set goal for me or some sort of end point item. Bottega was putting that theory of mine to the test. One day I was so off, upset; my work was terrible to say the least. In all honesty it made me consider my position as a cook and if this was what I really wanted in life. It made me question my Theory stance and if everything was all just for nothing.
Thankfully one of our dish washers in the back, Abe, was always nothing but sunshine and rainbows. Chef could come back and disclaim his paycheck for a month and he would still be as cheery as the next day. I never really understood his ideas, his stances with his work and his attitude. It almost so to say baffled me. During that horrible3 day I took 5 to go and bust out some stress in the three comp sink with Abe, who was singing Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” out of all the songs and how so apropos. I looked at him in the midst of my choking up eyes and unsteady hands in the hot soapy water.
“How do you do it man? How do you put up with this bullsh*t and still look like you just walked into work for the first time today?” “Hahaha,” he laughed; “Its easy little bro.” “Life’s way too short to let the X’s and the pessimistic and the autocratic’ bring you down and ruin your day.” “Wow,” I said. And that was it.
I never thought it would take a Hispanic grown man in the back of the dish pit at Bottega to point out what you think I would have taken away from my parents; but sure enough I did. He showed me its worth it to hang onto the X personality, there’s one in a million of them as it is. I was determined, and with that exited the pit back to the BOH to finish up my prep work 1 hour early and for Chef to notice me a little more and give me a good performance review and overall improvement.