New Rules of Engagement for Today's Restaurant Managers

It's a new day for the individuals that aspire to long term careers as restaurant managers, or for that matter, any type of management position, in these changing times.

The days of "I told you to do it, so do it," are as far removed as last week's garbage. Somewhere in a heap of discarded ideas are the management styles of the 70's 80's and 90's. Today's successful managers are playing by a whole new set of rules. Rules because if ignored or dismissed, certain consequences are awaiting. Choose not to obey the new rules of engagement and get ready to face the new employee.

Who is the new employee?

You'll know them when you start your shift. They are the associates that may display some or all of the behaviors, including,
Uncooperative
Lacking in focus
Nonproductive
Lacking in teamwork
Unmotivated .

New challenges face today's restaurant manager.

So what are the new rules that are so necessary for efficiently managing your people?

Unfortunately, I am not so sure there is any manual or comprehesive list of management skills that can provide you with all the answers.
I would suggest developing your own list, a list that best fits your personality. The important thing, as you plan your week, is to write your plan with not only your operational goals, but also your developmental goals (people goals).

Think about the word Engagement.

What does it mean to you, your employess and your customers?
Now, how best might you engage them to not only achieve your goals but, "how can you help them get what they want.?"

If you can involve and engage them in what you are doing, they will become much more responsive to helping you get what you want.

So I like to plan each day with specific objectives relating to one or more of the employees working on my shift.

What is one thing I can teach or mentor or correct that will help that particular employee to make their job more rewarding or advance their career?

If done sincerely and in a true spirit of helping the individual, with one employee, five or six days, every week, think of the results that you can accomplish.

From my experience, you might expect a staff of
Well Trained
High Performing
Happy
Customer Oriented
and Loyal Employees.

My thoughts are not new; social media is preaching the same message.

My advice is simple, twelve simple words,
"Become a New-Age Manager. Engaging Yourself, Your Staff and Your Customers."

Bill

Comment

You need to be a member of FohBoh to add comments!

Join FohBoh

Comment by Bill Baumgartner on July 25, 2009 at 3:44pm: @Susan - Thank you for your continued interest in my postings. Your valuable input is always welcome and appreciated.

@Mel - Your comments are alway down-to-earth. I love your analogy of the Turkey :)

@John - Your management style sounds a lot like mine. Thanks for taking the time to share with myself and the FohBoh Family.

@Bill - Thanks for your encouraging words. Hope you have a great day and a great week!

@Ashley - I am so pleased that you enjoyed my newest article. I hope you will continue to follow my posts.

Comment by Ashley Howard on June 23, 2009 at 9:44am: Great post, Bill ! I think that the summary of your advice is something that all restaurant managers should keep in mind all the time. Engaging the "new" type of restaurant worker can be more difficult than the management styles that many are used to, but can ultimately pay of three-fold in the grand scheme of things. When happy and engaged, many of the "new" waitstaff can bring tremendous personality to your restaurant that can actually help differentiate your restaurant from your competition. People remember a waitstaff that genuinely seemed to be working as a team and enjoying their co-workers; it rubs off on the dining experience.

Comment by Bill Campion on June 22, 2009 at 6:48pm: Nice post Bill. You are right on. Command and Control is no longer effective. I like the tone of your blog. Engagement cannot be over-emphasized. Hope you are having a fabulous day. Enthusiastically Yours, BC

Comment by John Scroggins on June 22, 2009 at 8:48am: Thanks, Bill. I think we've all found ourselves challenged with managing staff these days - long-term associates who may be stressed under increasing workloads, mid-range associates who wonder if they're in the right career, and junior associates who have come of age with technology and information resources, and who are connected to peers globally by ever-changing technology.

All too often, as managers, we put off making suggestions, mentoring, teaching until bi-annual or annual reviews are due. This only serves to catch people off guard and isn't really helpful. Making it a point to reinforce positive, and mentor on changing negative, behavior works so much better when it's done day-to-day.

Motivating employees in this environment can also be a challenge. Funds may not exist for performance reinforcements. We have to be creative in motivating at all levels. And we can't forget how powerful the simple things are. Telling someone they've done a great job, that they've made a difference in our business, delighted customers - it's too easy to pile on the negative and ignore the positive - so I make an extra effort to tell associates when they do a good job and use those who've developed great systems or processes to train others so they can be more efficient.

Comment by Mel Kleiman on June 22, 2009 at 4:49am: You deserve what you hire. and what you expect. if you expect and hire employees who are
Uncooperative
Lacking in focus
Nonproductive
Lacking in teamwork
Unmotivated .

Yes you need to train and keep motivated and be honest and consistent and have rules that you will enforce but as if you hire a turkey and motivate a turkey and pay a turkey all you will have in a trained,paid, motivated turkey.