Restaurant Social Media
They are freakin’ out!
Some of the most important lessons I have learned in leadership, management, and organizational development have come from the people that I work with every day. Just yesterday I was having a conversation with one of my chief “feelers” on the team. (Mind you being a “feeler” is a good thing. If you don’t have one or aren’t one you are leaving a lot of people behind in your team) He told me that combined with the latest company announcement about an internal struggle, my continued demand for higher, faster, quicker results, and the push to put every dollar on the bottom line, as well as perfect delivery for the guest, I may have pushed some overboard.
Initially, I thought, crap this is one of the things I always fear! Did I lose them and they have now labeled me as just another corporate hack or is this just their reaction to another “bar raising” and they will be ok.
High expectation and demand for results
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Can you help me complete my resume?
Note the fine line between these two issues. Here is where the rubber meets the road and you can set yourself apart in your leadership and continue to develop your credibility and long term effectiveness in the eyes of your team.
First - Identify everyone that is spending time on this fine line
Second – Stop what you are doing and go face to face with each one of them
Third – Explain that you know you have pushed them to this level and that they may be struggling to understand or even angry about it
Fourth – Tell them why you are asking for so much and the importance to the overall mission and their long term success and most importantly, you believe in them
Fifth – Ask them where they see the obstacles in overcoming the expectation and actually help them to remove at least one of those obstacles
Sixth – thank them for being honest, thank them for taking on the challenge, and make sure they understand you couldn’t do what you are doing with out them
Engage them and don’t be afraid of their pushback. If your team isn’t pushing back on you, you aren’t pushing forward on them.
Tags: Restaurant, leadership
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bill Baumgartner on -
Andy,
I've been to the edge before, felt like I was going to fall in, sometimes felt like jumping in myself, just to end the madness.
I know what they are feeling, what I was feeling.
I've been on both positions of the cliff. I was the one being pushed and the one who was pushing.
Yes, it's a fine line, and yes COMMUNICATION is definitely the key to unlocking your answer.
In my humble opinion, your 6 steps will: 1.help you achieve your goals, 2.gain respect and cooperation from your people, and 3. afford you the least amount of casualties.
Always wishing you the greatest success,
Bill -
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Permalink Reply by Ed Thomas on -
Boy, that really hits home right now. As an inside member of the team, I too am feeling the crunch and trying to keep my feet under me, but I'm ALL in. It's great to see an actual outline to work from. Great results don't always come easily, but persistence pays off in the end. All you have to do is look around at the companies that aren't expecting more faster, they are going away. This is just the environment of successful business and people. It's an evolving work and business environment and we just have to change with it to stay in the game. Great information that is needed now! Thanks Andy!
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Permalink Reply by Bob Fenzel on -
Andy, these are great steps to remember to put into practice. Far to often this process ends at step two or three. Stopping there just increases the fear and frustration of your constituents and causing either a tough work environment and of course turnover. Letting them know that you believe in them and mean them no harm is huge in getting these folks into the boat. Step five motivates them to row the boat with you. Step six will ultimatley get them recruiting others to row as well because you have created a great exemple for them to do so.
Pushback is to be expected but you are right, if you're not getting pushback you're probably not moving them ahead. "Going with the flow will never get you to the headwaters"
Thanks for your post. -
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