I had been with this company for about six months when I was tasked with taking over the 4th highest volume unit in the company. I was eager yet apprehensive for many reasons.
First and foremost, I was asked to take the unit because the current manager was retiring after a long and illustrious tenure with the company. This lady had been with the company for 30 years and won numerous awards through the years.
The prior year before I came, she was the Manager of the Year. For the past decade, she always achieved one of the best P & L’s in the company. The bottom line was always very strong.
She achieved that by having some of the best-trained people in the company. Processes were meticulously executed. Company standards were simply the norm – no deviations.
So, as I came into the restaurant you can understand the apprehension. First, I knew that I had to maintain the standards which were already in place. Second, I knew the company would require that I maintain the results Anything less than the best would not be accepted. Yes, I asked myself if I could do this.
When I take over a restaurant, I always spend quite a bit of time getting to know the people. I want to know each person’s skill level, how many hours is worked each week, and, most of all, what are some things that the person feels are great about the restaurant and what are some things that need to see improvement.
I make notes during the discussion. Then I actually work with each person during normal business operations to learn their capabilities.It only took a few weeks for me to realize the potential of that restaurant. The processes were in place with excellent people – crew and management. I just needed to motivate and develop the people while maintaining the processes.
So I went to work. I assigned specific areas that each manager was responsible to ensure results. I assigned responsibility and authority. Giving responsibility without authority to make decisions doesn’t allow the person to fully develop to the possible potential.
We were certified to become a management training restaurant and for the next year trained approximately eight trainee’s. The program was an eight-week training program. After four weeks of training, we would start a new trainee in her/his first week while completing the remaining four weeks training of the first trainee.
One of the Managers that was there when I came on board was eventually promoted to General Manager and eventually District Manager. Three of those trainees eventually were promoted to General Manager and one of those eventually was promoted to District Manager. Of the employees, three were promoted to Shift Leader and two of those were promoted to Manager. Three others were promoted to Shift Leader to replace the first three.
The previous year before the previous manager retired, the restaurant experienced a sales decrease of around 3%. The manager, by precise execution of the processes, still maintained great results and won the company’s Manager of the Year Award.
During my first year, we broke every shift sales record and some of them we broke twice, finishing the year with an overall sales increase of 12% for the year. We achieved 4th place in the company’s Manager of the Year awards. I was promoted to Field Trainer and two months later to District Manager.
To create a successful restaurant, you must have two things in place. First is the people. Second is the processes. In the case of this restaurant, both items were present. Good managers work hard to achieve both of these elements. Once this level is reached, many managers simply work to maintain this status.
Not content with the status quo, I took the restaurant to the next level by developing my people. You see, a restaurant is like a pipeline for management personnel. This is true for chain restaurants – not as much for independent restaurants.
However, to be truly unselfish, one should develop managers to the point where she/he could run their own restaurant if they so desired. Don’t be selfish. Develop your people into leaders. You will work less and achieve more!