A View From The Top

Restaurant management: 5 tips from Genghis Grill leader

Robby Berg, regional director of Operations of a Genghis Grill franchise group in Arizona, shares his management wisdom as he worked his way from the kitchen to restaurant operator.

Photo: Genghis Grill

September 25, 2024 by Robby Berg — Sr. Director of Ops, Accounting, and HR, Fresh Restaurant Group

In the restaurant industry, a strong team is crucial to success. With many prioritizing employees work-life balance, businesses are putting a significant focus on retention rather than recruitment. Working my way through the ranks in the same beloved restaurant for nearly a decade, I've witnessed firsthand how effective management directly impacts employee satisfaction, which affects the guest experience.

In 2014, I began my career with Craveworthy Brands' stir fry bowl concept Genghis Grill in Tempe, Arizona, as a kitchen team member and swiftly progressed to shift manager, associate general manager and finally general manager. Currently, as one of our franchise organization's regional director of Operations, I play a pivotal role in guiding our local teams toward their goals and ensuring they understand what it takes to achieve them.

Mastering leadership and empowerment is essential in managing an efficient restaurant, and these skills contribute significantly to success beyond just the food you're serving. Through my tenure with Genghis Grill and ultimately, Craveworthy Brands, I've honed my ability to unite and motivate a team for optimal and effective operations.

Here are five key tips that I've learned along the way:

1. Lead by example

As the leader of a team, you set the precedent for how those around you should work. Demonstrating the value of hard work by actively participating in tasks and projects alongside them shows that you're more than just a delegator and that you truly care about the impact of their responsibilities. This also reiterates that no task is beneath you regardless of your title, showing the team that the success of a restaurant is truly a collective effort. Helping team members take ownership of their roles and aspire to leadership positions gives them a clear goal to aim for and helps them rally together to get the job done.

2. Maintain high energy levels

It's important to remember that you're also setting the tone for the workday, so try to avoid displaying tiredness and ensure that you're able to maintain high energy levels. "Leaders are always on stage," as they say, so you should act the part. Starting off the workday with enthusiasm creates a positive work environment and gets team members feeling optimistic about their day. From an employee standpoint, it's truly motivating to see your leader take part in your tasks. Organizing pre-shift staff meetings to set objectives and get the team excited for the day ahead or sending them messages that keep them engaged can be a strong way to promote an enthusiastic mindset.

3. Master the details

Being an involved leader and paying close attention to each detail of your operations, and the work of your team, sets the entire restaurant up for success. Verbalizing and demonstrating the correct process, whether it's an established or new standard operating procedure (SOP,) eliminates the need for retraining or continuous all-staff meetings. When teammates see you working shoulder to shoulder with them, they're more receptive to the necessary evaluations that help improve speed of service and guest retention. If you have a seasoned group of team members paired with a detail-oriented operator, work becomes much more enjoyable with the sense of true comradery you build. This way everyone understands the importance of their work and will band together to become a well-oiled machine. We often use sports terminology like "goal," "team" and "coach" to describe restaurant operations, and I find the comparison to reign true in the industry. At Genghis Grill, I like to joke with my team that "grilling should be an Olympic sport!"

4. Set clear standards

Becoming an expert in all aspects of your restaurant's operations, from customer service to inventory management and beyond, allows you to use that valuable expertise to set clear standards. Right off the bat, expectations should be made known and examples of how tasks should be performed should be taught and trained to each team member. A leader in the industry embodies "what right looks like" with their attitude and actions. I can't stress enough that having the right General Manager or Director is crucial to any team's shared triumph. We always look for a leader with a positive and can-do attitude who knows the ins and outs of training, coaching, delegation and constructive feedback. This allows for the upholding of high values and keeps each team member accountable for their individual actions, ultimately impacting bottom-line results.

5. Foster team development

Team development has been essential to my personal growth and in advancing my career. By focusing on supporting and empowering your team, you create opportunities for their own career progression, which also boosts their motivation and helps retain them. When people feel like they can't move forward in their roles, their enthusiasm and work ethic can plateau. Proactively coordinating check-in points for each employee to make sure they're hitting their marks for growth, then rewarding them with promotional opportunities and added responsibility, can help to ensure that they always feel valued and have the chance to develop with your brand or company. Promoting a capable team member to a supervisory or management role not only boosts the confidence of the entire team but at the same time allows you to lay the groundwork to keep making your restaurant as great as it can be and eventually, open additional locations.

By honing in on these key points, I've managed to increase team motivation and see the positive impact our dining experience leaves on both team members and guests at Genghis Grill and Craveworthy Brands as a whole. Embracing this mindset as an operator and leader can push any restaurant to the forefront of the industry.

About Robby Berg

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