Sometimes you just want to hear “Yes, Chef!”

Or, What “Hell’s Kitchen” Can Teach Us About Workplace Communication.

Watching Hell’s Kitchen always makes me think that chefs must have a higher tolerance for verbal abuse than other professions. After all, I don’t think I would take too kindly to someone walking into my office calling me a donkey or taking the files off of my desk and “chucking them into the bin.” (But let it be stated that Chef Ramsay is welcome in my library any time!)

On Hell’s Kitchen, once you take away all of the conventions that come along with being on a reality elimination competition (unreasonable time constraints, team members voting each other off, last minute twists in the competition that turn task at hand into an impossible feat) you’re left with a bunch of people trying to showcase their talents. At least at the start of the competition they work as teams with a common goal: finish a dinner service without incurring the wrath of the head chef. It is clear from the start that clear lines of communication are essential to reach this goal.

After all, what happens if the chef asks for three orders of beef wellington and you come to the pass with only two? If you’ve seen the show, then you know what happens and it just isn’t pretty. You better believe that those two lovely beef wellington dishes are not going out to the customers. The chef is mad, the customers are hungry, and there’s about $80 worth of dinner in the “bin.”

So, in Chef Ramsay’s kitchen, when he calls out an order the contestants yell back, “Yes, Chef!” to let him know they heard his instructions. Since I do not often frequent fine dining establishments, I’m not sure if this is common practice. But it seems like a good idea, doesn’t it?

So, what can we do to implement the “Yes, Chef” model in our own lives?  Technology can help us get that "message received" confirmation.  By asking staff to consistently use tools like out-of-office responses in email or voice mail we can clarify to others that their requests might not be addressed immediately.  It's also helpful when coworkers acknowledge requests with a simple response confirming they received the request and are working on it.

Setting clear expectations and practicing active listening can go along way.  And it doesn't hurt to hear a "Yes, Chef" once in a while, even if you're a librarian.