Decades ago I was cook #2 at a retreat center. My boss, cook #1, was a quiet, but kind and competent kinda guy.
He’d show me how to do something, and then give me space to get the job done while he took care of other things.
After a while, we just sort of naturally settled into a rhythm of work. We’d both come in around 5am, get breakfast prepped, and then serve breakfast without needing to say much to each other at all. Then we’d do the dishes, again without needing to talk.
Sometime after that we’d eat, and the two of us would have a good conversation. Rinse and repeat for lunch prep, leaving once the PM crew came in to serve that meal.
The mix of being taught skills, trusted to get things done, and both of us appreciating when to be quiet and when to chat… that was everything. I’ve never had a better boss.
Decades ago I was cook #2 at a retreat center. My boss, cook #1, was a quiet, but kind and competent kinda guy.
He’d show me how to do something, and then give me space to get the job done while he took care of other things.
After a while, we just sort of naturally settled into a rhythm of work. We’d both come in around 5am, get breakfast prepped, and then serve breakfast without needing to say much to each other at all. Then we’d do the dishes, again without needing to talk.
Sometime after that we’d eat, and the two of us would have a good conversation. Rinse and repeat for lunch prep, leaving once the PM crew came in to serve that meal.
The mix of being taught skills, trusted to get things done, and both of us appreciating when to be quiet and when to chat… that was everything. I’ve never had a better boss.