Leadership Lessons from a Dishwasher

Leadership Lessons from a Dishwasher

It’s another great book giveaway.

20 copies available!!

Leave a comment on this guest post by Glen Van Peski to become eligible for one of 20 complimentary copies of his new book, take less. do more.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker.

Deadline for eligibility is 04/21/2024. International winners will receive electronic version.

After I retired from a successful career in engineering and business, I ended up washing dishes at The Sparrow Bakery, near my home in Bend, Oregon. I did not think I would continue to learn leadership lessons in my new role. How wrong I was…

3 Quick Lessons from My Time at The Sparrow Bakery:

#1 – Leave Work at Work

The first week at work, co-worker Kyle told me to leave a pair of old shoes at work. That way, I wouldn’t track the debris from being in a busy kitchen all day into my house. In the same way, don’t contaminate your family relationships by dragging in the dirt from your day at the office. Leave all that at the office so that you can focus on them.

#2 – Except When it’s Good!

One of the benefits of working at a bakery is the ability to take home stuff off the “staff rack,” or day-olds at the end of the shift. Walking home from Sparrow, I would text neighbors to see who wanted some treats.

Bringing some joy from the workday, good news from a coworker, or praise for a finished project is a GOOD thing to bring home from work.

#3 – Everybody Counts!

Pastry bakers are the stars, baristas are the artistic geniuses, but without clean dishes, everything grinds to a halt. In the workplace, it’s easy to forget that even the unsung, unseen, and lowly-paid people are essential to the overall effort. In fact, if the dishwasher calls in sick, it might have more impact than if the boss can’t make it in. At Sparrow, everyone knows that, and treats the dishwashers with the same respect as other team members and helps out when they have a few minutes.

 Questions for Leaders:

How can I bring something GOOD home from work—something good that happened, people stepping in, upping their game? Recognition from management for success on a project?

Who is the dishwasher at my work? Is it the secretary, the mail person, or the janitor? How can I do something to see them today, to acknowledge their essential role?

Glen Van Peski is a dishwasher/philanthropist living in Bend, Oregon. His book, take less. do more.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker (Forefront Books, April 16, 2024), contains the stories of how he accidentally started a successful backpacking gear company, became a dishwasher at The Sparrow Bakery, and many more.