Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

Sample Lesson Plan

PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 1: Competencies for Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations
Competency 1:

Describe current developments and trends in the food and beverage industry.
(pp. 35)
Key Concepts:
Mobile food trucks
Ethically sourced foods
Local food
Hispanic market
Social media marketing
Quick-casual dining
Reduced energy consumption
Baby Boomer market
Free Wi-Fi
Cause marketing
Value
PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 2: Developments and Trends

Competency 2:

Identify and discuss the five practices of know-lead leadership. (pp. 59)
Key Concepts:
Knowing self
Leading self
Knowing others
Leading others
Leading change
Text Exhibits:
Exhibit 1: The Five Practices of Know-Lead Leadership
PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 3: Know-Lead Leadership
PowerPoint 4: Knowing Self
PowerPoint 5: Leading Self
PowerPoint 6: Knowing Others
PowerPoint 7: Leading Others
PowerPoint 8: Leading Change

Competency 3:

Explain how anticipatory service, positive first impressions, and committed

managers can contribute to creating positive, memorable experiences for
guests. (pp. 912)
Key Concepts:
Anticipatory service: identifying guest wants and needs; service must be customized for
each guest or group of guests
Positive first impressions: can occur before guests enter the restaurant (telephone calls,
valet parking); prompt attention after guests are seated is important; warm greeting is
essential; servers should listen as guests express their wants and needs
Committed managers: greet guests personally when possible; select good staff members;
act as role models for providing superior service; support and encourage their staffs
service efforts
PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 9: Anticipatory Service
PowerPoint 10: Positive First Impressions

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations 2

PowerPoint 11: Managerial Contributions

Competency 4:

Discuss how economic considerations impact sales in food and beverage

operations, and describe how the alignment of values between a food and
beverage operation and its guests can build guest loyalty. (pp. 1213)
Key Concepts:
Economic considerations: guests trade down during bad economic times and seek value
Value alignment: many guests seek establishments that have values similar to their
personal values (example; guests concerned about sustainability may seek restaurants
with good environmental records; value alignment can increase guest loyalty
PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 12: Economic Considerations
PowerPoint 13: Aligning Business and Guest Values

Competency 5:

Outline the six entrepreneurial practices food and beverage managers and staff
can use to think and act like an owner. (pp. 1315)
Key Concepts:
Intrapersonal communication
Interpersonal communication
Agility
Creative savviness
Problem-solving pragmatism
Legacy leader
PowerPoints:
PowerPoint 14: Thinking and Acting Like an Owner
PowerPoint 15: Intrapersonal Communication
PowerPoint 16: Interpersonal Communication
PowerPoint 17: Agility
PowerPoint 18: Creative Savviness
PowerPoint 19: Problem-Solving Pragmatism
PowerPoint 20: Legacy Leader

Class Activities
Suggested Guest Speaker
Consider inviting a guest speaker to this class session. An appropriate speaker would be a manager from a local
food and beverage operation. Help the speaker prepare by providing him or her with a copy of the competencies for
this chapter. Have the speaker focus the presentation on the following points:

Current developments and trends in the food and beverage industry

Anticipatory service and other ways to create positive, memorable experiences for guests

How the economy impacts sales at his or her operation

How managers and staff are encouraged to think like an owner at the operation

Optional Test
A ready-to-use test containing questions related to the competencies covered by this chapter is included in this
session. These questions are similar in format and content to the questions on the Final Exam that the Educational
Institute provides and grades for students who are enrolled in this course with the Institute. (If your students are not
enrolled in the Institutes course, they will not receive this Final Exam.)
The answers to this sessions optional test are:
1-d-C1, 2-a-C2, 3-b-C2, 4-c-C2, 5-d-C3, 6-d-C3, 7-a-C4, 8-c-C5, 9-d-C5, 10-b-C5

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations 3

Each question is linked to a competency. Competencies are listed on the first page of the chapter and in the Sample
Lesson Plan. An answer reading 3-b-C4 translates to:
3: the question number
b: the correct answer
C4:the competency number
The pages in the text that are associated with this chapters competencies are as follows:
C1:

35

C2:

59

C3:

912

C4:

1213

C5:

1315

Note that the answers to test questions may not appear verbatim on the referenced pages. Test questions may assess
the examinees ability to apply a concept, not just their knowledge of the concept.
These questions can also be found on the CD-ROM in a rich text format. You can use these questions as a starter to
create your own tests.

Individual/Group Activities
Optional Activity 1: Case StudyCultivating Culture
Instructors points for guiding discussion on this case study can be found later in this session. This case study is
associated with competencies 2, 3, and 5.
Optional Activity 2: Case StudyThe New Food and Beverage Director
Instructors points for guiding discussion on this case study can be found later in this session. This case study is
associated with competencies 2, 3, and 5.

4 Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

Case StudyCultivating Culture

Points for Instructors

Purpose:

To impress upon students that the culture of an organization must be planned, nurtured, and cultivated
with attentive and constant care.
Discussion Points

Organizational CultureA Definition:

The intertwined threads of beliefs, values, knowledge, behavior, principles, social forms, customs and discourse
that characterize an organization which it projects to all who relate to it and for which it has a generalized reputation.
Nine Elements of Organizational Culture:
1. Core values
2. Basic assumptions about others
3. Six bases of authority
4. Organizational structure
5. Role definitions
6. Policies and procedures
7. Heroic examples shared with employees
8. Ceremonies
9. Symbols
1. Core Values (fundamental principles of living):
Honesty
Excellence
Strong work ethic

vs.
vs.
vs.

Assistance
Word is your bond

vs.
vs.

Truth has shadings to it

Get by
Tomorrow will take care of
itself
Survival of the fittest
Promises are made to be
broken

2. Basic Assumptions About Others:

People are basically fair.

vs.

Service is a noble calling.

vs.

Employees will do the

right thing.
Suppliers are allies.

vs.

Treat customers as if
they are right.
People want value for the
prices they pay

vs.

vs.

vs.

3. Six Bases of Authority:

Power (coercion)
Resources available for distribution

Everyone has a little

larceny in them.
Service is servility and
servitude.
Employees need close
monitoring.
Suppliers will cheat you if
they can.
The customer is the enemy.
People dont understand
or appreciate value.

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations 5

Expertise (knowledge)
Legal authority (election, selection, appointment)
Identification (charisma)
Deference (customs and mores)

4. Organizational Structure:

Centralization or decentralization?
Employee empowerment or prior approval required?
Flat or steep hierarchy?
Open door, accessible door, or closed door policy by management?

5. Role Definitions:

Clarity of position descriptions and operational practice

Support for crisis decisions
Cross communication and frequent communication
Visibility of management

6. Policies and Procedures:

Service or product guarantees

Managing employees grievances
Go by the book or be flexible
Nepotism
Progressive discipline
Fringe benefits

7. Heroic Examples Shared with Employees:

Letters from customers and top management

Praiseworthy acts recognized
Newsletter anecdotes
Organizational legends

8. Ceremonies:

Employee of the month, year

Anniversaries and awards
Special meetings or trips (elite selection)
Employee clubs (ceremonies and cultural titles)

9. Symbols:

Portraits and photos

Statues and busts
Flags
Company creed, mission statement, or song
Lapel pins or other insignia

6 Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

Case StudyThe New Food and Beverage Director

Points for Instructors
Purpose:

To challenge students to identify the critical components of each functional area of a food service
operation and determine the requirements and measurements relevant to each of those functional areas.
Discussion Points

Start Employee Relations

Since it is her first day on the job, Julie needs to get off to a good start by paying attention to employee relations.
One approach is to walk around the department (possibly escorted by the general manager) and meet each employee
individually. She may then want to call a staff meeting of all department personnel so she can give the appearance
and substance of leadership. Another approach is to reverse the sequencehold the staff meeting first, then meet
and shake hands with everyone in the department.
Ask your students What would you do the first part of the first day on the job?
Announce Standards and Expectations
Julie may want to make some announcements at the staff meeting to establish her standards and expectations.
For example, she could emphasize:
Food safety and sanitation is paramount.
Employee safety and security is paramount.
There will be full compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to the operation.
Employees are expected to meet or exceed established performance standards.
Employee development is a top priority.
Ask your students what they would emphasize in their announcements.
Establish a slogan/motto
Julie may want to present a slogan, motto, or quip that might become the by-word for the functioning of the food
and beverage department. For example, she may want to suggest that S.E.R.V.I.C.E. = P.R.O.F.I.T.S., where the
letters stand for:
SERVICE
Spirit
Enthusiasm
Responsibility
Value
Information
Cooperation
Excellence

PROFITS
People
Returning
Often
For
Insured
Total
Satisfaction

Ask your students to suggest other kinds of slogans/mottos that could serve as bywords, rallying food and beverage
staff toward a positive cultural change.
Determine Functional Areas and Key Measurements
Once Julie gets beyond the initial stage of the new relationship, attention can be given to the different areas of the
department, and the key measurements associated with them. For example:

Purchasingstandards, costs, supplies, relationships

Forecastingtechniques, accuracy
Quality controlsystems, checks
Warewashingbreakage, replacement
Sanitationself-inspection checklists, personal hygiene
Guest relationscomments, role of host and hostess, servers
Cost controlportion sizes, waste
Organizational relationshipsorganization chart, cooperation with the rooms division

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations 7

Financial recordsprofit and loss statements, banquet records, outside catering revenue
Employee trainingsystems, frequency

You may want to ask the class to categorize the areas they think need to be looked into and then write the questions
they would ask to get the necessary answers.

8 Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

NAME: _______________________________________
DATE: ___________________

1.

Which of the following is a trend within the food and beverage industry?

a.

More food and beverage operations are serving ethically sourced foods.

b.

Guests are moving away from casual dining toward fine dining.

c.

More food and beverage operations are reducing their energy consumption.

d.

a and c

2.

Determining a life mission is part of which of the five practices of know-lead leadership?

a.

knowing self

b.

leading self

c.

knowing others

d.

leading change

3.

Rick Jones, the general manager of the RedTree Restaurant, makes it a point to meet with the owner of the
restaurant as often as he can. This is a part of which of the five practices of know-lead leadership?

a.

knowing self

b.

knowing others

c.

leading self

d.

leading others

4.

Theresa Ortiz is the dining room manager of the Restful Hotels restaurant. She goes out of her way to get
acquainted with all of the restaurants managers and employees because she knows that without these
internal customers, the restaurants external customersguestscould not be served. Theresa is following
the __________ practice of know-lead leadership.

a.

leading change

b.

knowing self

c.

knowing others

d.

leading self

5.

Arjun is a server at the ABC Restaurant. He sees a family with a toddler sitting down at one of his tables.
Without being asked, he brings a booster seat to the table along with crayons and a coloring book for the
toddler. Arjun is practicing:

a.

knowing others.

b.

problem-solving pragmatism.

c.

creative savviness.

Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations 9

d.
6.

anticipatory service.
How do managers contribute to positive, memorable dining experiences for guests?

a.

They greet guests personally when possible.

b.

They hire the best staff members possible.

c.

They act as role models for providing superior service to guests.

d.

All of the above.

7.

Cheng is passionate about the environment. He chooses to eat at a restaurant that uses energy-saving
equipment and has a recycling program. This is an example of:

a.

an alignment of guest and business values.

b.

one of the six entrepreneurial practices.

c.

a know-lead leadership parallel.

d.

anticipatory service.

8.

10 Leadership in Food and Beverage Operations

Intrapersonal communication is about communication with:

a.

others.

b.

other businesses within the food and beverage industry as a whole.

c.

ones self.

d.

other businesses within the local community.

9.

Which of the six entrepreneurial practices requires autonomy, independence, resourcefulness, and
adaptability?

a.

legacy leader

b.

interpersonal communication

c.

creative savviness

d.

agility

10. Christy is a restaurant general manager who desires to leave a significant mark on her operation. She
works very hard to make the restaurant a financial success and goes out of her way to provide superior
service to guests and mentor her staff to do the same. Which of the six entrepreneurial practices is she
pursuing?
a.

intrapersonal communication

b.

legacy leader

c.

problem-solving pragmatism

d.

agility