Bosses vs Broccoli

One thing about being a boss is unless you are the CEO, you still have a boss.

When I was 15, I worked for a little family owned restaurant named Tasty Treats.  This was my first encounter with a "Boss."  He was a short, chubby Greek man.  His family worked at the restaurant and he had a couple of teenagers working for him.  I don't even remember his name but he was not a very nice man.  He was ornery and stubborn. I did what ever he asked because I didn't want a confrontation with him.  When it came time to me giving him my notice, for the first time I got a positive reaction out of him.  He told me he appreciated me and I worked hard and he would give me a raise to stay.  I couldn't take his coldness any longer and nicely declined the offer.  This experience taught me a valuable life lesson.  Hard work can pay off even if you may feel unappreciated.

When I went to Grocery Warehouse as a "bagger girl", I had several bosses but the main boss was Grant.  My first week there, he sent me on a task.  He told me to go find the snow tires for the carts.  Because I did what was asked of me, I went searching.  I really couldn't believe the carts had snow tires but whatever.  He told me to go look in the back.  After a half hour of searching, I came back up front and told him I couldn't find them.  He turned to an assistant manager and they had a good laugh. This was his way of welcoming the "newbies,"  I learned it was okay to have fun at work.  He really taught me about being a good leader. He cared about his employees.  I remember him calling me to his office one day and asking if I was doing okay during a difficult time I was having in my life.  He listened and understood we were Human, not just robots.

Since then, I have had several bosses.  Some I loved, some not so fond of and some I just plain did not like.  Whoever they were,  I always learned from them and identified who I wanted to emulate and who I learned what "NOT" to do.   

Tonight for dinner we had steak, potatoes and broccoli.  I love broccoli!!!  Joe and Hannah will tolerate it.   Emmy on the other hand, not so much.  She always tells random people everywhere we go she is allergic to broccoli or every meal she reminds us that she does not like broccoli, whether we are eating it or not.  Tonight, we told her that if she eats one piece of broccoli she could have dessert.  She argued at first but we were firm in our stance on the broccoli battle.  She had me put a tiny bit of butter on it and then the funniest thing happened.  She sticks this tiny piece of broccoli in her wide-opened mouth and mutters "Water, Water."  She hurries and washes the broccoli down like she was taking a pill.  She swallowed the "poison" and screamed "Dessert, Dessert!"  We held up our end of the bargain and she was rewarded with her dessert. 

Sometimes in our life, bosses are like broccoli.  You either love it, don't mind it or swallow with a glass of water to make it to "dessert".   But unless you try it, you will never know. 

 George H. W. Bush said it perfectly, "I do not like broccoli.  And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it.  And now I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli."

Guess what, I am now CEO of the kitchen and you get to eat broccoli, Emilee.