5 Critical Life Lessons You Learn by Becoming a Restaurant Manager
If there's one thing a life in restaurant management does, it brings home a lot of valuable truths very quickly. But these are truths that extend beyond the industry, applying to the rest of life as well. So not only is life as a restaurant manager exciting and fast-paced, it's also a valuable learning experience that can teach you important skills that you can use inside and outside of the kitchen.
Here are just five important truths you'll discover when you work as a restaurant manager:
1. Stress management isn't an option – it's a necessity.
You've probably heard time and again about the toll stress takes on the body. It can wreck your sleep, cause weight gain and make you sick in any number of ways. And if there's one industry where stress reigns supreme, it's the restaurant industry – and a restaurant manager takes a lot of that stress on their shoulders. Learning ways to deal with stress after a 15 hour workday isn't just a good idea, it's critical if a manager hopes to survive with their health and sanity.
2. Treat people right, and they'll return the favor.
How does a good restaurant manager take care of their staff? They address complaints in a fair and timely manner. They're flexible with the schedule when necessary – after all, there will be times when a server or line cook simply isn't available. Life happens to everyone. When a customer is being unfairly rude or inappropriate toward a staff member, it's up to the manager to step in and take care of the situation – and a good manager will stand by their staff even to the point of asking a rude customer to leave. After all, a good employee is more valuable in the long run than a single rude customer. In return, staff members will repay a good manager with respect, hard work and honesty. This is important in every industry, but especially critical in a restaurant!
3. You set the example.
A restaurant manager learns that they have to set the bar and follow through in order to inspire their team members to do the same. Employees tend to model their own behavior after what they see around them – if the manager is lazy, cuts corners and does just enough to get by, servers and kitchen staff will behave in kind because they know they can get away with it. And if the manager then holds workers accountable for their lax attitude, there will be dissension in the ranks. After all, nobody wants to be told to do something their manager can't be bothered to do.
4. Some people just cannot be pleased.
It can be disappointing when you see a negative review written online, or to hear an irate customer complain about something that's out of your hands. Anyone who's ever worked in a restaurant can remember at least one such experience. Unfortunately, though, it's the manager who's usually at the top of the chain and the one who has to resolve the issue. Even the most diplomatic, generous and fair-minded manager will face a customer who simply won't be satisfied – and their complaints must be dealt with calmly and respectfully.
5. You become part of your own special club.
Let's face it: The restaurant industry is a different world from all others. Long days, late shifts, juggling responsibilities, wearing multiple hats, stepping up when there's a staff shortage, stepping in when there's a problem...the list goes on. This can make a restaurant manager feel isolated, especially when their work day is ending when many people are heading to bed! But passion requires compromise sometimes – besides, there's a reason why restaurant workers hang out with other restaurant workers: They get it!
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If managing a restaurant is something you've always wanted to do but haven't known where to start, contact ECPI University today! You could earn your Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management in as little as 2.5 years – and be well on your way to an exciting, rewarding future in restaurant management before you know it. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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