How Do You Give Instructions for a PB&J?

The Frustration

Have you ever given instructions to an employee and found them looking at you like you’ve just asked them to do the impossible? Or, come back in an hour only to find them still blankly staring at the task you assigned?  Maybe it’s not them… maybe it’s your instructions.

It’s not that you’ve asked them to complete an impossible task; it may simply be that you’ve omitted a few steps. To you, the job you’ve requested is as simple as asking them to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Now the Instructions:

Well, put together the sandwich. … But, what does that entail? You need the bread…but how do you get it?

1. Open Bread Package by removing clip or twist-tie.
2. Place clip or twist-tie to side.  (You don’t want to loose it — you’ll need it again later.)
3. Remove 2 slices of bread from package
4. Place both slices of bread on plate

Okay – we’ve got bread!  But shouldn’t we close the bag?  Won’t it get stale if we forget and leave it open…

5. Twist the bag – removing air to keep bread fresh,
6. Re-attach clip or twist-tie
7. Set bread to the side (or put away)

The bread is all taken care of now. So, what’s next?

It’s on to the filling!

8. Pick up Peanut butter jar in non-dominate hand,  hold securely.
9. With dominate hand twist lid in a counter-clockwise direction to loosen.
10. Once lid is removed, set to side
11. Pick up the knife or spoon you selected for colecting and spreading the peanut butter & jelly.
12. Insert the knife/spoon into peanut butter jar and using a scooping or stiring motion collect your desired amount of peanut butter.
13. Remove knife/spoon from jar.
14. Set jar onto counter
15. Pick up one piece of bread
16. Carefully spread the peanut butter across one side of the bread in a smooth and consistent manner.
17. Once you have transfered the desired amount of peanut butter to the piece of bread place bread peanut butter side up back onto the plate.

If you desire additional peanut butter repeat steps 11 – 16.

18. if you still have peanut butter remaining on your spoon or knife, try removing it by scraping it against interior top edge of the jar to deposit it back into the jar for later use.
19. Pick up the peanut butter jar again with your non-dominate hand.
20. With your dominate hand retrieve the lid & place it on the jar.
21. Tighten jar with dominate hand buy turning the lid clockwise.
22. Once jar is closed, set aside (or put away).

One side down… on to the next!

23. Pick up jelly jar in non-dominate hand,  hold securely.
24. With dominate hand twist lid in a counter-clockwise direction to loosen.
25. Once lid is removed, set to side
26. Pick up the knife or spoon you selected for collecting and spreading the peanut butter & jelly.
27. Insert the knife/spoon into jelly jar and using a scooping or stirring motion collect your desired amount of jelly.
28. Remove knife/spoon from jar.
29. Set jar onto counter
30. Pick up the remaining piece of bread
31. Carefully spread the jelly across one side of the bread in a smooth and consistent manner.
32. Once you have transferred the desired amount of jelly to the piece of bread place bread jelly side up back onto the plate.

If you’d need more jelly just repeat the above steps.

33. If you still have jelly remaining on your spoon or knife, try removing it by scraping it against interior top edge of the jar to deposit it back into the jar for later use.
34. Pick up the jelly jar again with your non-dominate hand.
35. With your dominate hand retrieve the lid & place it on the jar.
36. Tighten jar with dominate hand buy turning the lid clockwise.
37. Once jar is closed, set aside (or put away).

The Final Assembly

38. Take the two pieces of bread and place them on top of one another jelly side facing peanut butter.
39. Pick up knife in dominant hand.
40. Using non-dominant hand to stabalize sandwich, and being careful not to cut yourself, cut sandwich into two pieces.
41. Clean Up – Make sure all ingredients are put back into their correct locations.  Place any dirty equipment into the sink, to be washed/or wash it now and put it away so you leave the space clean and tidy.
42. Enjoy your PB&J sandwich.

The Fix – Good Instructions

Now that we’ve been listing the steps, you see that even such a simple task as a penut butter and jelly sandwich may not be as simple as you think.

Our idea of simplicity comes from exposure and experience. The more we do something, the simpler it seems to become. Once we’ve done it for long enough, we forget to differentiate all the steps we must take and start generalizing them – essentially short-cutting the directions. So, for the PB&J – you may be tempted to say – get the bread, jelly & peanut butter, put the peanut butter & jelly on the bread, cut it in half, and eat.

After reading the more detailed instructions, you see just how much you’ve left out in the abbreviated three/four-step version. The abbreviated version may be enough detail for someone experienced with making a sandwich. Still, for someone dealing with a completely new experience, they need each and every step. (And, to be honest – I may have still left out a few.) It’s better to be more detailed than not enough.

The Conclusion

So, the next time you get frustrated because your employee doesn’t seem to be getting your instructions, take a moment and think through the information you gave them. Did you provide them with comprehensive instructions, or did you give them your abbreviated set? Take a moment and figure it out before you let your frustration get the best of you.