When it comes to managing a team, it can be tempting—easy!—to drop into a traditional top-down hierarchy, wherein the employees do what the manager says because they’re of a lower rank. And while there is need for order, for cause-and-effect discipline and reward, to ensure a restaurant runs smoothly for both employees and guests, it’s also important to remember: one-size-fits-all is never an effective management solution.
Consider this story shared by Ryan McCue, the director of strategic solutions at ProDrivers. “Several years ago, I had a staff member who was a great person, but we just didn’t click. She worked well with the other members of our team, but she bristled whenever I asked her to work on a project or some other task. She avoided talking to me whenever possible,” McCue wrote on his LinkedIn account a few weeks ago. When the time for performance reviews rolled around, McCue prepared to have a direct, productive conversation with this employee. “I had all the forms prepared and was ready to have a very structured, compartmentalized review,” he said, asserting his position as this employee’s manager.
But, “just prior to the meeting, a mentor of mine told me that the issue might be deeper and that a formal review process was not going to help,” McCue said, and he adjusted his course of action. He bought a pizza and some pops for the review meeting, and when his employee showed up for her review, he told her, “We haven’t had a chance to get to know each other much. Let’s scrap the review and just talk a while.”
Because McCue was wisely willing to pivot from the traditional top-down processes, he learned an important backstory. His employee had recently escaped an abusive relationship, and while trying to start fresh at her new job, she couldn’t escape the similarities between McCue and her abusive ex-partner.“ That was why she recoiled every time I spoke to her or came into her office. Her fears were taking over, and she was remembering the difficult times she just left,” McCue said.
The most important piece of good management is to never forget that your staff, while a team, is also a collection of individuals. There is an expected code of conduct, but it pays to understand each member as a person with needs, quirks, backgrounds, that could potentially affect their performance in the workplace. McCue advised, “Never assume you know anything about what actually drives a person. Get to know them. Listen to them and their experiences and be open to the fact that how you act as a manager might be the thing that needs to change.”
McCue’s views are very much aligned with National Restaurant Consultants opinions on team management styles. “This story most likely resonate with everyone,” says Richard Weil, CEO of National Restaurant Consultants. “No matter the amount of experience we have, we have all seen top-down management styles become less effective in a controlling environment. Remember there is a reason we have two ears, two eyes, left brain, right brain and only one mouth.”
“Good leaders care as much about the individual as they do the performance,” McCue reminds us. Tailoring a safe workspace that sets up each individual for success will ensure a successful team experience as well.