Most hospitality workers aren't shown how to grow into leadership, we are just expected to figure it out.
I say "we" because that was me, too. I was 21 years old, and while my company did an excellent job training me how to place orders, adhere to food safety protocols, write schedules, and follow recipes... it did not prepare me for true leadership or even managing people.
Here's a simple roadmap for you to preview what you actually need to know when deciding if hospitality leadership is for you:
Learning the Foundations
As you build a foundation of any career, you need to exhibit reliability and consistency. This builds your reputation, and your leaders know they can count on you.
- You show up prepared to work
- You communicate well
- You learn your role and expectations
- You demonstrate professionalism and a desire to progress
Taking Ownership
As you grow, you start to recognize your ability to impact your environment and take ownership for improving what you can.
- You take initiative without being asked
- You consistently follow standards and take pride in your work
- You accept feedback and apply it
- You support your teammates and contribute to a positive environment
Rising Star: Starting to Lead
You begin to intentionally grow your leadership potential and confidence, and accept a position of Shift Lead/Supervisor or Lead Trainer to develop your skills.
- You start learning to balance new responsibilities and priorities
- You help maintain standards across the team
- You support and coach team members with respect
- You can identify and address concerns proactively
Stepping Into Management
When you are promoted to a full-time management position, you realize the new levels of responsibility and impact you have on operations and your team.
- You balance priorities and manage responsibilities appropriately
- You are responsible for ensuring consistent experience for guests
- You must manage behaviors beyond a single shift and develop your team’s skills
- You can identify and problem-solve issues in your operations to improve service, quality, and profitability
Seasoned Leader: Developing Others
The highest level of leaders develop leaders in their direct line, and those leaders are developing others. This is what sets leadership apart from managers, and what earns the most rewarding careers for true leaders.
- You’ve built trust and strong relationships with your team which translates to results for your business
- You develop others through coaching, attainable goal setting, and productive feedback
- You identify opportunities for improvement in all areas of the business
- You routinely implement systems and gain team support when correcting operational issues
- You foster a positive, accountable, and productive work environment
Leadership development in this field remains my biggest passion, because I truly love the industry and I believe in developing more wonderful leaders who provide positive workplaces for the industry's employees.
This roadmap is something I use to help people understand the path of leadership, where they are, and what the next step looks like. If you'd like a printable version of this you can download the full roadmap here.
I offer coaching for leadership development at all levels. If this is something you're interested in, please connect with me via email or fill out the form below to receive program offers as they become available.
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