Doing what’s yours to do is the mark of good leadership

When it comes to operating your restaurant company, one of the most important things your brand can do is empower, engage and encourage frontline leaders to create thriving environments that improve team members’ work experiences, said Monica Rothgery, author, speaker and former COO for KFC. 

4 key components to empowering leadership and growth

Rothgery, who began her career as a Taco Bell general manager after serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, shared her thoughts on successful leadership practices at The Table, the National Restaurant Association’s recent business conference in Louisville, KY. She cited four lessons learned as key components to her own growth as an industry executive.

1. Frontline leaders play a crucial role in shaping team member experiences, and that is directly tied to the customer experience.
2. Organizations need to help their leaders break out of the mindset of gravitating back to familiar tasks instead of focusing on their true responsibilities. They need to build teams that are self-sufficient, provide leadership training, and engage them in meaningful ways.
3. Leaders at all levels need to focus on what is theirs to do, rather than engaging in tasks that should be handled by others. This also applies to one's personal life and relationships within the communities they serve.
4. Find ways to share your authentic stories and experiences to provide hope and inspiration to other leaders and team members you interact with.

Rothgery said it’s important for leaders to take charge of their new managerial tasks instead of doing the jobs of the staff members reporting to them to show that they still fit in.

“Managers must elevate, get away from running the shift, and address the bigger picture of running the business,” she said. “It's not that they're not well-meaning or well-intentioned, because they are. In fact, they are some of the hardest working people I've ever met, but when they don’t do what’s theirs to do and gravitate toward what is familiar, safe, and comfortable, they’ll miss opportunities to grow business, train more people, and network your brand in the community.”

She also noted that every time a task is performed, the manager should ask him or herself whether he or she should have handled it or if it was something a team member should have done.

“The higher you go, the more time you should spend on the future,” she said. “You’ve got to constantly ask yourself if you are really doing what is yours to do.”

Show what’s possible in the future

Rothgery further stated that the task applies to more than just work. It’s also important to share with individuals what they might achieve.

“Open the curtain and show them what's possible,” she said. “You are in these roles, leading teams and interacting with people. You may not know what they need, but you can show up as your true and authentic self. Young people, especially, need to hear from and see you as successful examples. You can offer hope and inspiration for the future.”