Ask Dave
May, 2000 

Where you get a real answer, not the watered-down corporate response. 

Please send your questions to dave@dinersoft.com

Q. My question is how can I get better at restaurant  politics?  I am outspoken and I need to learn when to shut up and when to stand up.  I've ruffled a lot of feathers in the past and want to end this.  Is "telling it like it is" really so important? What if I'm right most of the time? Back down anyway? Make people think that my ideas are really their ideas? Share my thought process with them? And what about good old fashioned power struggles?  How do you handle them?

Signed, Politically Incorrect

A. Dear Politically Incorrect,

Well,  you can't ruffle feathers by keeping your mouth shut.  If you are one of those people who may not have the delicacy to state your opinion in a way which doesn't offend, this may be the approach for you.  Most of the lonely people in this world are right 100% of the time.

I have tried to learn over the years to be vocal in my opinions but to be a
good listener when people's opinions may be different than my own--especially 
when the subject creates feelings which tend to be volatile or passionate.

When you say you are right most of the time,  whose opinion is that?  You don't have to concede your side;  just be willing to acknowledge others in their beliefs and maybe they will listen and possibly agree with you in the end.

Restaurants have clicks and they can quickly turn against you even if you aren't the wrong doer. Try to be polite and respectful of others in their ideas and beliefs and you will be surprised how far that will go to making people respect you AND YOUR IDEAS.

Sincerely,

Dave