“Yes. And this incident will not count against you.”
Bryan finally relaxed his shoulders.
But what happened next mattered just as much.
Alaric said, “I also owe you an apology.”
Bryan stared at him.
“I told you to take responsibility, but I didn’t make sure you understood what that meant. And I didn’t always give you enough room to explain your side.”
He paused.
“That’s on me.”
I could tell Bryan didn’t know how to respond.
He’d spent months assuming management was disappointed in him.
Now the manager was admitting he’d made a mistake.
Alaric promised to review the earlier complaints and speak with Bryan privately about the findings. He would also make sure Bryan had a proper opportunity to give his account whenever a concern arose.
Then he asked Bryan something simple.
“Do you understand that you can disagree with a customer respectfully?”
Bryan thought about it.
“Even if they’re angry?”
