6/13/2013–We’re testing three items for the region, running our fourth special promotion of the summer, running four new beers, one featured cocktail and an entirely new food side of our specials menu. Meanwhile we’re training Managers in Training (MITs) for two regions simultaneously. Our SMG score for staff knowledge is below average, though most other scores are above regional targets.
Not only are the changes frequent, but often on short notice with incomplete supporting info. Speaking with a veteran gave me an important insight. We started seeing the increase in turnover and lower staff knowledge scores around the time we started running test items. As a former server, his point about not being able to know his product inside out is valid. That’s an element of serving that attracts some people to us. So it’s frustrating to not be able to keep up with the changes. And a manager must keep this in mind when introducing new food. He or she should over communicate the specials and think about how to most effectively teach them to staff. My goal is to make sure they know them.
My mistake recently has been approaching servers and ordering them to describe food items. When I do that, employees perceive stress and aren’t encouraged to learn the info. Instead they’re encouraged to avoid me asking the question. A more effective way to communicate might be to ask “what questions do you have about ___?” This would be especially good or high S employees.
Regardless, my job requires teaching my staff the info. I cannot claim to be too busy, I can only try harder. That includes trying new ways to communicate.
QOTW: “I got shivers when she told me about the training here.” – Steve (National Bev Director)
?FNW: Does Mike M. pass training? Yes
10/24/2017 review: The lesson that quizzing your employees can discourage the exact behavior you want to encourage is immensely valuable, especially for anyone who was a trainer before manager. Trainers are supposed to quiz their trainees to confirm learning. However, trainers don’t have what Manager Tool’s calls “flashing red signs on their foreheads that say ‘watch out, I can fire you'”. Thus, when a manager quizzes his or her direct reports, it’s perceived with much greater risk. While I’m glad I included that lesson, I have no experience running a chain of restaurants, so the amount of testing that we did is something I wasn’t in a position to criticize. I should’ve raised my concerns professionally, with solutions recommended maybe. It was great that I was in-touch with the veteran server well enough to see his perspective–to get him to share it with me even.