From Phenglei Kai

All too often, stories ont his site remind me of my previous store manager.

When I was a lead on the sales floor, she told me that I should set the proper example for the employees, and always be positive, happy, cheerful … In general, make the store seem like a wonderful place to work.

Gee, I didn’t realize that setting a good example for my co-workers meant insulting their intelligence.

But the kicker was that she told me that I should NEVER complain about the customers. Not even in private, in the break room, or even away from the store.

She explained to me that by complaining about customers, the employees were giving each other a negative impression of the customers.

… I swear, all I could do was stare at her in utter disbelief.

My God. We don’t HAVE to give each other a negative impression of the customers. The customers accomplish that all by themselves, every damn day we’re at work.

I think that when a manager is THAT out of touch, all you can do is nod and humor them. Reality is a long gone concept.

--Phenglei Kai