Body wanting to rest, but keep going?  Yes, that’s me.
 
I’ve been working at the bakery for too long without proper breaks, and my body was starting to scream: Let me rest a little!!!
 
This is a topic for another blog: taking care of yourself if you truly want to help others.
 

I finally got the courage to take a couple of days off. I was confident the cadets could pull it off, but at the same time I was a little nervous leaving them alone. 
 
Who hasn’t been there?
 
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the cadets. I just never want to undermine their confidence by putting them in situations they may not be ready to tackle. I only want to build their confidence!
 
Well, they did it!  Better, they ROCKED it!  No burnt loaves, no damaged buns.
 

Can you believe Joaquin (pictured), who’s not even 21 years old, led his team like nobody else?  He had his moments of doubt, and made some mistakes.  Yet, he was able to fix them and, most importantly, learned from them. 
 
That’s what you want from an employee: to solve problems as they arise, without waiting for the manager to fix them. 

I’m so proud of them.  
 

It takes patience, but when you train well, provide the right tools, and give them space, they will certainly deliver.  Trust is key. 
 
I learned this lesson, thanks to them.
 
After this experience, I’ll leave them on their own more often.  Forcing them to run the show by themselves will be instrumental in building the confidence they need to keep shining!
 
Sometimes they just need a little push.
 

Meanwhile, keep stopping by to get your loaves. You know how much they love to serve you. And please subscribe to the blog on the right (or below, on mobile).
 
Together, we're Baking a Difference!