Case Study

Being Promoted from WithinOne month ago, Tom saw that there was an opportunity to advance in his department as a kitchen manager. Tom had been a line cook for almost two years, and felt he was dedicated, professional, and qualified for the manager position. He applied and was promoted. Thrilled, Tom took his new position as kitchen manager with as much pride and hard work as his position as line cook. He started to notice, however, that the line cooks that he was now managing lacked the work ethic he saw in himself. Did his colleagues not respect him in his new role as manager? Did the other line cooks slack this much before and he simply never noticed? He started to see that several back-of-the-house employees were coming to work late, wearing unlaundered uniforms, and any task, rather big or small, was done in a sloppy manner. Tom was becoming more frustrated with each day that went by. When asking for assistance or providing direction, he was receiving dirty looks and short answers from some of the other employees. He questioned his abilities as a supervisor and a leader. Tom was now doubting his confidence in the workplace—an attribute that was fundamental for his promotion. What was he doing wrong that the previous kitchen manager had done right?Discussion Questions1. What are some possible reasons for the carelessness of Tom’s colleagues?2. How should Tom assess the current situation?3. If you were Tom’s supervisor, what advice would you have given him before he started his new position?4. How can Tom regain his confidence in leadership, while still receiving respect from others?5. If you were being supervised by Tom, and frustrated by the way he chooses to manage the kitchen, would you address him directly? If so, how?