Unlock the potential of effective restaurant management by steering clear of six toxic phrases that undermine team performance and business sales. From dismissing problem-solving to avoiding accountability, these phrases can erode your leadership impact. Learn how to foster a positive and productive environment for your team’s success in the dynamic world of restaurant management.
“Solve It Yourself”
If your staff knew how to solve it, they would probably not ask you for help, do you think?
If you do not tell him how to fix it, the situation in the restaurant will get worse. Remember that not all your employees have the same experience or capacity as you and that each restaurant is a world.
Remember that you are in charge and that making your staff efficient and productive is part of your job. When doubt is solved, your team will have a solution for the future and prevent that problem from happening again.
“No Problem”
Any phrase that starts with a negative word is usually doomed. Two are harmful when you say, “No problem,” deep down, you say there is a problem. Suppose using this expression becomes a norm in your restaurant, and your staff is accustomed to it. In that case, a customer can misinterpret it when the server uses it without maintaining visual contact with it and in a flat and carefree tone.
“You Should”
There are too many things you “should do” in your restaurant and your personal life. You should eat healthier, sleep better, and train your staff to sell more, but you do not finish doing them.
When you address your team using this word instead of others, such as ” I need you to do this ” or ” You must do that, ” you allow them to set the priorities that best suit you instead of doing what you or your clients need. And this ends up being a problem.
Most likely, your employees do so with the best intentions but still receive your complaints because they did not do what you asked them to do when you did not clarify what they had to do.
“This Is What There Is”
Sometimes, we are unaware of how words can hurt someone. This very toxic phrase is said too much when explaining a new rule or policy to team members. If someone asks you for clarification about a new procedure that, for example, will change your work, the most normal thing is that you solve your doubts.
If they understand the reason for the measure, their work will be easier to perform. From the perspective of restaurant management, this phrase will also weaken your ability to lead the team.
Whether you need convincing about the measures you are going to adopt or do not understand them, an explanation will help them put themselves in your place, understand the pros and cons, and be empathic.
“That Will Not Work”
Really? How do you know? Have you considered that maybe your staff worked for them before? Have you tried different approaches?
The fact that you manage a restaurant will make you aware of the situation in the hospitality sector (or at least it should be) and give you access to other people’s experiences who have the same dedication.
But if you’ve heard that such a restaurant started a strategy that did not work for you or that you applied another one that did not give good results, it does not mean that the one you are now proposing, or a different perspective, cannot be successful.
“Have You Not Seen This?”
“Have you seen the empty coffee cup on the table?” “Did you see that table 7 is calling you?” “Did you see that the plates are ready to leave the kitchen?”
Yes. Your staff almost certainly saw it. It most likely hasn’t been addressed yet because your employee was in the middle of something else. If you manage your team with this question, employees will feel attacked and criticized if you continue to make assumptions.
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