Management by Dummies

Recently in Ontario we had the Timbit fiasco, when a woman working at Tim Hortons was fired because she gave a baby a Timbit, thereby depriving the company of 16 cents in revenue. From a public relations standpoint, firing this woman was a bad move for a number of reasons. First, Tim Hortons prides itself on being family-friendly and helping children. Second, they have a policy of giving free Timbits to dogs – presumably in cars – that go through the drive-through (they are day-old Timbits mind you, although they could easily have this policy for kids as well since most of them have undiscerning tastebuds). Third, the woman is a single mother of four kids. Fourth, it made the hugely profitable company look like a penny pincher, at a time when the country is considering abolishing the penny. You can imagine the negative publicity her dismissal generated for Tim Hortons. The company ended up apologizing and re-hiring her.

The managers of a restaurant in Owen Sound, Ontario have apparently risen to their level of incompetence, for what else can explain their laying off last week of a waitress who shaved her head? This was also a bad move for a number of reasons. First, isn't that a form of discrimination? Second, it's hard to see any argument against employing a bald waitress, since they are much less likely to serve soup with a hair in it. Third, she shaved her head to support the Canadian Cancer Society. Fourth, this all took place when the Timbit fiasco was not yet the equivalent of a day-old donut in people's minds, and they were ready to join in battling any Goliaths featured on the CBC news.

Is there a Management for Dummies book?