I am a Restaurant Guy...
and in our business leadership is essential to becoming a successful operator.
I read recently in a book a sentence that made me think. The author said "Leadership is Emotional." down deep I probably knew this, but I have spent so much time reading books and attending seminars and observing great leaders trying to be better leader. In all the technical knowledge that I have acquired I some how forgot this basic piece of emotion.
Our associates and peers feed off the emotion that we as leaders emit daily. The associates look for a few different things in the chaos of restaurant daily life.
1. Trust--The associates must be able to trust in the Manager on Duty and the organization to provide them with "being there in the time of need." They will literally fight for the restaurant against all odds if they know you have their back. Trust is the fuel that can carry the restaurant to higher sales and greater profitability. Without trust the associates revert to protection. This means that they cannot push the business because they think it will break.
2. Caring--Restaurant associates are some of the most giving, sacrificial people. They are generally big hearted and want to aid and assist any one in need. From their leaders they need to feel listened to and cared about. This type of emotional attachment has led to several miss placed relationship issues in our business for years and is not the appropriate way to care for associates. The part that is needed is to genuinely Care. Most times we cannot fix issues in the associates lives, but being a safe confidant or even good advise giver can gain connections and bonds with associates that will serve you for a long time.
3. Being a part of something bigger-- Most people react to the team dynamic and support global goals and standards of excellence. Leadership's job is to lead emotionally with Vision and Celebration of Achievements. The failure of several operators is to minimize the effect of the associates on the business. The truth is we get to be a part of something bigger because they achieve great results for us. Outline the picture and let them color it in.
Achieving an emotional connection will result in a more successful and profitable operation. We cannot let up on high standards and it is not about being friends. It is about knowing your associates and giving them the tools to run the operation. I have learned that Accountants and Servers do not look for or expect the same things out of their jobs, bosses, or lives. So please do not forget the emotional component of leadership in the Restaurant Industry.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Holiday Season
I'm a Restaurant Guy...
and it is The Holiday Season. This presents several challenges for Restaurant Operators.
1. Family and Friends usually have events during days that we need to work. Working while everyone else is off is our job description. Restaurants always fill up on holidays and weekends. Family pressures can rise but work with your team to meet important family events. It is all about scheduling.
2. Employees have time off needs too. Staffing is critical during busy times and there are never enough employees to go around with endless parties and children's holiday shows. Employees, during this time of year, have a tendency to flake out on shifts or just choose to be absent. I would like to encourage you to remain firm on absentee policies. When we allow some employees to get away with not being there in our time of need, it is the most unfair to those who do come to work.
3. Customers are not jolly in December. I know it 'tis the season to be jolly, but our guests do not always have that opinion. There are several special parties and meetings that will take place in your restaurants with high expectations. Customer satisfaction surveys usually take a dive during December due to customer perception of service. To put it clearly, You must give better service in this month than usual. Being in the Christmas spirit in the Restaurant should equate to attention to detail in the entire dining experience. To some people the holidays are just not jolly and several are depressed and in a pretty crappy mood. It is our Job to step up our game and rally the troops to deliver excellence and ensure that Every Guest Leaves Jolly!
I would like to wish you all a very Happy Holidays!!!
Jesus remains my reason for the season!
and it is The Holiday Season. This presents several challenges for Restaurant Operators.
1. Family and Friends usually have events during days that we need to work. Working while everyone else is off is our job description. Restaurants always fill up on holidays and weekends. Family pressures can rise but work with your team to meet important family events. It is all about scheduling.
2. Employees have time off needs too. Staffing is critical during busy times and there are never enough employees to go around with endless parties and children's holiday shows. Employees, during this time of year, have a tendency to flake out on shifts or just choose to be absent. I would like to encourage you to remain firm on absentee policies. When we allow some employees to get away with not being there in our time of need, it is the most unfair to those who do come to work.
3. Customers are not jolly in December. I know it 'tis the season to be jolly, but our guests do not always have that opinion. There are several special parties and meetings that will take place in your restaurants with high expectations. Customer satisfaction surveys usually take a dive during December due to customer perception of service. To put it clearly, You must give better service in this month than usual. Being in the Christmas spirit in the Restaurant should equate to attention to detail in the entire dining experience. To some people the holidays are just not jolly and several are depressed and in a pretty crappy mood. It is our Job to step up our game and rally the troops to deliver excellence and ensure that Every Guest Leaves Jolly!
I would like to wish you all a very Happy Holidays!!!
Jesus remains my reason for the season!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Happy New Year
I'm a Restaurant Guy....
and I'm already thinking about 2011. You may think I am a little premature in celebrating the new year with all of the Christmas season still in front of me and Thanksgiving was just last week right? Well the truth is that next years plans are being finalized as we speak in most of our organizations.
As in store operators sometimes (especially during busy seasons) we tend to deal with our business day by day or even from a reactionary standpoint. This is a luxury that should not ever be afforded in this business. Even as the customers continue to pile through the door we must think future at all times! For Upper level managers (CEO's, Directors of Operation) they must plan for the upcoming year before it ever gets here.. Yes, that is right they have planned your sales trends, marketing strategies, and budgets already for 2011.
As a General Manger or Store Manager we cannot afford to think less than 90 days out. We should always be preparing for the upcoming quarter. What are we going to invest our budget into? How much sales does it take to make our budget? What was budgetary short fall and how can we recoup that for Company in the next quarter? This also means in Q4 we HAVE to think about Q1 of 2011.
So, Let's look at current trends.
The past 2 years have been a horrible time for Our Industry and America.
The food Service Industry actually began to show positive numbers in Q3 of 2010
The companies we work for will do major reinvesting in 2011
They will not finance growth but pay from bottom lines
We will invest in maintenance and construction.
Some people will have even received merit increases.
People are still eating out versus cooking at home.
Looking at these trends we can expect that:
1) There will be no negative sales projections in the industry at all.
2) Minimum of 5% (as high as 12%) sales growth expectation for every restaurant in America.
3) There will be a minimum of 2% expectation of controllable profit industry wide.
4) There will be about a 3% re-investment into the operation.
5) There will be less Discount offers or new programs to drive traffic.
As operators we have to be looking at these numbers and expectations and planning now for a way to make this happen. (For those of you who are challenged a bit by this, please read "The Impossible Scenario" posting) We must take this time and evaluate our Business and prepare for the upcoming year. My brother was a boy scout so the motto "Be Prepared" was used often around our house. I didn't have to be a Boy Scout to take advantage of the saying and apply it to my business.
Plan your work and work your plan! Do not plan for negative results or you will have a self-fulfilling prophecy. Plan a Super 2011 and deliver the results needed. If you start thinking and planning now you can Make it happen.
Happy New Year!!! (just a little early)
and I'm already thinking about 2011. You may think I am a little premature in celebrating the new year with all of the Christmas season still in front of me and Thanksgiving was just last week right? Well the truth is that next years plans are being finalized as we speak in most of our organizations.
As in store operators sometimes (especially during busy seasons) we tend to deal with our business day by day or even from a reactionary standpoint. This is a luxury that should not ever be afforded in this business. Even as the customers continue to pile through the door we must think future at all times! For Upper level managers (CEO's, Directors of Operation) they must plan for the upcoming year before it ever gets here.. Yes, that is right they have planned your sales trends, marketing strategies, and budgets already for 2011.
As a General Manger or Store Manager we cannot afford to think less than 90 days out. We should always be preparing for the upcoming quarter. What are we going to invest our budget into? How much sales does it take to make our budget? What was budgetary short fall and how can we recoup that for Company in the next quarter? This also means in Q4 we HAVE to think about Q1 of 2011.
So, Let's look at current trends.
The past 2 years have been a horrible time for Our Industry and America.
The food Service Industry actually began to show positive numbers in Q3 of 2010
The companies we work for will do major reinvesting in 2011
They will not finance growth but pay from bottom lines
We will invest in maintenance and construction.
Some people will have even received merit increases.
People are still eating out versus cooking at home.
Looking at these trends we can expect that:
1) There will be no negative sales projections in the industry at all.
2) Minimum of 5% (as high as 12%) sales growth expectation for every restaurant in America.
3) There will be a minimum of 2% expectation of controllable profit industry wide.
4) There will be about a 3% re-investment into the operation.
5) There will be less Discount offers or new programs to drive traffic.
As operators we have to be looking at these numbers and expectations and planning now for a way to make this happen. (For those of you who are challenged a bit by this, please read "The Impossible Scenario" posting) We must take this time and evaluate our Business and prepare for the upcoming year. My brother was a boy scout so the motto "Be Prepared" was used often around our house. I didn't have to be a Boy Scout to take advantage of the saying and apply it to my business.
Plan your work and work your plan! Do not plan for negative results or you will have a self-fulfilling prophecy. Plan a Super 2011 and deliver the results needed. If you start thinking and planning now you can Make it happen.
Happy New Year!!! (just a little early)
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