How to Lead with Generosity and Purpose
Invest in the Power of Language
Will Guidara emphasizes the importance of articulating core values through collaborative language, as demonstrated by Eleven Madison Park's staff, who identified four key values—hospitality, excellence, education, and passion—to shape a cohesive organizational culture.
Transform Your Team with a Daily Huddle
To transform daily meetings from time-wasters into sources of inspiration and team unity, restaurateur Will Guidara suggests focusing on creativity, prioritizing meaningful discussions, and varying topics to enhance engagement and productivity.
Make Team-Led Training Sessions Mandatory
Teachers often gain a deeper understanding of their subjects through teaching, a principle leveraged by Will Guidara at Eleven Madison Park, where mandatory staff-led training sessions encourage knowledge sharing, personal growth, and responsibility among employees.
Normalize Feedback
Restaurateur Will Guidara emphasizes the importance of balancing praise and constructive criticism to cultivate a culture of growth and excellence, sharing five essential rules for providing and receiving feedback effectively.
Navigate Tension Among Passionate People
Restaurateur Will Guidara emphasizes that passionate disagreements can lead to innovation, advocating for empathy and collaboration by switching perspectives, seeking third options, or occasionally allowing one person to lead, to navigate conflicts effectively.
Three Strategies to Help Your Team Avoid Burnout
Restaurateur Will Guidara advocates for a team culture in hospitality where asking for help is normalized, emphasizing self-care and support through practices like identifying what fills team members' "pitchers" and destigmatizing help requests with subtle cues.
Hire Slow
Restaurateur Will Guidara emphasizes the importance of a meticulous hiring process, advising that taking time to find the right fit can prevent costly missteps that disrupt team dynamics and values.
Fire Fast — But Not Too Fast
Firing someone is challenging, but restaurateur Will Guidara emphasizes the importance of understanding an employee's struggles before making a decision, urging leaders to assess whether the issue is a lack of effort or a mismatch in role, and to provide necessary support.
Hospitality is often viewed as something to extend to customers or guests. But restaurateur Will Guidara doesn’t want you to stop there. By extending hospitality to your employees as well, you make them feel seen and heard, enabling them to bring their best selves to work. His approach to building such a culture centers on embracing shared values, purposeful communication, and prioritizing everyone’s well-being.
Learning Objectives
- Articulate core values collaboratively.
- Foster team connection and growth.
- Nurture empathetic feedback and dispute resolution.
- Normalize asking for help and practicing self-care.
- Strategically staff roles and manage employee performance.