12 Qualities of an Effective Leader

1. INSPIRATION - Do you want to lead?

• Do you understand the responsibilities of leading?

• You must be inspired to lead. You want to challenge yourself and your team to do better. When you inspire others, they will desire to grow.

• Foster an environment where team members collaborate, communicate, and work towards a goal.

2. INTEGRITY - Do you want to lead for the right reasons? The WHY 

Not for power but to help others and serve them.

a. Be a person of your word. If you say something, make sure it means something. The first agreement in the book, THE FOUR AGREEMENTS, is BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD. THINK before you speak. Is it True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Is it Kind? You are a leader in your store, so it is imperative to set a good example.

b. Treat people fairly. Remember, fairness is the cornerstone of good leadership. When you treat your team and customers with equity, you foster a culture of empathy and justice. 

c. Work hard- success takes work. The saying an overnight success is only a saying, a metaphor. Success takes hard work, day in and day out. Success means not giving up when the going gets tough. It means you keep showing up, demonstrating your determination and commitment.

d. Give back- As a leader, paying it forward and giving back is a must. Remember, integrity means caring about others, not just yourself. When you give back to your community, you demonstrate your compassion and responsibility as a leader. 

e. Competing—Remember, you are playing to win, not to lose. In our business, the restaurant next door is your competition. However, competition is not just about beating others; it's about growing your community. If you are not out in the community building relationships, you are losing business to your competitors. So, play to win by fostering a healthy competitive spirit and engaging with your community.

3. CLEAR GOALS - Know where you are going. The Destination. 

a. Do you have established goals? Are they written down? You should establish a new goal every day. It could be sales, bread count, average tickets, upsells, etc. 

b. Do all your team members know your goals?

4. CLEAR VISION – How are you going the get there. The Road Map. 

a. Know your focus and communicate it clearly to your team. A clear vision provides direction and purpose, guiding your team towards shared goals. 

5. BE A GOOD EXAMPLE 

a. Your team and customers are always watching you, even when you don't think they are. Your actions and words must reflect your integrity, setting the standard for others to follow.

6. CLEAR COMMUNICATION

a. Effective leadership is about listening more, talking less, being present, and observing. 

b. Clear communication is the key to understanding and connecting with your team. 

c. Encourage your team members to repeat what you say. This prevents miscommunication, especially on important issues. 

7. ENCOURAGEMENT

a. Be a mentor, let go, and let grow.

b. Praise the deed. When you see a team member doing something accurately, praise the deed. 

c. During the rush, make sure you encourage your team. Don't let them get discouraged if you are falling behind. Pivot and make changes if necessary while encouraging.

8. TEAM INTEREST & NEEDS - Make your goals helping others accomplish their goals.

a. Win together, put your team first. There is no I in team. Remember the acronym TEAM...TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE!

b. Be humble an step aside when need be. 

c. Be selfless, and put your team needs first (but don't enable, EMPOWER!)

d. Aces in their places

9. RECOGNITION

a. Share the success

b. Celebrate others

c. Recognize and appreciate others

10. SUPPORT

a. Be prepared for those “sweaty palm” and difficult conversations you must have when it is the right thing to do. 

b. Nourish your team members. Let your team members know you are there to support them so they can be the best they can be.

11. EXPECT THE BEST

a. Play to win, not lose

b. Never give up

12. RESPECT

a. Value your team members' contributions.

b. Care about your team members through your actions and words.

c. Once you have earned their respect, keep it.

 “Be the Leader you would follow.”

Chris Stripto