Sometimes You have to step back and look at yourself

One of my employees at the store, my newest as a matter of fact, has the ability to make even the most simplest task very complicated. I keep thinking she will get over this but I've decided it is part of her personality. Because of this, nobody wants to work with her when it is just two of them. If the office gets busy, she is more trouble than she is help. This morning was my turn. I tried to get the patients that had insurance because it takes her forever to take care of them and I tried to get the phone because she can be kinda snappy sometimes. I tried to dispense glasses because she takes too long. SO what happens is I'm doing it all, or trying to and she is yakking with someone who came in for us to clean their glasses. I'm getting a little upset with her, I have a store full of people, the phone is ringing, I'm running around like a wild woman and she is standing over their laughing and having a good ole time with a lady that only needed her glasses cleaned!!
I noticed she finally walked the lady over to the Dr.'s desk to make an appointment. The day went on and finally we got more help which relieved me a great deal.
Now, let me say the reason I hired this lady is because of her personality. It is a little over the top but at the time I thought we needed someone like that. So...later in the afternoon the lady she's made the appointment came in to have her eyes examined. I was the one who ended up helping her pick out glasses and here's what she said to me after awhile. She told me Kathleen (my employee) was the only reason she made the appointment and that she thought I was grouchy but that I'd proved her wrong, that I was nice too. I questioned her on that and she said when she was in there earlier I had such a frown on my face she thought I was just a grouch but she knows now I'm not.
Well......hello! Sometimes you have to look at yourself through someone else's eyes. I was trying so hard to take care of everything myself that it was stressing me out to the degree that I could have ran customers off!!!
I've got to learn more patience with Kathleen. I know she has what it takes, she just has to learn to move a little quicker but I'll never resent her again for talking with a customer too long. And I'll try and remember to not think I always know best how to handle things and if I don't let her take on some of the responsiblity she'll never learn. So there's my life lesson for today.