Here's how you can cultivate confidence in a leadership role within the food industry.

Get to know and appreciate your employees. Assess what they know and what would appreciate knowing that they don't. Give feedback when it can best be heard and understood. Follow up your feedback to determine if it mattered or was disregarded and why for both your sakes.

Confidence in the Kitchen Starts with YOU! Be the master of your domain! Know your operation inside-out: Sourcing, prep, service - you got this! Informed decisions = Faster, smoother operations. Earn trust: Your team respects a leader who knows the ropes. Stay curious, and keep learning: Industry trends & best practices are your allies. Confidence is key! Lead your team to culinary success!

I have so many stories that have led up to "My Basic Philosophy as a Parent, Teacher, Coach, Manager/Supervisor" I consider that these are different names but that each title has, collectively, the same definition with the same responsibilities and roles; and that my main goal, common to each of these roles, is to "work myself out of a job", that is, prepare an individual to be independent, self-motivated, and self-sufficient.

One thing I found helpful working in the food industry is as a manager your are truly just a teammate but, you make the tough decisions. You have the back of each teammate right or wrong your job is to make it right for the customer as well as ensure your co-worker did ok and mistakes happen. With a good clear clam mind the best for all parties will become a positive end result. Always praise your teammates, leaders always eat last both figuratively and literally.

Focus on Guest Experience: Placing a strong emphasis on creating unforgettable experiences. Leaders must be trained to prioritize customer satisfaction and to lead their teams with this goal in mind. This focus instills a sense of purpose and confidence in leaders, as they see the direct impact of their efforts on guest happiness. Mentorship and Supportive Culture: During my experience at Disney World, I observed the importance of fostering a culture of mentorship, where experienced leaders guide and support newer leaders. This approach encourages open communication, feedback, and continuous learning, all of which build confidence in leadership abilities.

"What I Have Come to Believe" It is my firm belief all problems can be solved through teaching, training and retraining, and that almost all problems can be prevented. "Results Oriented" Over the long term, I feel that I have gotten more effective and more positive results by using 4 facets of style, than I would have by using more conventional means. These positive results have run the gamut of industries I have worked in, including public education, fast food, retail, wholesale, and the oil & gas industries. My 4 facets of style, "Empowerment", "Positive Reinforcement", "Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail", and "Results Oriented" are effective regardless if used in conjunction with pedagogy or with andragogy.

"In my experience, I have always found that starting with a narrative or story that clearly explains what things will look like when we arrive, beginning with the end in mind, and being able to resonate with people's character is key to having clear goals. The key is the word 'clear' - if they don't get it, neither will you!"

Clear goals help each individual stay on track. If the team or the individual doesn't have a clear goal to achieve. Then they feel like the work they do doesn't matter.

A leader picks their team wisely, choosing individuals that contribute a greater knowledge and experience in the leader’s own areas of opportunity. In so doing, the entire team is stronger, contributes more, and feels empowered in each individual’s area of expertise. A wise leader knows they do not know everything but, instead, allows their team to contribute to the success of the whole.

"Empowerment" I foster empowerment by “granting ownership” to the person, ownership of their workplace or classroom. I encourage “buy-in” either by engaging them, letting them implement improvements and changes (systemic or step change), or by having them do peer teaching and training, but ALWAYS by valuing their partnership.

Give individuals their roles or jobs, provide them with the time to achieve results, offer guidance within boundaries, and then accelerate the things that are working well. Success breeds success, and good results lead to more good results.

Lead with Trust and Support: Be available to support your team when they encounter challenges. Trust their judgment and offer guidance when needed, while allowing them the autonomy to learn and grow from their experiences.

I’ve found it’s best to NOT answer questions. At least the ones you can lead them to with just a little more time. Ask teammates what they might have done if you were unavailable. Hear them out and help them understand the possible results from their decision. You’ll likely find that many of their own decisions were good. Each time you say that it reinforces their confidence in moving forward without extra input, speeding up resolutions and efficiency. The outcome of #Don’tAnswerQuestions is a team that’s less reliant on you. Sure, being “needed” feels good but those minutes are now free to gain market share instead! Also, with a readied backfill you can broaden impact, leaving this work in good hands while you take up a new role.

I wholeheartedly believe that the most effective leaders are action takers vs. people who explain the process. Doers create trust and serve as another tool for staff to have in their back pocket. A win-win!

"Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail" I strictly adhere to this facet, sometimes spending twice as much time planning, preparing, and organizing than doing the actual task. But I have found that the work is more enjoyable, more effective, and more sustainable with this valuable investment of time and energy. But in the long run, my most powerful tool has been "Empowerment". To repeat, I foster empowerment by “granting ownership” to the person, ownership of their workplace or classroom. I encourage “buy-in” either by engaging them, letting them implement improvements and changes (systemic or step change), or by having them do peer teaching and training, but ALWAYS by valuing their partnership.

Leading by example should be number one on this list! As hospitality leaders, where we ask our staff to get into the trenches of customer service, it is important we show how with our own actions. Asking staff to deal with conflict resolution issues or stay an extra hour to help is completely ineffective if we ourselves can’t be the first to stand in those places. In actuality, I have found when I lead by example, others emulate those actions without asking. My example sets the tone for the culture! Examples of what your expectations are from staff should present itself in how leaders show up. From how you dress, to training sessions, a leader should never be too far removed from her/his frontline employees; got to get in the trenches!

One thing I've found helpful is being on stage, demonstrating with enthusiasm and energy. Your team watches you to see what's true.

Lead with empathy while leading by example. When I have trained new employees on different topics. I do three things. Lead with empathy. Lead by example. And know their role. To many times have I seen a manager who didn't know their subordinates role, and that positions processes. It's hard to Lead by example or with empathy of you don't have a clue what is going on.

As my primary goal is "to work myself out of a job", I use Positive Reinforcement I use the basic psychology of "catching someone doing right". I don't overlook the "wrong", in fact, I try to immediately address both the right and wrong, reinforcing the right and correcting the wrong. I tend to favor "catching someone doing right". I "strike while the iron is hot" with immediate feedback. It is also my firm belief that true teaching or training should follow John Wooden’s Eight Laws of Learning: Explanation, Demonstration, Imitation, Correction, and Repetition, Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.

Be clear don't sit on fences, give strong direction and share what is open to discussion, what's open to opinion, and 100% what's not

"Clarity and review are essential. You cannot communicate enough. Make your audience the hero of the story. Communicate through various channels such as in person, in writing, via video, and identify which forms work best for individuals to effectively get your message across."

Communication is key. If you don't communicate effectively to employees, then they can get lost in translation. And in turn, work may need to be corrected or done again. Effective communication can say the business time and money.

Take time building a message that is easy to remember and repeat. With simple short phrase messaging #WordStreams you can cascade a message so impactful and “sticky” that it can easy stay in high fidelity. It needs to be easy and sticky if it has any chance to make it in original form from the place you say it all the way to those who will ultimately carry it through. It’s the game of telephone that you’re betting both your career and market success on. Say it clear and so wisely that it will still be here when no one can remember who said it first. Creating a culture that stays long after you leave.

When working with clients, instead of saying, “No we can’t do that”, I think outside of the box. I state to them, “Here is what we can do and we will get back with you to research additional options”.

Active Listening: Listen attentively to your clients during interactions. Pay attention to their feedback, concerns, and preferences. This demonstrates your commitment to understanding their needs.

The service industry is changing but we all have the pleasure to be in it for at least one more generation. Our customers reflect our attitude. Smiles are returned, owning mistakes is greated with grace and giving grace to customers on a bad day is rewarded with an apology when cooler heads prevail. I know we can’t count on this always, but enough to keep the work fun. Turnover is high but it’s not the work, it’s forgetting why we love the work. So…. Next time you have a bad day, stick with it, just a little longer than you think you should, smile at 100% and full effort still in play. You might save yourself lost time by rediscovering the joy of people service and as a result earning the next level of responsibility.

Perception is also key. Just like communication. If your employees Perception of something is wrong. It will change they way they work. So, always think about the way an employee might see from their point of view. And always ask them questions. Asking questions about their thoughts on things will show you care.