Counting the Omer Day 44: Gevurah of Malchut

Gevurah of Malchut. Discipline / judgment of sovereignty / leadership.

Leaders often must be strong disciplinarians, but they also have to execute proper judgment, and be fair.

My first “management job” was running a Taco Bell in Denver. Employees had been stealing money from the cash registers, and my predecessor was being moved into a different position. My first task was to stop the thieving.

I had pretty much no management training, but I was recently discharged from the US Army, so I at least had a little experience with discipline. My first day on the job I called a meeting of all the employees. I carefully explained the policies about accounting for cash, and that no shortages would be tolerated. Two days later when I came in and did the cash accounting in the morning, we were $35 short; I fired the shift manager, who was surprised that I was serious with what I said. “But it’s just a loan, the money sometimes shows up later.” Sorry, I wasn’t buying it. Within a week a few other employees left, but the theft problem was solved, thanks to a leadership approach that exhibited gevurah: it was both fair and disciplined.