Gemotions

The critic's harsh assessment burned in Chef Raj’s mind, leaving a residue of bitterness. His breath hitched in his chest. He saw the doubt in the eyes of his line cooks, the apprehension in the servers' postures. He felt a deep sense of responsibility for their morale.

He quietly went to the office and took out a stack of hand-drawn cards. Each one was a thank you note, something he wrote for his staff every time they did a good job. He went back into the kitchen and handed them out one by one.

He told them each something specific, something personal, about what they had done. He told them he was proud of them. The cards weren't much, but they were real. He knew that the only way forward was together.