The Universal Leader

The Universal Leader

By TKBusinessManagement
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The Universal Leader episodes

  • Stephen Drezga - CEO of Chef's Mandala Interview!

    Hi and hello!!!!


    Today I've got a very special episode for you all, I am interviewing Stephen Drezga - Owner, Founder, CEO of Chef's Mandala.


    Stephen's got an interesting story, he unloads heaps of quality information and taught me quite a bit in the short 30 minutes I had with him.


    We talk about Product Costs, consumer behavior, getting pickled okra through secret service at 2am, and more!


    Use the coupon code RLP10 at chefsmandalagourmet.com


    38 min
  • Episode 31 - Extinguishing the Flames: Navigating Restaurant Burnout

    In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the topic of restaurant burnout and the challenges it poses for industry professionals. We explore the various factors that contribute to burnout, such as long working hours, high-pressure environments, and the demands of managing a restaurant. Our expert guests share personal experiences and provide valuable insights on strategies to prevent and cope with burnout. From implementing self-care practices to fostering work-life balance, we uncover practical tips and techniques for individuals in the restaurant industry to prioritize their well-being and find renewed motivation in their culinary journey. Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on this prevalent issue and discover the tools to combat burnout in the restaurant world.

    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    www.TheRestaurantLeadershipPodcast.com

    10 min
  • Episode 30 - The Art of Restaurant Leadership - Inspiring Excellence and Nurturing Success

    Hi and Hello Evolved Leaders! Your host TK here! Today's episode is about the Art of Restaurant Leadership and 5 attributes you need to be an evolved leader!


    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/

    Show Notes:


    Title: The Art of Restaurant Leadership: Inspiring Excellence and Nurturing Success

    Introduction:In the fast-paced and competitive world of the restaurant industry, effective leadership plays a pivotal role in determining the success and longevity of an establishment. Restaurant leadership encompasses a unique set of skills and qualities that go beyond mere management. It requires the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide a diverse team towards a common goal of delivering exceptional dining experiences. Drawing inspiration from classical leadership principles, this essay explores the importance of restaurant leadership, its key attributes, and the impact it has on the overall success of an establishment.

    I. Visionary Leadership:

    A. A visionary leader in the restaurant industry possesses a clear and compelling vision for the establishment's future.

    B. They inspire their team by effectively communicating this vision, instilling a sense of purpose and direction.

    C. By setting high standards and goals, visionary leaders motivate their team to strive for excellence, fostering a culture of continuous improvement


    II. Effective Communication:

    A. Communication is the cornerstone of successful restaurant leadership.

    B. Leaders must possess exceptional listening skills to understand the needs and concerns of their team members.

    C. By fostering open and transparent communication channels, leaders create an environment where ideas are shared, problems are addressed, and feedback is valued.

    III. Empowering and Developing Employees:

    A. Great restaurant leaders understand the importance of empowering their employees.

    B. They delegate responsibilities, allowing team members to take ownership of their roles and contribute to the overall success of the establishment.

    C. Leaders also invest in the development of their employees, providing training opportunities and mentorship to enhance their skills and knowledge.

    IV. Leading by Example:

    A. Restaurant leaders must lead by example, embodying the values and principles they expect from their team.

    B. By demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and a strong work ethic, leaders inspire their employees to follow suit.

    C. Leading by example also involves being adaptable and resilient in the face of challenges, showing the team that obstacles can be overcome through perseverance and determination.


    V. Building a Positive Organizational Culture:

    A. A positive organizational culture is crucial for a thriving restaurant.

    B. Leaders create this culture by fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, where teamwork, respect, and collaboration are valued.

    C. By recognizing and rewarding exceptional performance, leaders motivate their team members and create a sense of pride and loyalty towards the establishment.

    12 min
  • Episode 29 - 4 Tools for Success You Can Use for Your Team Today!

    Hi and Hello Evolved Leaders! Your host TK here! Today's episode is all about providing actual tools for success for your team!

    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    I have TikTok- @yourhostTK

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/


    Show notes here: 

    -         

    Tools
    for Success – Give them

    An important part of restaurant leadership is setting your

    employees up for success — but what do those tools look like?

     

    Provide effective training- Having an effective training

    program will give your new employees the knowledge they need to succeed and
    will allow your tenured team members a chance to become Certified Trainers and
    further their careers.

     

    Set goals. Encourage your employees to set goals for

    themselves and find time to check in with them every so often about those
    goals. Having SMART Goals are important! Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
    Relevant, and Time-Bound. Set a monthly meeting with the higher performing team
    members and the lower performing team members to set goals and help them
    accomplish them.

     

    Don't forget to delegate. I get it. It’s easier if I do it

    myself. But ultimately that doesn’t help anyone. No one gets the chance to
    improve their skills and you end up burning out. Delegating will empower your
    team and will help increase their effectiveness.

     

    Actual Tools – Don’t skimp out on equipment repairs. They

    are important for perspective and for actual operation. All equipment is there
    for a reason. Do not put It off to hit profit lines. Your team not having the
    appropriate equipment is baseline unacceptable and yet I see it in restaurant
    all the time. Simple things such as non-broken spatulas to jerry-rigged ovens
    with no handles. Keeping them unfixed tells your team that you don’t actually
    care about them or their job. If you did, you would have proper equipment for
    your team at all times. It’s not their fault you can’t manage the budget to
    allow for repairs and maintenance. If they are guest experience items such as
    booth seats being ripped, it’s even more unacceptable.

    13 min
  • Episode 28 - What Does Above and Beyond Look Like in Restaurant Leadership
    Hi and Hello Evolved Leaders! Your host TK here! Today's episode is all about how to portray Above and Beyond in your leadership and how it leaks into your team.
    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here:
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution
    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK
    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/
    Show notes here:
    What does
    above and beyond look like?
    When it comes to leadership, we all hear above and beyond
    this, above and beyond that.
    No one really explains what that looks like in terms of
    leadership. What is the line in the sand between doing too much, and too
    little?
    -         
    Doing too much for your crew will lead to
    dependance.
    -         
    High performing teams = a self-sustaining
    operation.
    -         
    Doing too little will portray lack of care for
    the team’s workload.
    -         
    As a manager on duty, imagine that you are an
    octopus trying to prevent a submarine from filling with water. You are
    consistently using your 8 limbs to ensure all holes in the ship stay plugged. A
    great leader can anticipate the tape peeling off the leaking hole before it
    even happens.
    o  
    Total store awareness
    o  
    Vision on where bottlenecks will occur before
    they happen.
    o  
    Consistently preventing the backups will show
    the team that you are dedicated to ensuring their shift goes smoothly.
    o  
    Ex. – preparing for a soda BIB change,
    recognizing a cook will create a bottle neck if they have to refill their cold
    line, servers will have to spend an extra 5 minutes filling up water pitchers,
    ice is running out in the drink station, etc.
    o  
    Delegating – you don’t have to do it yourself.
    o  
    Doing these things yourself consistently day
    after day will create a crutch where the team will rely on you for those things
    every shift. This is not what you want.
    o  
    Delegating will begin teaching your crew to look
    for those things before they happen, just as you invision them.
    Why is it important to display above and beyond as a leader?
    -         
    Displaying a&b as a leader will show the
    crew that you do care and you aren’t afraid to do a little extra.
    -         
    This attitude and perception will leak onto your
    crew.
    -         
    An above and beyond team can only be cultivated
    with an above and beyond leader.
    -         
    Caring about a team member’s personal life, or
    perception of, will increase the likelihood of that person going A&B for
    your business.
     
    What are some other ways to show A & B in my leadership?
    -         
    Having those 5 minutes conversations with the
    team member. No official document or evaluation, just showing interest in them
    as a person
    -         
    Being consistent with how you show up. Many
    leaders are so volatile it causes uneasiness in the ranks. (what mood is X
    manager going to be in today?) This doesn’t cultivate an above and beyond
    culture.
    12 min
  • Interview Episode 1- Siaygnoun Nhamnhouane - Direct and Natural Leadership

    Join us in our first ever interview episode with Siaygnoun Nhamnhouane! Si is just 3 years into his leadership journey and is progressing quickly. In this episode we go over his thoughts on leadership and what the next steps look like for him!


    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/


    17 min
  • Episode 27 - 5 Tips for New General Managers and Leaders

    Hi and Hello Evolved Leaders! Your host TK here! Today's episode contains 5 tips for New General Managers and Leaders coming into the restaurant industry!



    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/

    Show notes here:


    5 Tips for a

    new General Manager

    1.      

    Approaching a new team

    a.      

    Hold an all-employee meeting to establish the
    lines in the sand.

    b.      

    Hold and establish a regular manager meeting
    with all managers.

    c.      

    Have a conversation with every team member one
    on one.

    d.      

    Understand their past trauma and what they
    disliked most about previous management

                                                                  

    i.     
    Think of it as adopting a dog who was beaten by
    their previous owner. It takes time and care and establishment of boundaries.

    e.      

    Identify your key operators in an ABC list

                                                                  

    i.     
    What is an ABC list?

    2.      

    Understanding the workload you’re about to face

    a.      

    3-month turnaround period – it can be
    demotivating at times but the curve begins to peak at the 3 month spot

    b.      

    You will have to analyze and undo some of the
    bad habits prev. management instilled.

    c.      

    You will be communicating constantly. Don’t stay
    quiet. Talk, delegate, and establish the norm.

    3.      

    Do an extensive analysis on the current state of
    the restaurant – be strategic

    a.      

    Establish what “normal” looks like.

    b.      

    Take note of:

                                                                  

    i.     
    Cleanliness

                                                                

    ii.     
    Operations

                                                              

    iii.     
    Profitability

                                                              

    iv.     
    Staffing and Training

                                                                

    v.     
    Systems

                                                              

    vi.     
    Repair and Maintenance

                                                             

    vii.     
    Current Guest satisfaction

    c.      

    Ensure you have logins to all systems you’ll
    need

    4.      

    Build a daily routine.

    a.      

    Routines are the backbone of great operations.

    b.      

    Write down what routine you need to do to be successful.

                                                                  

    i.     
    This can only be done after analysis.

    c.      

    Have 1 week, 2 week, 4 week, and 8 week goals
    written and broken down into bite-sized chunks

                                                                  

    i.     
    It can be overwhelming. Taking over a new
    restaurant is just like eating an elephant. You have to do it one bite at a
    time.

     

    5.      

    Have Fun

    a.      

    One of the most overlooked tips is to have fun.
    Whether you are a new leader, or an existing leader, you chose this profession
    for a reason. Find ways to make your day enjoyable.

    b.      

    Have a contest, pot luck, or even maybe a raffle
    drawing.

    c.      

    Your team is your new family. Treat them with
    care and understanding. If you find yourself not having fun, take a step back,
    analyze, and plan to get out of the funk

    20 min
  • Episode 26 - Preshifts Are an Integral Part to Evolved Leadership and High Performing Teams

    Hi and Hello Evolved Leaders! Your host TK here! Today's episode is all about Preshifts and why they are so darn important!



    Join our community of Evolved Leaders here:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/


    Show notes here:


    Preshifts-

    Why they are an integral part to your daily shift

    Unexpected things happen in the restaurant every day  - call outs, 86’ed items, specials,

    equipment  breadowns you name it.

    Teams that plan ahead can avoid the stress and hair-pulling

    kind of chaos that we have all seen.

    Having a pre-shift is important for 3 key reasons:

    -         

    Preparation for the day and alignment

    -         

    Directing your crew to a common goal and mindset

    -         

    Setting the tone for the shift

     

    Think of a preshift as a huddle before a big game. The study

    time students use to prepare for a big test. The training session athletes do
    before competition. Preshifts are in the same ball park. Without that huddle,
    study time, or training session, people would be left goal-less and not as
    prepared as they could have been.

    -         

    What to include in your pre-shift?

    - This varies from day to day but a good guideline to follow

    is to ensure your pre-shifts have:

    -Praises – choose an MVP from the day prior or give someone

    a shout out. This starts the meeting out positively and will help motivate
    employees for being recognized. Be specific and sincere.

    - Review any previous goals from the day prior

    - Business updates – 86’ed items, any specials, any

    equipment down, big events in the community, owner visits, weather, anticipated
    Guest flow etc.

    - 1-2 goals. Don’t give your team an expansive 5 goal

    checklist. Chose the most important ones you have to accomplish today. These
    should be geared around sales driving, team work, and Guest satisfaction.

     

    -         

    Preparation is key to a pre-shift. Be sure you
    have a few bullet points ready to discuss which will help you keep on track and
    not forget any important updates.

    -         

    Delegate the preshift- Delegating to a high
    performing Team member will help with their development and establishment as a
    leader in your restaurant. I’ve seen great return on delegating this to a hipo.

    -         

    Be sure to give your notes and bullet points to
    the team member so they have talking points. Being unprepared and unexperienced
    in pre-shifts will lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and will negate any
    future decisions to do preshifts from that team member.

    Lastly – keep them consistent and to the point. Keep them

    less than 5 minutes in length.

    Post shifts – Why are they important? – Recap the day,

    celebrate same-day wins, and solidifying the goals and expectations – more of a
    likelihood it becomes a long-term memory.

    20 min
  • Episode 25 - 5 Signs of an Effective Restaurant Leader
    Hi and Hello!
    Your host TK here! Today's episode is 5 Signs of an Effective Restaurant Leader!
    Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution
    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK
    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/
    Show notes here:
    5 Attributes for Effective Restaurant Leadership
    Here are 5 attributes effective restaurant managers practice to lead their team successfully
    1- Communicate regularly with your team and customers
    o. Communication is the main problem with conflicts in the workplace.
    p. When a GM or Leader doesn’t communicate, the whole restaurant fails.
    q. They are the dam for information from top down.
    r. Communicate with Guests to learn true feedback on your operations and to get to know your community.
    2- Understand the Importance of Teamwork
    a. You can’t win alone -it takes a village
    b. You can’t run all positions efficiently
    3- Lead by example
    a. Be the ideal employee. Wash your hands when needed for 20 seconds, show up dressed and ready to go and on time, Always smile and bring positivity.
    b. How you react to situations is also a form of leading by example.
    i. To guest incidents and complaints
    ii. To Employee drama
    iii. To operations
    iv. To changes in the systems
    v. Mishaps that come about – broken equipment, late truck orders, health inspector
    4- Planning
    a. An amazing Leader is always thinking 3 months ahead.
    b. A good leader is thinking 1 month ahead.
    c. An Assistant may think 1 week ahead
    d. A key holder/shift manager thinks 1 day ahead
    e. An employee thinks 1 shift ahead.
    f. Being a good planner will alleviate most of the stress as it takes away the need to use some of your finite will power energy source. It is finite.
    g. Planning is more than just using a calendar.
    i. You need to forecast events in your community and how they will affect your business
    ii. Employee changes
    1. Seasonal?
    2. Graduates
    3. Promotions
    iii. You’ll look like a rock star to your bosses
    iv. Always leave room for flexibility. Life happens
    5- Establish and Represent the Culture
    a. The culture is the soul
    b. Set hard lines in the sand on items you wont budge on:
    i. Attendance and uniforms
    ii. Disrespect
    iii. 3rd chances
    iv. Harassment of any sort
    v. Creating a hostile work environment
    c. Be the standard.
    d. IT takes about 6-12 months to establish a new culture that is self-sustaining – aka will need minimal input from you the leader but will still require some. IF you wish to continue being a culture leader, there is no harm in continuing pounding this door until you become the best culture and employer of choice in your area.
    18 min
  • Episode 24 - Signs To Look Out For Growth or Leadership Potential in Employees

    Hi and Hello!


    Your host TK here! Today's episode comes from a listener, they asked "What do you look for as signs of growth or leadership potential in your team?"


    Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/restaurantleadershipevolution

    Talk to me on Twitter: @YourHostTK

    https://evolvedleadershipcoaching.com/


    Show notes here:

    What do you look for as signs of growth or leadership

    potential?

     

    a.    Patience

    b.    Commitment to their

    team

    c.     Integrity

    d.    Positive outlook.

    e.    High Standards

    f.    

    We are in the people business

     

    1- attitude trumps skill every time. 

    2- Someone who shows they are a leader in their current position

    already 3– takes the initiative to better the restaurant and/or guest
    experience, eager to learn and be challenged, enjoys working with others and
    training, enjoys coming to work…passion for what they do.

    4- Someone who actively grows each and every day – They approach

    you to ask about promotion opportunities and solicit feedback.

    5- They help others without being asked

    6- They are dependable and reliable

    7- They never say no to a challenge

    8- They aren’t afraid to fail and correct their mistake and move

    on.

    Providing small steps toward leadership

    allows us to see them in that role on a smaller scale. Becoming a Trainer,
    then a Supervisor, then a Manager In Training provides a path to
    master new skills while demonstrating your leadership potential – Having that
    Crewmember life cycle

    21 min

About The Universal Leader

From the publisher's feed

The Universal Leader is a masterclass in portable excellence. Hosted by TK, this podcast bridges the gap between technical management and high-level leadership. We explore the core pillars of success that transcend any industry: leading people with intent, scaling operations through robust systems, and building high-performing teams.