Leadership is no more about telling people what to do than good training is about being told what to do. Leaders of quality prefer a do–as-i-do rather than a do-as-i-say belief. They attend all meetings that are designed for food server participation so they can hear exactly what the food serving team has to contribute; their ideas, thoughts, and what interaction they can add to the workday process. Discussion is the keyword here rather than just listening to complaints being spoken from employees who don’t believe the company leaders truly want their help in improvement ideas. Top leadership recognizes the sincere attempt at improving the habits and routines of food serving to a senior or long-term care community.

Break down communication barriers by attending meetings with an open mind to share ideas and a willingness to practice any new process offered.  Leaders must be visible to grow team culture around meal service. If leaders understand their power comes not from control but by empowering their staff, they will encounter employees assuming ownership of their responsibilities. Placing trust in them to make on-the-spot decisions when necessary to arrive at a successful satisfaction.

Good training includes hands-on, acting out practice, and true discussion on how to apply new ideas and suggestions from those who do the work every day. Kind Dining♥ does not train by simply talking. Your training session will probably reveal that some changes can be adapted immediately while others may take time and practice to instill.  It takes education, training, and practice, practice, practice, to attain success with culture change. Food servers who continue to excel in personal resident care with kindness, consideration, and empathy added to their physical serving skills will become your company’s treasured assets. Your food serving team that develops conversational camaraderie displays their high standards of performance. The success of accomplishing these skills is well rewarded with acknowledgment such as notices on a public bulletin board.

Stir up passion and excitement in your meetings and training sessions. Leaders will be born while acting out a role. Inspire your food serving team by interacting and sharing company visions and goals that include them. Be generous with sincere compliments on performance. If you want your community to move forward, you must leave old habits behind and build new systems. Respect your food-serving staff from all departments to lead your community to success as they overcome the coronavirus that turned their workplace upside down.

Be  Kind Dining♥Tip: Stir up passion and excitement in your meetings and training sessions.