Leadership development through restaurant management challenges

Human Relations

The experiences that Olsen has had are actually very representative of being a leader. Many people seem to think that being a leader means telling people what to do and/or inspiring the masses to do something amazing. That can be a part of leadership, of course, but it is not the only area where leaders must act. When someone is a true leader, they are in charge, and they can (and should) lead by example. When Olsen has issues that arise in the restaurant and he must handle them in the best way possible, he is learning about making tough decisions and handling problems. That is a very large part of being a leader, and one of the parts of leadership that almost always gets ignored. Then people are unprepared, because they have not had the opportunity to really handle the nitty-gritty, day-to-day details that are such a part of leading other people. The simplest parts of leadership, or at least those that seem the least complex and are handled nearly every day, are actually the parts that are the most important for building good leaders and strong teams of followers.

The more Olsen learns to handle smaller problems, like an employee calling in because of a sick pet, or a customer threatening to sue for something that was actually not the fault of the restaurant, the more he will become a good leader. Making small decisions may seem easy, but it sets a person up and helps them get prepared for making bigger decisions that are going to be much more difficult. That is an important aspect of being a good leader, and one that is being taught to Olsen, even if he really does not realize that is the case at the moment. Through the problems that have arisen for him, Olsen has also learned how to handle difficult or unexpected situations, and has been taught to consider the good of the restaurant before anything else, but also to be compassionate and realistic. Those are both good traits, and they will serve him well as a leader.

To help Olsen and others in the leadership program develop as leaders, there are some things the restaurant can do. First, the restaurant can be clearer about what will be learned in the leadership program. One of the main reasons Olsen does not feel he is learning much, is because he is not clear on the lessons he is supposed to be absorbing through the program. If he knew more about what to expect, he would most likely be more open to gaining experience through the issues he has had to deal with, instead of thinking that they were not that important or that they were not teaching him to become a leader. That is not the only thing the restaurant can do, though. It can also provide some more formal training along with the on-the-job training that Olsen is receiving. A handbook, some actual classes, or some mentoring instruction would be a good idea, because it would help Olsen and other leadership program employees feel as though they were being guided toward something, instead of just left to figure out what they were supposed to know.