Leaders Manage Daily Operations Flashcards

Establishing Management Priorities

Management in the restaurant and foodservice industry requires the ability to multitask effectively because there is no such thing as a "typical day." Managers must prioritize tasks based on their relative importance rather than treating everything urgent as something that must be done immediately.

Task Classification Matrix

Tasks can be categorized into four groups based on importance and urgency:

• Category $1$: Very Important and Very Urgent

  • Action: Give these tasks immediate priority.

  • Examples: Finishing a budget that is due tomorrow; communicating frequently with kitchen and dining-room managers for a high-volume event like a Mother’s Day buffet.

• Category $2$: Very Important but Not Urgent

  • Action: Must be scheduled and completed carefully. These are frequently put off to another time because they do not feel pressing.

  • Example: Long-range and business planning.

• Category $3$: Not Important but Urgent

  • Action: Deal with these by setting aside specific blocks of time to handle them rather than allowing them to interrupt more important activities.

  • Examples: Returning telephone calls and answering email messages.

• Category $4$: Neither Important nor Urgent

  • Action: These tasks should probably not be done at all, or only addressed after tasks in the previous three categories are fully completed. The curriculum notes that in a real-world setting, the situation where all other tasks are completed and these are addressed rarely occurs.

  • Examples: Editing a preventive maintenance report; reading outdated trade magazines.

Developing Operating Tools: Policies and Procedures

Managers utilize two powerful leadership tools to promote consistent, standardized, and quality-driven work across the operation.

Policies

Policies are rules that help managers make consistent decisions regarding issues that occur frequently.

• Requirements for Effective Policies:

  • Must have a clear purpose, be well-written, and be fully implemented.

  • Employees must receive proper training to understand and follow them.

  • Policies must be routinely reviewed and revised if they no longer reflect actual work practices or changing times.

• Policy Content Examples: Determining how much vacation time an employee receives after working full-time for $3$ years; establishing if competitive bids are necessary for meat orders.

• Inter-departmental Impact: A policy in one department often affects another. For example, a dining room policy requiring salad bars to be set up by a specific time requires the kitchen to ensure food is available. Collaboration between managers is essential for success.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a written description or list of steps indicating how to correctly perform a task. A task is defined as one responsibility within an employee's position.

• Examples of SOPs: A standardized recipe is an SOP designed to meet quality and quantity standards for food or beverage items.

• Common Causes for SOP Revision: Customer complaints, unexpected costs, quality issues, and employee feedback.

• Sample SOP for Checking Identification (Alcohol Service):

  1. Greet the customer politely.

  2. Politely ask the customer for an ID.

  3. Verify the ID.

  4. If the ID is acceptable, serve the customer.

  5. If there are concerns, seek further verification.

  6. If the ID is unacceptable, refuse service and follow the establishment’s refusal procedure.

Task Analysis and Lists

Managers use task analysis—the process of identifying each task in a position and determining the precise procedures for each—to build SOPs.

• Task Lists Development: Created by asking experienced employees about their normal shifts, reviewing position descriptions, using employee questionnaires, and observing employees at work to compare actual practices against stated practices.

• Task Breakdowns: These indicate the specific SOPs required for a task. For a storeroom clerk handling product rotation (FIFO - First In, First Out), the steps include:

  • Determining the quantity of each product needed.

  • Identifying correct product placement locations.

  • Moving products from the receiving area to the storeroom.

  • Executing procedures while maintaining safety and sanitation principles.

Resolving Operating Problems

Managers must resolve problems quickly and correctly to avoid negative results such as poor employee morale, high turnover, customer dissatisfaction, lost revenue, and decreased profits.

The $8$-Step Problem-Solving Process

1. Define the Problem: Clearly identify the issue.

2. Determine the Cause: Investigate whether the issue stems from human error or procedure breakdowns.

3. Determine and Analyze Solution Alternatives: Evaluate multiple options using the following criteria:

   • What will happen if we use this alternative?

   • Who will be affected and how?

   • Will the alternative help more than others?

   • Is it cost-effective (does the solution cost more than the problem)?

   • Can it be revised to cost less while still fixing the issue?

   • Is it reasonable and likely to succeed?

   • Will everyone accept it (ensuring implementation is not difficult)?

4. Select the Best Solution.

5. Develop an Action Plan: Create a series of steps to resolve the problem.

6. Implement the Action Plan: Communicate the plan and expected outcomes to all involved.

7. Evaluate Results of the Action Plan: Ask "What would the situation be like if there were no problem?" If the problem persists, reconsider alternatives or revise the plan.

8. Document for Future Reference: Maintain a file of problems and solutions to help resolve similar future situations.

Reporting and Technology in Operations

Reporting to upper-level management is vital for maintaining professional relationships and organizational success.

Relationships with Upper Management

Lower-level managers maintain status by being competent, observing and mirroring the actions of high-level managers, following work practices (e.g., meeting deadlines), and helping employees find pride and joy in their work.

The Manager’s Daily Log

The purpose of the log is to document and share operating information and critical incidents.

• Legal Status: The log is subject to a subpoena (a legal notice requiring documents be provided to a court). Entries must be factual and defensible without personal unsupported comments.

• Critical Incident Categories:

  • Accidents: Slips, falls, or mishaps involving injury.

  • Incidents: Unacceptable behavior like fights.

  • Emergencies: Urgent medical or security threats (e.g., robbery, collapse).

  • Food Problems: Allergic reactions, foodborne illness, or foreign materials in food.

• Verbatim Log Examples:

  • "$10$-year-old boy ran into lobby door and bruised forehead, $4:50$ p.m. Checked forehead; seemed fine. Gave boy and his $8$-year-old sister promotional helium balloons."

  • "Yelling in the break room, $10$ a.m., between Sam and Jean."

  • "Man choked on roast beef sandwich, $11:20$ a.m., table $7$. Companion performed Heimlich maneuver. Man is OK. See incident report."

Tech Solutions

Digital logs and integrated reporting systems allow managers to capture data in real time. These tools enable upper management to analyze information remotely, streamline communication, and reduce manual reporting errors.

Emergency Planning and Management

An emergency is a sudden situation causing injury, death, or property damage. Priorities must include protecting people, assisting emergency services, and calming the situation.

Types of Emergencies

• Preventable: Often can be stopped through proper management (Fire, Foodborne illness, Gas leak).

• Unpreventable: Difficult to prevent or predict (Natural disaster, Terrorist attack). Armed robbery is unique; while unpreventable, it can be deterred.

The Written Emergency Plan

Plans should contain:

• Roles and responsibilities of the response team.

• A comprehensive contact list (fire, police, health department, electrician, plumber, security).

• Procedures for sharing information.

• Media policy: Refer all media inquiries to a designated person (owner or corporate). Employees must not talk to the media, and media are typically not allowed on-site.

• Plans for evacuation: The process of removing customers and employees from the building.

• Requirement for training all employees in emergency protocols.

Questions & Discussion

• Establishing Priorities: How do experienced managers determine their priorities? (By weighing importance against urgency). What action might a manager take when a key ingredient is unavailable at a smaller restaurant?

• Operating Tools: Why is employee input important for SOPs? (They are the experts on the tasks they perform). What makes SOPs scalable? (Consistent clarity and applicability across different locations).

• Resolving Problems: Why must problems be resolved quickly during a shift? (To prevent escalation and negative impact on guests/staff). When might a manager choose to "do nothing"? (If the cost or effort of a solution outweighs the impact of the problem).

• Reporting: Why must managers understand what upper management wants to know? (To provide relevant data for strategic decisions). How do digital tools enhance communication? (Via real-time sharing and remote accessibility).

• Emergencies: Why have a written plan? (To ensure rapid, clear responses that save lives and the business). What information is shared with news media? (Brief, positive-focused information delivered by a designated spokesperson).