Here's a great bit of comedy gold to start your Tuesday. Or is it really a tragedy?

At Your Service is an award-winning short film about what a waiter would love to say to a customer. The comedy revolves around the character of Hallie who imagines a world where you can speak your mind and still keep your job!

The problem is that Haley works for a manager that has allowed her to be in this position. Out of the gate his approach to a guest food complaint contributes to Haley’s feelings of hopelessness and drives her to fantasize about “acting out.” Instead of lecturing her, he needed to make her feel better about the circumstances. Assure her that he will address and improve the circumstances, not nag her with clichés. Lead and your team will follow.

It goes downhill from there and the manager is nowhere to be found. Shouldn’t he have noticed that there were tables that needed to be reset? When the two women that sit at the only dirty table arrive, poor Haley has been left to fend for herself and feels no support at all. Where is the manager to help her get the table quickly cleared, so Haley can focus on her service responsibilities?

This comedy (ne: tragedy) didn’t need to happen. In a well-managed restaurant the typical triggers of server frustration can be silenced by solid operations and managers that lead their team. It’s our job to never leave a server in the position that this how they ‘really’ want to interact with guests. If they do, in spite of you performing well, then maybe you need to move on from them.

Remember all comedy comes out of tragedy and this one could have been avoided. Enjoy a laugh, but realize this is what you get paid to make better.