#92 salt shaker

A student employee was asked to cover the lunch shift of our Welcome Desk receptionist.  "I can cover until 12:55," he replied. "I have a 1pm class and walking in late to that is like walking into an active volcano."

It is Week 1 of classes, but obviously this professor had established clear boundaries and expectations for behavior.  The same principles were described by Danny Meyer in his book Setting the Table.  Meyer likened supervision to keeping a salt shaker in the center of the table (i.e. setting expectations of desired action).  Customers continually moved it (i.e. tested expectations).  The job of the leader was to continually put the salt shaker back to the center through "constant, gentle pressure" about why it was important to be there.

Even if leaders set clear expectations, over time they will be abandoned without continual resetting and articulating the consequences for even a little variance.  Coming to class at 1:02 becomes 1:05 and then 1:10.  Some leaders believe it is easier to let minor transgressions slip, but by allowing the salt shaker to "scoot" a little each time it will invariably fall off the table altogether.

Think about what the salt shaker represents for you and take care to honor it -- over and over again.

-- beth triplett
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