Mentoring For Strategic Growth In The Food Industry
There has been an unfathomable amount of challenges that have come from COVID-19 throughout the world. I’m sure you are seeing struggles in supply chain, labor etc…and we are all finding ways around it. Covid has changed the trajectory of many organizations and has left some closing their doors for good.
The companies and organizations that have pulled through, even succeeded, have been those with great chains of strategic leadership. Having individuals within a company who are looking to improve current systems, and develop a strategy moving forward has become a necessity.
This week’s newsletter I wanted to share some tips and knowledge when it comes to developing one’s own strategic leadership. To be able to do this one must know their limitations, as well as their business’ limitations. Let’s discuss a few ideas on how to improve your leadership and strategy to improve performance within one’s field.
· Know your market better than anyone else
- It’s simple really: Be informed!
- Look at who your markets are, what the competition is doing, what products are thriving in your market
- Visit websites that are topical to your profession and scour them in your free time. I will consistently start my morning reading about market news, what supply chain issues are occurring, and what other problems companies/individuals are facing
Some of my favorite sites:
Nations Restaurant News (nrn.com)
Fine Dining Lovers (finedininglovers.com)
American Culinary Federation (acfchefs.org)
Institute of Food Technologists (ift.org)
Safe Food Alliance (safefoodalliance.com)
Food Business News (foodbusinessnews.net)
One doesn’t need to be able to develop a solution immediately, but having these thoughts in the back of your mind will eventually lead to a small idea. This small idea can snowball by gathering more niche data and configuring it to your organization’s needs. By being ahead of the game and understanding challenges before they are brought to you, you are already solving the problem before there is one.
· Use your knowledge to create goods that cost you/your organization less
- When working through a menu item we often run into problems with food cost. Is the olive oil too expensive? Can we only get these onions in at a certain time of the year and after that the price doubles?
- Continuing to learn substitutes and flavor profiles you will begin to see what you can swap or how to manipulate an ingredient so it acts different. Can I use sweet potato instead of heirloom carrot? Can I puree it the same and add flavors to it to compliment the dish, while backing my food cost down 20 cents etc…
- This is a KEY state of mind as one progresses within the food industry
The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg is a classic in the culinary world. While not being the newest book out there, it holds plenty of useful information on yields, and ingredient swaps. It is a must for off-the-cuff changes!
· Set up 1 on 1’s with your superiors
- To be able to understand the scope of the business, you need to talk to the individuals who have either been there the longest, been in a roll similar to yours, or perhaps your direct boss
- By having these 1 on 1 conversations you can grasp more information in less time. Maybe one of these 1 on 1’s you cover niche problems that happen within the facility and what solutions were used to solve it. Being able to apply these solutions faster and see the entire picture is where you will truly start to see exponential individual growth
- Some questions that I like to inquire about in 1 on 1’s are:
1. How did you get involved with a special project you’re in charge of? (Can lead to insight on what extra work you can take on)
2. What challenges do you see the organization facing in the next few years (Great jumping off point for self-research)
3. What are the most important things for me to focus on to become successful in my role? (Really explore these interest as this will help develop your role)
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is an essential read for developing a leader's mindset. While not focusing too much on the "power" aspect of one position, it creates ideas that one can use to foster their own strategies.
· Find work!
- I always see myself spread slightly thin throughout. If you are not pushing yourself look for someone else to push you out. Find new projects, inquire in different directions to help, read technical data and study what really makes things work within your organization.
- Find ways to contribute in any project. If you don’t know some information, pull aside a trusted colleague and inquire about it. I promise you will not be laughed off, it is ok to not know something, but it is not ok to be ignorant of information if it is available.
The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz was my favorite read of 2021. This book opened plenty ways of lateral thinking and planning that I had not yet considered.
· Turn your actions into reality
- The key to building your own strategic intent is to cultivate your tools to turn strategy into reality.
- This reality can be built by engaging with team members/purveyors etc…
Team members feel a need be engaged physically, emotionally and intellectually.
- By having a strong strategy on paper you can rely on your team to help carry the vision forward as long as they feel they are apart of the team. Ask about their children’s birthdays. Are they getting enough sleep? Are any of them hurting and are in need of a position change. Being out of touch with your organization will lead to huge problems down the chain.
Letters To A Young Chef by Daniel Bouloud is a great book to read for individuals who want to lock in a positive and productive mindset.
I hope some of these suggestions have helped develop some of your thoughts or created a jumping off point for your own ideas. Being able to be self-motivated is something that takes a lot of practice. Remember, try not to get frustrated with yourself as becoming a leader takes time. Being able to strategically lead takes knowledge, practice of habit, and market knowledge. As long as you pick up 1 better practice a day/week/month…you are moving toward your goal!!
-Stephen
