How to be more aggressive at work?

Hot_Tamale

Well-known member
This is my first thread on the forum boards so I sure hope this is the place to put this, but I have a serious problem at work. Here's the issue, I work at restaurant, it's not a very popular restaurant and I had never heard of it before one opened on my side of town but I'm addicted to their food, hooray for employee discounts though :thumbup:
Anyway, I digress, every employee is supposed to greet every customer when they walk through the door with the customary "Welcome to *restaurant name*" loud enough so the customer can hear it, but I've had trouble doing that ever since I've started working there and I don't know how to overcome it. My employees always used to tell me when some of them used to work there "You need to say it" "It's in the employee manual, we all have to do it". Now my boss is the only one that keeps telling me to welcome the customers when they walk through the door and I am doing it more and more but now he keeps telling me I'm not saying it loud enough. I know 3/4th's of the employees I work with don't say it louder or with more gusto than I do but he chooses to keeping getting on my back lately because I've been working there the longest (okay....2nd longest) and I need to be a leader to my co-workers.
I told him today I was embarrassed to say the phrase loud enough to every customer coming in the door and he tells me it isn't hard "Hot_Tamale, just do it, it's not that hard." I know you hate it but we all have to do it, you think I want to do it?" and my favorite "No one walking in the door knows how you feel, no one knows that you feel embarrassed, it's your mindset, change your mindset and what you're feeling inside just don't show it". I find the imagine everyone in their underwear strategy more easier said than done and I don't know if I feel embarrassed in front of my co-workers or in front of the customers for saying it, I don't know.
I'm 30 years old and I am about to graduate with my Master's degree in the Spring semester, maybe I feel embarrassed saying it because my mind believes I shouldn't be working for close to minimum wage while all of my friends/old schoolmates have families/careers. What can I do to improve before I lose my job?
 
Hello Hot_Tamale

I've been in pretty similar situations, when you have to do something that you don't necessarily feel comfortable doing.

I don't know if this is a good example but :

Think about yourself as "yourself" when being off duty and as an employee when being on duty, forget about your feelings, be rational and do what has to be done, because you signed up for it and are being paid for it... that's as far as I my psychology goes.

Embarrassment can't kill you, quite the opposite, it makes you more resilient on the long term.

If you don't show it, nobody will know you are!
 

Hot_Tamale

Well-known member
Thanks Jungle, and you're right, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger. Maybe if I embarrass myself unintentionally in other areas of life I will become more comfortable at work and break out of my comfort zone.
 

lori2323

Member
This is my first thread on the forum boards so I sure hope this is the place to put this, but I have a serious problem at work. Here's the issue, I work at restaurant, it's not a very popular restaurant and I had never heard of it before one opened on my side of town but I'm addicted to their food, hooray for employee discounts though :thumbup:
Anyway, I digress, every employee is supposed to greet every customer when they walk through the door with the customary "Welcome to *restaurant name*" loud enough so the customer can hear it, but I've had trouble doing that ever since I've started working there and I don't know how to overcome it. My employees always used to tell me when some of them used to work there "You need to say it" "It's in the employee manual, we all have to do it". Now my boss is the only one that keeps telling me to welcome the customers when they walk through the door and I am doing it more and more but now he keeps telling me I'm not saying it loud enough. I know 3/4th's of the employees I work with don't say it louder or with more gusto than I do but he chooses to keeping getting on my back lately because I've been working there the longest (okay....2nd longest) and I need to be a leader to my co-workers.
I told him today I was embarrassed to say the phrase loud enough to every customer coming in the door and he tells me it isn't hard "Hot_Tamale, just do it, it's not that hard." I know you hate it but we all have to do it, you think I want to do it?" and my favorite "No one walking in the door knows how you feel, no one knows that you feel embarrassed, it's your mindset, change your mindset and what you're feeling inside just don't show it". I find the imagine everyone in their underwear strategy more easier said than done and I don't know if I feel embarrassed in front of my co-workers or in front of the customers for saying it, I don't know.
I'm 30 years old and I am about to graduate with my Master's degree in the Spring semester, maybe I feel embarrassed saying it because my mind believes I shouldn't be working for close to minimum wage while all of my friends/old schoolmates have families/careers. What can I do to improve before I lose my job?

Try not to feel embarrassed. And don't feel bad about your friends having better paying jobs, so what? You're making an honest living and should be proud of yourself for that. And I am sure you will find a better job later when the time is meant to be. As for feeling embarrassed when you greet the customers, believe me, they have forgotten all about you the very second after you greet them. No one is thinking about you or how you sound. They are anxious to get to their tables and order their meals. Try to think of it that way. :blushing:
 
Good advice above. My job involves some "cold calls" which is of course among my worst fears. Lately I've been getting better at them- I imagine/visualize the kind of person I'd like to speak to if I were called. I think it's easier when you think about it from the point of view of the customer; you appreciate how being friendly and having some energy comes across, just as decency, not because it's a job. Also, no need to be ashamed or embarrassed as mentioned above- since if you're going to do something, even it's just until you graduate and get a job you'd want more, you might as well do it well. I think customers appreciate that, and I think you'd probably respect that too. And I agree, your boss seems to single you out a bit. But I don't think you need aggression though- just to see it from a different point of view. You could even pretend you own the place; think about how you'd want your customers greeted. Or you could think of it this way, you're developing your people skills for your better career ahead.
 

Hot_Tamale

Well-known member
Thanks James & Lori! It was definitely easier this past Monday (10/24). My boss jokingly told me he had microphones hidden around the restaurant.
 

Hot_Tamale

Well-known member
I'm still experimenting with new avatars to see which one fits me best. I'm all ears if someone has suggestions because I can't seem to stick to one.
 
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