Running head: BAD BOSS

Bad Boss
Alyssa Cardinal
California State University, Stanislaus

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Bad Boss

According to the American Nurses Association, delegation is defined as the transfer

of responsibility for the performance of an activity from one person to
another while retaining accountability for the outcomes (2004). Due to the
hierarchical structure of todays workforce, it is common for higher ranked employees to
delegate tasks to their subordinates. Depending on the fairness and integrity of the superior, those
being delegated will view their leaders with different levels of respect. The following account
illustrates an adverse experience with delegation and the impact it left on my expectations for
employers.
I have obtained many jobs in my young adulthood, ranging from fast food employee to
office secretary. Regardless of the position, I have always found my employers to be extremely
fair and enjoyable to work for. I had equal expectations when applying for a waitress position at
a local, family-owned caf and grill in Turlock. This paralleled sense of respect and admiration,
however, was unmet after just two shifts at the restaurant. As a new employee, I expected a
thorough orientation to the duties and expectations of the position. Unfortunately, this task was
pawned off to several different employees, each having different outlooks on the positions
responsibilities. This generated an unstable foundation from the start.
Upon my arrival at the grill, a mere third day of training, I entered a chaotic work
environment and immediately noticed an extremely stressed staff. My boss was barking orders
from the kitchen, as he franticly tried to keep up with the countless food orders. It was not but
five seconds from walking in the door, that my boss and I locked eyes, and he demanded that I
get to work. Frazzled, I wrapped my apron around my waist and gathered my pen and
pocketbook. I heard the door chimes whistle as I met a party of four in the lobby. I welcomed

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them and ushered them to a nearby table. I quickly took the familys order and delivered it to my
boss, who was still running ramped in the kitchen. He reviewed the order and began negatively
lecturing me on the importance of accurately scribing orders. Unsure of where I went wrong, I
began to ask for clarification, but was quickly silenced by a rude remark and the need to go help
the other waitresses. I smiled politely, did as I was told, and got back to work.
Soon after, the doors chimed and I met another group at the front door. This time around,
I attempted to document my order flawlessly, in hopes of avoiding another bout of disconcerting
harassment. To my astonishment, I was met with negativity yet again. I had forgotten to ask one
of the guests how they preferred their steak sandwich cooked. A simple mistake from a novice
employee was enough to earn me another round of criticism. It was not until the third incidence
that I felt the overwhelming need to defend myself. After failing to write buffalo instead of
hot when describing the wings, I became flushed in the face and replied, Honestly, I didnt
realize there was a difference. Perhaps you should train me instead of having everyone else do it
for you. This may not have been the most appropriate thing to say, especially considering my
tone, but there was no one else to defend my honor while being attacked by a malicious,
antagonistic employer. After a few shared words, I was properly trained and my experiences at
the restaurant, thereafter, improved immensely.
When considering the five rights of delegation; right task, right circumstance, right
person, right communication, and right supervision; my employer failed to utilize many of the
required components of delegation. As a new employee with deficient knowledge regarding the
specificities of the job, I was given a task that was inappropriate for my level of training,
violating both the right task and right person components of effective delegation. My employer
also failed to provide an appropriate initial training, resulting in the absence of right supervision

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and right communication. Fortunately, my employment at the restaurant has improved and the
relationship between my employer and I has become mutually enjoyable. Through the process of
this unfavorable experience, I have learned the importance of standing up for myself when no
one else will. I have also gained an enhanced awareness of the importance of a respectable
employer for a positive work environment.

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References

American Association of Critical Care Nurses, (2004). AACN delegation handbook, (2nd ed.).
Retrieved from http://www.aacn.org/wd/practice/docs/aacndelegationhandbook.pdf