leadagers's posterous

And now…I will shed some light on a—not so little—secret of organizational life. There are some over-eager beavers, who deftly scramble up the political and positional ladder seemingly salivating at the prospect of power. Their mastery of corporate gamesman/woman-ship does not guarantee that they are the “sharpest knives in the drawer.” All too often, my experience has shown that if you were to strip away their job title, many lack the influence or substance for making critical decisions.

Ironically, at times it is the awkward foot-draggers who are more capable of making good decisions but are unwilling to be pressured into making them and don’t want to be held accountable. This leads me to an important point: Lots of smart and entirely good people have discovered they don’t have what it takes to manage things or lead others.

Leadagers who possess good business judgment, a strong sense of direction, and a willingness to accept the conditions of urgency and accountability without a seedy-overcoat-flashing of their fundamental character flaws are the ideal package. Companies spend a lot of money trying to nurture or “home grow” these traits. Unfortunately, this can be an elusive combination of qualities. Conversely, a lack of motivation, butt-headedness, and proven idiocy lead to professional euthanasia every time. (Trust me on this; the latter traits are pretty darn common.)

So let’s face it. You will have to make many decisions without the experience or the information you may desperately think you need, and inevitably, you will decide incorrectly. You will be wrong, and hopefully, someone will allow you to learn from your mistakes. It might be timing, support from the powers that be, or just luck that saves your job.

Early in your career, one of the most important things to learn is how to be wrong in the right way.

Being wrong the right way, looks like this:

• You made what you thought were sound decisions, striving not to be irresponsible, ignorant, or prejudicial.
• You can explain your thought process with respect to how you came to the decision in a logical manner.
• Your values were aligned with the organization’s values.
• You have shown good judgment on previous occasions.
• You display a willingness to learn from your mistakes.

 If you did all the above, you should come out okay (assuming you didn’t burn the place to the ground).

All new leadagers should be allowed some time to practice alternating the gas, clutch, and brake pedals of managementship (i.e., multitasking and managing/weighing multiple—and sometimes conflicting—priorities [chewing gum and running with scissors for all of you non-driving types]). The fact is most managers are playing the standard game of “catch up” in a starkly maniacal fashion.

I strongly urge you to grow away from being the hapless prey-of-the-day—as events pounce on you—and strive to get ahead of events by becoming a predator of pro-activity, turning activities into accomplishments and churning problems into opportunities.

 I once had a beast of a dog, a 125-pound, all-black German shepherd named Dakota. He was foreboding in the looks department but in reality he was just a big marshmallow. Dakota would frequently do the oddest thing; whenever we were standing close together, he would lean on me. His weight was enough to shift my center of gravity and at times I would have to scramble to regain my footing.

At one of his annual veterinary check-ups, I asked the vet whether this posture was common for big dogs looking to take a load off or if this dog just liked being close to me. The vet told me that it is the nature of dogs to slide up against each other and test the weight of the newcomer. I guess my dog was on instinct autopilot, subtly trying to test the competition in case there was going to be a tussle.

I don’t know if the vet was dealing in facts but I like to use this analogy when speaking about management and leadership. There is always something sliding up next to you trying to test your mettle. You are being constantly tested and assessed by the staff, customers, budget, boss, or competition—even your peers.

This book is about giving you a healthy dose of heft. After almost thirty years in the industry I’m hoping to share the solid footing that comes from hard-won wisdom.

Over time, with hands-on experience, I have come to understand that I prefer to work with authentic, caring, trustworthy, and competent people. People who do not possess these traits generally seem to fail at a higher rate. As such, I devoted much of my career to developing myself and my managers into people who were successful (by my assessment and by those who signed our paychecks) even though most of the time, we heard different music in our heads.

I call us leadagers (pronounced as - leed/i/jers), and we are a tribe, a group united by our shared values.

Let’s be clear; not everyone who has worked for me has liked me and certainly not everything I touched turned to gold. However, from the beginning, I was driven to produce more leadagers and tribal leaders, not just more managers or hourly workers. It was somewhere at about the eleven-year mark that I began to realize I excelled in the development of leadagers.

As an owner/operator running a college town hot spot, I got started developing people when I was twenty-one years old. I was learning from my management mistakes before most people get a chance to make ’em. (Check out Malcom Gladwell’s book, Outliers, and look up the 10,000 hour rule-of-thumb. He basically states that ten years of practice is just about how long it takes to become really good at something.)

It’s not like I ignored any of the million little details that go into running a successful hospitality operation; you have to know the right thing to do to teach the right thing to do. It’s just that developing managers into strong leaders is what I poured my heart into.

I come forward now with this humble effort, targeting the following audiences: (1) assistant managers looking for more traction on their way up the mountain, (2) any level of manager in the service sector (general managers included) who is trying to improve their plate-spinning abilities, (3) hourly tribemates with ambition, and (4) anyone wishing for a peek into the mind of a “new-style” manager.

Let me be clear: There is no one right way to be successful in this industry or any other, for that matter. This book is an answer to many questions but it is not the answer to all problems.

With that in mind, may my mistakes help you to avoid some pitfalls, my knowledge be a force for good, and my travails tickle your fancy.

HIGH IMPACT HOSPITALITY - Upgrade Your Purpose, Performance & Profits!

Recommended for anyone making a career in hospitality or wishing to take their employees to a higher level. Hotel F&B professionals who want to increase both their compensation and career satisfaction should read High Impact Hospitality by Chase LeBlanc, HOTEL F&B’s “Staffing Doctor.” This is a marvelous read: funny yet wise, inspiring but practical, combining LeBlanc’s considerable hands-on restaurant and hotel experience with sound gut instincts.

He begins by defining the two key roles every F&B pro should strive to fill, those of manager and leader, explaining how they are different and complementary. He calls people who have achieved this dual competence “Leadagers.” These professionals are adept at both “hard” management tasks such as cost control and scheduling and also excel at “soft,” almost artful, ways of thinking and acting for the good of themselves and their “tribe” (as he refers to the entire staff).

So how does one become a Leadager? LeBlanc weaves these hard and soft objectives together throughout the book. In “Make More Dough,” he lists several creative ways to increase your value, such as being a sunshine-maker, a business mechanic, a shepherd, a trustee, etc. In “Duality Maze,” he talks of organizational realities and pitfalls, how to avoid working for buffoons, and dealing with management’s often relentless push for performance and profitability.

Throughout the book, LeBlanc establishes his credentials through experiences, beginning as a 16-year old dishwasher, becoming a bar owner at age 21, then proceeding through the managerial ranks at various hotel chains and as a multi-unit operator for a national restaurant chain. He is now CEO of Leadagers LLC, a hospitality consulting business providing professional development tailored for hotels and restaurants. He can be contacted at 720-269-9537 www.leadagers.com. —ADS 

Hotel F&B Magazine November/December 2011  http://www.hotelfandb.com/biol/nov-dec2011-staffing-doctor-avoiding-bad-thing...   

KEITH ASKS...
I have been working in restaurants, bars, and hotels for 13 years. I am also completing my MBA in general management. I know the best way to upper management is through time and experience, however, with my degree, how can I leverage my experience and schooling in the business of F&B?

THE STAFFING DOCTOR ANSWERS...
Education, experience, and desire are not enough to achieve “upper management.” You have to leverage all of your experiences into a solid, results-filled record over a period of years. Also, any international experience is becoming a trump card for promotions.

First, develop a clear picture of your dream job and track backwards. Talk to anyone, anywhere in that job and get their download. Ask them questions about what it takes to get there, who might help you on your quest, and whether they’ll make an introduction. Find any association or group of like-minded people and join the conversation. Study the specifics, master the skills, and move in the circles of who you wish to be. You will always have a better shot at any job if you have previously established relationships, with or without the appropriate experience, education, or desire.

Second, get your values in order. We all know life is a series of tradeoffs. When facing an important decision, many advice-dispensers suggest taking a sheet of paper, drawing a line down the middle, and writing at the top of each side pros and cons. Do not use this approach without assigning weighted values to the details. What’s most important to you?

For each individual, all the ingredients that go into the process of decision-making do not carry the same cost or weight. Values lead the leader; spend some time ruminating on your values before you step into the big leagues of management where choices and decisions affect more than yourself.

Third, have you ever heard of compound interest? I suggest that there exists such a thing as compound work experience. Compound work experience provides that as you learn, you automatically increase your chances for advancement. Compound work experience is acquired by (1) working for the best organizations, (2) working for a successful leader-mentor, (3) working where the opportunities for advancement are plentiful, and (4) working where the varieties of experience are bountiful. This is a workplace where you are allowed to challenge yourself and to grow, a place where accepting more responsibility will eventually translate into more money for you, a place that acknowledges/ nurtures your involvement/participation and consistently shows appreciation for your contributions, a place that holds you accountable when you don’t sufficiently contribute, and ultimately, a place that provides a wealth of value to you through means that are not purely financial.

In order to find an opportunity that allows for compound work experience, you must search, assess, and evaluate the trade-offs. This, by the way, is vastly different than conveniently going to the nearest F&B factory and applying for any ol’ job. Take a shot at the job that gets you in the door of the right place with the right people. Look for those savvy business carnivores who crave to maximize your potential.

Chase LeBlanc "The Staffing Doctor" for Hotel F&B Magazine - is the founder and CEO of Leadagers, LLC, and is a hospitality management performance coach with more than 25 years of experience. He is also the author of High Impact Hospitality: Upgrade Your Purpose, Performance and Profits!

The words “leader” and “leadership” used to be widely accepted definitions of person(s) at the very top. Now, they have been widely broadened to reflectively include those who contribute to the process of moving things forward at any level, in any business setting.

 I like to think of it this way, leadership is like ice cream, and the specific business, industry or circumstances are the flavors. It is impossible to use chocolate chip and make it work when pistachio swirl is required, unless you only care about the fact that you used “leadership ice cream” and not about the outcome or how it tastes. Now you know why poor leadership leaves such a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

The mixing of flavors (or leadership styles/skills) is a creative endeavor, because it has to be. The quest of all leaders, doing the right thing - at the right time - time after time - is not a science; it’s the repetitive capture of quicksilver. An enlightened/contemporary approach demands different leadership tactics for ever-changing circumstances and roles. You can be a lead cook, server or busser (out in-front-modeling the job in a stellar fashion) but that is different than a General Manager, battlefield leader or neighborhood political leader. Hone in on what will work best for your situation, circumstance, and timeframe.

Leadership (at any level) is simply a role. It can be definitive or derivative, but still just one of many roles that are played out inside of any human enterprise. Management is, in most situations, a job, with an accompanying job description. (Try to find a formal company job description for “leader.”)  Leadership and Management are properly awesome together -- like ice cream and a cone but they aren’t the same thing!

In the hospitality industry leadership is sought, recognized and cultivated at all levels. If someone is the best busser/cook/server/bartender they can become a “lead” and leaders at all levels are the lifeblood of any hospitality organization. I am not a top–down leadership school-of-thought adherent, although it has had its place in history.  Enlightened organizations currently seek bottom-up/sideways/criss-cross leadership involvement and engagement. They rotate and align the best people, ideas, practices and future “potentials” to positions out in front.

Present day business environments are shockingly fluid and demanding of skills that previously were not essential requirements. At the top of this skills list is learning on-the-fly and adapting to ever-changing conditions.

How do you develop adroitness, awareness and capacity? With seasoning! How do you accelerate seasoning? Hopefully, with the complete backing of the entire organization toward leadership development, and by accepting that “mistakes” are part of the process. As many have stated before, not pushing your limits to the point of making some mistakes is a mistake, especially when you’re attempting to create engaged leaders at all levels of your organization. Please keep this seasoning logic at the forefront of your mind as you attempt to accomplish one of the major components of any leadership role – identifying and developing future leaders.

Leaders and managers (leadagers), you must try to create the most impactful flavor of leadership (ice cream) that works best for your situation/team and you’re going to have some bad batches along the way. Many of you already have faced the fact that some folks on your team will come up with a “dirt” flavor of team leadership when you asked them for cool-mint. However, you will be pleasantly surprised at the number of positive outcomes if you embrace the quest for engaged leadership at all levels as if it were both a business necessity and a creative flavor endeavor.

Greetings from Tebowland,

Unless you have been living in a cave or immersed in the opening of a new international property, you have heard about the polarizing and perplexing story of Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. Now, you may not follow the NFL or even like sports, but most anyone in our/any business can appreciate the turnaround of a brand name franchise and creating “fandemonium.” I thought I’d pass along a quick note from the eye of the Timmy-Typhoon.

The NFL’s Denver Broncos turnaround story (worst to first – in the same season - after years of irrelevance) is being written by many contributors. There have been clutch stops, picks, runs, throws, catches, kicks and fumble recoveries. As is almost always the case in a team sport, (read as your business) it takes a united team effort (“running on all cylinders – in the zone”) to win.

As the early season losses mounted and the Bronco “brain-trust” was feeling as if there was nothing left to lose – they unleashed Tim Tebow. What was initially significant about this “strategic” move was that the seemingly 3^rd string quarterback leapfrogged over the 2^nd string quarterback to become the starter. It was the harbinger of many strange and wonderful (if you bleed orange and blue) things to come such as - downgrading the playbook to a High School level and trading last year’s leading receiver and starting QB mid-season.  Now, we have the incredibly fashioned string of wins, and a self described “higher-calling” individual playing his position in an unorthodox manner – a truly compelling drama for fans and non-fans of all persuasions.

I have no idea how many more rabbits will be pulled out of the hat by Tebow & Co, but up to this point, there are a few practical turnaround-takeaways & leadership affirmations worth sharing –

1.       Attention leaders: it never hurts to have created a multitude of rabid fans in your last position

2.       Past behaviors/come-through-in-the-clutch-success - by an individual - should never be overlooked when attempting to predict future behaviors/come-through-in-the-clutch-success

3.       Great leadership is the dynamic influence/impact on others - and what you do & who you are (together) are more powerful than either alone

4.       A new way (read as a new right way) hardly ever comes from re-doing the same things, unless you dust off a playbook so old that everyone has forgotten how to defend it

5.       If you hope to be successful as a leader, you’ll need to rely on more than yourself to pull it off

6.       If you wish to have a widely accepted & rapid leadership transition – “selfless” leadership (serving others, accepting personal responsibility for failures, spreading credit for accomplishments, humble in victory and defeat) lies in stark contrast to “selfish” leadership

7.       Talent, hard work, unity and faith (a potent team combination) – can create more than your fair share of luck – AKA  culture & chemistry matter much

8.       Just one “right” person - at the right time – can make all the difference in the world, but then… you knew that already…

I have lived up, down, in the middle and on both sides of the USA, but I was raised in the West. I’m not a farmer or rancher, but as I was growing up I had a chance to spend some time “learning the ropes” from my relatives who were. You had to be hardy, smart and tough to make it in either place. Savvy- skill-craft was prized and so was an even disposition. You had to hold up your end of the bargain or you were sent packin’.

There was also a code, an unwritten agreement that bracketed your conduct. Lying, cheating or stealing were absolute no-fly zones, and you had to offer the other guy a “fair chance” in just about everything you did. I know some people will pass off my code recollections as myth, but I was not hanging out in Hollywood with A. Ladd, G. Cooper or J. Wayne - just with real people living real lives. In fact, responsible conduct was a major contributing factor to their sense of community and stewardship of the land.

In light of the recent news of a major failure of institutional leadership that is dominating today’s headlines, I thought it might be timely to share a few relevant “rules of the trail” that I know have been valuable to myself and others who aspired to become respectable, responsible citizens and leaders in their own right.

Be kind to kids and your horse

Don’t take any wooden nickels

Own a sharp knife and a sharper set of eyes

Doing the right thing ain’t courage… it’s just doing the right thing

If your best dog bites you more than once… they ain’t your best dog

A “howdy” and a smile cost you nuthin’… don’t make nobody pay to git one

Don’t make friends with rattlers… them that ain’t got feet or them that do

If you Rodeo… 8 seconds can change your life and if you don’t… they still can

An honest day’s work for an honest day’s dollar means a lot, but your honest word means more

Have you ever had thousands of people laugh in your face because of a mistake?

I have …

When I was in 11^th grade, I was in DECA, a school-sponsored “practice” business program. Individuals and groups participate in District and State competitions for the opportunity to attend Nationals. I jumped through the preliminary hoops and had made it to the National DECA Convention. For me, winning for the first time at anything other than Checkers was a big deal. And I was more nervous than a first-time sky-diver.

There in Orlando at the opening breakfast were thousands of kids from every state, along with their teachers, chaperons, judges, and sponsors, all waiting for the introductions to begin. The hotel was large and the ballroom felt cavernous. In the back of the ballroom, there was a stirring, a murmur, which quickly honed to cheers. Inspired by boredom, our massive group of teens had seized on the opportunity to express their home-state pride.

“Gimme a T-E-X-A-S! Texas!” Kids up on chairs doing their best call and response – rapid-fire, loud, proud, and unbridled cheerleading. Of course, it started turning raucous and soon the chiefs were looking to quell their tribes. My Colorado delegation was sitting on their hands. A mite too shy, sleepy, or — as it turned out — too smart to get involved. I, however, saw the “we’re-as-cool-as-you” window quickly closing, as all the proctors were now actively hushing their charges.

Not one to allow Colorado to be outdone, I quickly jumped to my feet and scrambled to the tallest standing position my chair offered me, proudly yelling, “Gimmie a C, Gimme an O, Gimme an L…”! As I made a break-out from the descending cone of silence, I realized…All Eyes Were On Me.

And then… I blanked out.

Three letters in and I forgot how to spell “Colorado,” the state where I was born and had lived my whole life. I seized upon a simple task…and JACKED-IT-UP. The laughter was extraordinary, as adolescent cruelty can be. I sat down with the laughter ringing in my ears and tears stinging my eyes. It wouldn’t stop. The group was heartily enjoying my self-inflicted demise; with the addition of name calling and sugar packet pelting, we were rapidly moving into pulling-the-wings-off-flies territory.

Then it came, the rage to make it right. In one fluid motion, I jumped back on the chair again, and as you can imagine, I had fully commanded everyone’s attention. I proceeded to finished what I started. Yep, this time I remembered how to spell “Colorado.” And the ridicule quickly morphed into applause. I had made a mess out of a semi-easy undertaking, and was I ever slammed for it! But, I had also made the hard thing (getting “back on the horse” in front of everyone) look easy, and was praised.

It was a turning point for me, as right then and there I vanquished any possibility of experiencing stage-fright, or fearing public speaking, cold-calling, or performing. And never have I had the impulse to hide after making a mistake. When thousands of people see you fail and laugh in your face, you have a choice – let it tear you up OR leapfrog the mistake and get busy with whatever is next. For certain, you will always have a choice in your response.

And, as an answer to any test, the best of you will always be better than the least of you.

“Low-down -dirty- good for nuthin…”

I still remember the first time I heard my Grandfather deliver his ultimate displeasure with another human being.  It was his considered opinion that you could be “good at” something and still be “good for nothing.”  As he saw it there were people who were darn fine farmers, welders, mechanics, truck drivers, hunters, and so on, but if your positive-character flag wasn’t flying high, he’d keep his distance.

When it comes right down to it, leadership is influence. Yes, most organizations hold high the tangible metric “results” of the system/process/push and pull, but when it comes to people, the influencers at every level are the true leaders.

For generations there have been debates about the concise definition of leadership. The truth is, it depends. Leadership definitions are dependent on the team, situation, fate, timing, and most certainly upon the width or height of your travails. Additionally, it depends if you are speaking of leadership in the arena of business, military, science, religion or politics. And, it depends on whether you’re seeking a descriptor of leaders who are edgy or plain-Jane, powerful or powerless, figureheads or headless figures.

You can spend a lifetime learning a skill(s) that will earn you more money, and that is notable. You can spend a minute or two on a dark path and ruin a lifetime of goodwill, and that too is notable. In the midst of those who view the world as clear-cut, black or white, good or evil – there exists some grey areas.

In this blurry arena of grey is where true leaders dwell. There are realities that challenge best-hatched plans, self control, vision and values; situations where you face hard choices, tough luck and tough decisions. In these circumstances it is better to be good at something and good for something, as it has been shown time and again that working for the greater good is the most sustaining, gratifying, and dare we say, fulfilling. Perhaps simply it is best described as the “greater of the goods.” During your next leadership performance assessment (on yourself or others), stop for a moment and ponder - @ and 4 - are you and your team working hard at being both?

 It is and has always been the right leadership flag to fly.