The Pitboss and The Comfort Zone

Many Pitbosses have a so-called "comfort zone." You know what I'm talking about: that space at the pit stand where there are boundaries and you feel a sense of emotional security with your work and your decision making.

The Pit Stand and Control

Simply, the pit stand is where the Pitboss has their break list, the pit scores, player win/loss and that ever important communication tool – the Pit phone. In brief, it also means it's an area that the Pitboss feels most in control but this could be argued that the Pitboss is in the least control.

The Stapled Pitboss

An ex-colleague was infamous for stapling himself to the Pit stand. Dealers and supervisors would come back from a break, he felt the key role was to read the table number to the waiting staff (rather entrust the staff to read it themselves) and then immediately after duck his head down for the next 20 minutes to decipher where the next batch of staff would go after their break.

In other words, away from players, from social nods and greetings to guests, pulling-up wayward employees who deviated from the company policies and procedures, verifying any pay-outs, this was his area of low anxiety and reduced stress.

Negative impact on the business as a whole

Great for him, but a negative impact on the business as a whole;

• The security aspect Who assured the cheats and opportunists that they have a good chance of being caught in a misdemeanour?
• Customer retention How many of you go regularly to the same restaurant, predominantly because you like the food but also because the serving employees acknowledge you as a regular. Lord forbid that they start prying into deep conversations and personal questions but we all enjoy that recognition with a "welcome back".
• Employee corrective measures Employees left to their own devices will create their own devices!
• Team motivation Employees not spoken to during their shift feel neglected. They may have something they would like to point out, to get off their chest or to make their own contact with their 'boss'.

Comfort Kills Productivity

All in all, comfort kills productivity. We lose the drive and ambition to do more and learn new things. We also fall into the "work trap," where we feign "busy" as a way to stay in our comfort zones and avoid doing new things. Pushing your personal boundaries can help you hit your stride sooner, get more done, and find smarter ways to work.

Benefits of Stepping Out

If you push yourself away from that pit stand now then you'll find it easier to push your boundaries in the future. Once you start stepping out of your comfort zone, it gets easier over time. As you step out of your comfort zone, you'll become accustomed to that state of optimal anxiety. "Productive discomfort," as they call it, becomes more normal to you, and you're willing to push farther before your performance falls off.