Help Your Team Manage Stress and Build Resilience: 10 Tips for Leaders

Stress is inevitable, the world is full of change and uncertainty, and it’s a challenge we all face - at work and at home. As leaders your people’s wellbeing and helping them to manage stress and build resilience, or inner strength, is no longer a tick box exercise, it’s essential.

With the right tools and support, stress can be managed effectively, leading not only to healthier individuals but also to a stronger, more resilient team.

1. Understanding Pressure vs. Stress

It’s essential to recognise the difference between pressure and stress. Like Goldilocks, the goal is to find “just right” pressure—not too little and not too much.

• Productive Pressure: When managed well, pressure can keep us focused and motivated. In the right amount, it enhances performance.

• Excessive Pressure: If it becomes overwhelming, however, pressure crosses into stress, leading to fatigue, irritability, and decreased performance.

Actionable Tips: 

Encourage team members to recognise when they feel engaged and focused rather than tense or overwhelmed. Set Short, Manageable Goals to maintain a sense of progress and keep pressure in check. Smaller goals can keep productivity high without overwhelming the team. Remind your team to take short, refreshing breaks to recalibrate during peak pressure periods. Simple actions like stepping outside or taking a few deep breaths can prevent the shift from pressure into stress.

2. Acknowledge and Accept Your Emotions

When you feel stress building, could you take a moment to acknowledge it. Awareness of how you feel physically and emotionally helps you address stress before it becomes overwhelming.

• Recognise the Signs: Pay attention to physical cues like a racing heartbeat or shallow breathing. These are your body’s “check engine” lights.

• Pause for Perspective: Rather than reacting instantly, pause and reflect. Ask yourself, “Will this matter a month from now? What would my wisest friend advise?” This bird’s-eye view can provide much-needed clarity.

Actionable Tips:

Encourage team members to identify and name their emotions (e.g., “I feel anxious” or “I’m frustrated”). Research shows that labelling emotions reduces intensity, helping you feel more in control. Use Reflective Questions: Teach your team to ask themselves reflective questions when stressed. For instance, “What’s in my control here?” or “What would help me feel calmer?” This promotes a more balanced response rather than an immediate reaction.

3. Lead with Empathy

Being an empathetic leader is one of the most powerful ways to build resilience. When leaders take the time to understand each team member's unique challenges and stressors, it can make a significant difference in how they approach their work. Empathy builds trust and shows your team that they’re valued beyond their productivity.

Actionable Tip:

Use empathy in your day-to-day interactions by actively listening and offering tailored support when challenges arise. Sometimes, a quick conversation or a kind word can make all the difference.

4. Foster Open Communication

One of the best ways to help your team manage stress is to create a culture of open, honest communication. This starts with you, the leader, being transparent and approachable. Encourage your team to share their concerns, listen actively, and respond with empathy. When employees feel they can talk openly about challenges without judgment, they are more likely to address issues proactively, reducing stress in the long run.

Actionable Tips:

Start meetings with a brief personal update to set an example. When leaders share openly, team members feel more comfortable doing the same. Implement “Psychological Safety” Rules by establishing norms where everyone feels they can voice concerns without fear of judgment. One simple rule is, “All questions are good questions.” Reinforce that it’s okay to ask for help or say, “I don’t understand.”

Schedule informal one-on-one check-ins every few weeks to provide a safe space for team members to share any stressors or workload concerns. Actively listen, empathize, and brainstorm ways to address any challenges they bring up.

5. Encourage Work-Life Balance

While productivity is essential, balance is key to long-term success. Constant work without adequate rest can lead to burnout, so it's important to encourage breaks, time off, and healthy boundaries between work and personal life.

Actionable Tip:

Model work-life balance yourself by setting boundaries. For example, avoid sending emails after work hours, and use your vacation days. When your team sees you prioritise balance, they are more likely to do the same.

6. Give Your Team with Stress Management Tools

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about having the right tools to cope with challenges in real-time. Offering workshops or providing resources on stress management techniques like mindfulness, time management, and exercise can help your team develop skills to handle stress effectively.

Actionable Tip:

Organise a monthly wellness day or provide access to resources like meditation apps or fitness classes. Small investments in well-being can go a long way in helping employees manage stress.

7. Recognise and Reward Efforts

When people feel appreciated, they are more engaged and motivated. Recognition can be a powerful way to mitigate stress and build resilience. Celebrating successes, even small ones, helps create a positive work environment and reinforces a sense of purpose.

Actionable Tip:

Develop a simple system for celebrating achievements, such as a monthly shout-out in team meetings or a “thank you” board in the office. Positive reinforcement promotes a culture of support and resilience.

8. Build a Sense of Team Unity

Teams that support one another through tough times are more resilient. Fostering strong team bonds encourages employees to lean on one another for support, which can alleviate individual stress levels.

Actionable Tip:

Schedule team-building activities that align with your team’s interests, whether that’s a casual lunch, a team sports day, or a virtual trivia night. A unified team handles stress more effectively and comes together to support each other in times of need.

9. Encourage Flexibility

Allowing flexibility can reduce stress by giving employees some control over how and when they work best. This could mean flexible hours, remote work options, or allowing team members to switch tasks based on energy and focus levels.

Actionable Tip:

Consider implementing “focus hours” where employees can work uninterrupted or allow flexible start and end times for those who may be balancing work with other responsibilities.

10. Provide Learning and Development Opportunities

Learning opportunities can help employees feel empowered and equipped to handle challenges. When team members have room to grow and develop new skills, they’re more resilient in the face of change and better prepared to manage stress.

Actionable Tip: Start with my free online workshop How to Cope with Stress & Build Resilience.
Join this workshop to discover practical tools to strengthen your resilience and support your teams. We'll delve into:
🌿 What is Wellness
🌪️ Distinguishing Pressure from Stress
🚦 Establishing Healthy Boundaries and Habits
🌟 Overcoming Overwhelm
🌱 Cultivating Resilience
🧘 How to support your team

👇 BOOK A PLACE 👇

This workshop can also be tailored to run for teams and organisations in-person or virtually.

Empathy in Leadership: A Guide to Emotional Intelligence

Empathy in Leadership A Guide to Emotional Intelligence

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving workplace, leaders are expected to do more than just technical experts, they are required to understand, inspire, and connect with their teams on a human level. This is why emotional intelligence (EQ) and empathy are essential skills. Empathy fosters trust, collaboration, and resilience, and enabling leaders to navigate the complexities of human behaviour.

As psychologist Daniel Goleman said,

“What really matters for success, character, happiness and lifelong achievements is a definite set of emotional skills—your EQ—not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.”

But what exactly is emotional intelligence, and how does empathy fit into the picture?

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, often referred to as EQ (emotional quotient), is the ability to recognise, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of others. It's a skill set that allows leaders to connect with their teams on a more personal level, improving communication, reducing conflict, and boosting team morale. EQ consists of five key components:

1. Self-awareness – Understanding your own emotions, strengths, and limitations.

2. Self-regulation – Managing your emotions, especially in stressful or challenging situations.

3. Motivation – Maintaining drive and optimism, even in the face of setbacks.

4. Empathy – Recognising and understanding the emotions of others.

5. Social skills – Building and managing relationships, effectively communicating, and resolving conflicts.

While all five components are important, empathy plays a unique role in leadership by directly influencing how you interact with others. Empathetic leaders can put themselves in their people's shoes, to better understand their concerns, motivations, and challenges. This creates a more supportive and inclusive work environment.

Why Emotional Intelligence and Empathy Matter in Leadership

Stronger Relationships

Leaders with high emotional intelligence foster open communication and trust. They understand the importance of making genuine connections with their team, which helps create a collaborative and supportive culture. Teams led by emotionally intelligent leaders tend to feel more valued and are therefore more engaged and motivated to perform well.

Improved Decision-Making

Emotional intelligence enables leaders to make well-rounded decisions that consider not just the facts but also the emotions and perspectives of others. This allows them to take a more holistic view of situations, resulting in better decisions that are more likely to be embraced by the team.

Better Conflict Resolution

When conflict arises, emotionally intelligent leaders use their empathy and social skills to navigate the situation calmly and fairly. They can step back, manage their own emotional reactions, and understand the emotions of those involved. This results in quicker, more amicable resolutions and prevents tensions from escalating.

Increased Employee Satisfaction

Empathy in leadership leads to a more positive and inclusive workplace culture. Employees are more likely to stay loyal to leaders who understand their needs and support their growth. When team members feel seen and heard, their job satisfaction and productivity rise.

Resilience in Tough Times

Leaders face challenges daily, from managing tight deadlines to navigating company crises. Emotionally intelligent leaders are better equipped to handle these challenges, remaining calm under pressure while providing steady support to their teams. Their empathy allows them to acknowledge the stress their team may be experiencing and respond with compassion.

How to become an emotionally intelligent leader

The great news is that emotional intelligence and empathy aren’t fixed traits—they can be developed and strengthened with intentional practice. Here’s how you can enhance these skills:

1. Cultivate Self-Awareness

The first step in developing emotional intelligence is to become more aware of your own emotions and how they influence your behaviour. Regularly check in with yourself: How are you feeling? How are these feelings impacting your decisions and interactions with others? Journaling or meditation can be helpful tools for increasing self-awareness.

2. Practice Active Listening

Listening is a core component of empathy. When a team member is speaking to you, give them your full attention. Avoid interrupting or planning your response while they are talking. Instead, focus on understanding their perspective and feelings. After they’ve finished speaking, paraphrase what they said to ensure you’ve fully understood.

3. Manage Your Emotions

Emotional regulation is crucial in leadership. Practice techniques that help you stay calm in stressful situations, whether that’s taking deep breaths, stepping away for a few moments, or reframing your thoughts. Leaders who can manage their emotions effectively are better at making thoughtful decisions and avoiding emotional reactions that could harm team dynamics.

4. Show Empathy in Action

Empathy isn’t just about understanding—it’s about acting on that understanding. If a team member is struggling, offer your support. This could mean helping them re-prioritise tasks, offering additional resources, or simply giving them a listening ear. Small actions that show you care about your team’s well-being can have a big impact.

5. Provide Constructive Feedback with Care

Feedback is a critical part of leadership, but it’s important to deliver it in a way that’s constructive and compassionate. Consider how the other person might feel and frame your feedback in a way that encourages growth rather than defensiveness. Balancing honesty with empathy helps maintain trust and respect in your relationships.

6. Build Emotional Resilience

Developing emotional intelligence doesn’t mean you won’t experience negative emotions—it means you’ll be better equipped to handle them. Building emotional resilience involves recognising your emotional triggers and practising self-regulation techniques, so you’re prepared to navigate challenges and stress without becoming overwhelmed.

7. Encourage Empathy in Your Team

As a leader, you have the opportunity to model and foster empathy within your team. Encourage team members to understand each other’s perspectives, whether during a disagreement or while collaborating on a project. Empathy within the team enhances collaboration, creativity, and mutual respect.

The Benefits of Leading with Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

When leaders prioritise emotional intelligence and empathy, they create workplaces where people feel understood, valued, and motivated. In the long run, this leads to:

• Increased employee retention: Team members are more likely to stay loyal to empathetic leaders.

• Higher team performance: A supportive environment allows employees to thrive and perform at their best.

• Stronger company culture: Emotionally intelligent leadership fosters a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration.

• Better overall outcomes: When employees feel heard and supported, they are more engaged, productive, and innovative.

Today, leadership demands more than just technical expertise, emotional intelligence and empathy have emerged as crucial qualities for success. These skills enable leaders to build stronger relationships, foster trust, and create a positive and productive work environment.

Leading with emotional intelligence and empathy isn’t just a modern leadership trend—it’s the future of sustainable and effective leadership.

Building Confidence in Leadership: A Guide to Success

Building Confidence in Leadership: A Guide to Success

Confidence is the foundation of leadership.

It drives decisions, shapes behaviours, and influences how others perceive and respond to you. A confident leader inspires trust, while a lack of confidence can sow seeds of doubt, not only within the leader themselves but also in their team. And here’s the truth: everyone, even the most accomplished leaders, faces moments of self-doubt. The secret lies in how they overcome it and continue moving forward.

Many leaders, especially those newly appointed or taking on greater responsibilities, struggle with imposter syndrome—the persistent feeling that they don’t deserve their position or are not truly qualified. This is more common than you might think, affecting both men and women, and can lead to anxiety, overworking, or perfectionism. However, confidence isn’t something you're born with—it’s a skill you can develop. The good news is that with the right strategies, you can build your leadership confidence and transform self-doubt into self-assurance. Here’s how:

1. Embrace Self-Awareness as Your Foundation

Leadership confidence starts with knowing yourself. Understand your strengths, but also your areas for growth. Self-awareness helps you manage how you react in high-pressure situations, recognise your triggers, and cultivate emotional intelligence. Regular self-reflection will allow you to view challenges as opportunities for growth, not as threats to your capabilities.

Make time to assess your emotional landscape, recognise your values, and understand your personal leadership style. Reflect on past experiences—what were your successes and failures, and what did you learn from both? With heightened self-awareness, you'll not only build confidence but also develop empathy, which is crucial for effective leadership.

2. Leverage Feedback as Fuel

While self-reflection is essential, external feedback provides the full picture. Seek constructive criticism from trusted peers, mentors, or your team. Honest, well-rounded feedback gives you a clearer sense of how you’re perceived, where you excel, and what can be improved. It’s important to create an environment where feedback is welcomed, not feared, so that those around you feel comfortable being honest with you.

Receiving feedback might sometimes be uncomfortable, but view it as a gift. If you take criticism constructively, it will help you grow and reinforce your confidence in the long run.

3. Celebrate Wins

Leaders often focus so much on their next goals that they forget to acknowledge their achievements. Celebrating even small victories will reinforce your belief in your abilities. Write down your successes—whether it’s navigating a tough decision, resolving a team conflict, or landing a key client—and return to this list whenever self-doubt creeps in.

This isn’t about being boastful, but about reminding yourself that you’ve earned your place as a leader. Keeping track of your achievements not only boosts morale but provides a record of the value you bring to the table.

4. Develop a Growth Mindset

Leaders with a growth mindset view challenges and setbacks as learning opportunities. Instead of fearing failure, embrace it as a stepping stone to improvement. This mindset shift is vital for developing leadership confidence because it reframes how you approach risks and decisions. You’ll become more resilient, adaptive, and, ultimately, more confident in handling complex or unfamiliar situations.

Ask yourself after every experience: What did I learn? What could I do differently next time? Continuous learning, both from success and failure, will reinforce that you are always growing and getting better.

5. Prioritise Self-Care and Resilience

Confidence isn’t just a mental game—it’s physical and emotional as well. Leadership roles are demanding, so it’s important to nurture your well-being. Prioritise your health, set clear boundaries to avoid burnout, and give yourself permission to recharge. Physical fitness, mindfulness, and adequate rest aren’t just good habits—they also fuel confidence by giving you the energy and focus to tackle challenges head-on.

Develop resilience by adopting routines that calm and centre you, like regular exercise, meditation, or journaling. Resilience in leadership doesn’t mean avoiding stress—it means bouncing back from adversity with greater strength.

6. Build Trust Through Vulnerability

It might seem counterintuitive, but displaying vulnerability can actually strengthen your leadership. When leaders show they don’t have all the answers or admit to making mistakes, it humanises them and fosters deeper connections with their teams. Admitting when you need help doesn’t weaken your leadership—it shows you’re confident enough to rely on others and value their input.

By being transparent about your challenges, you create a culture where your team feels safe to take risks and be open about their own difficulties. This level of trust builds a stronger, more resilient organisation and ultimately reinforces your leadership confidence.

7. Communicate Assertively, Not Aggressively

Clear, purposeful communication is one of the most powerful tools of a confident leader. Practice assertiveness, which strikes the right balance between passivity and aggression. Assertiveness is about communicating your needs, boundaries, and expectations with respect and clarity.

Learning how to communicate assertively fosters stronger relationships, builds respect, and ensures your voice is heard without causing conflict. When you communicate with conviction, people are more likely to follow your lead.

8. Visualise Success

Visualisation is a powerful tool used by top athletes and leaders alike. Before entering high-pressure situations—whether it’s a crucial presentation, a difficult conversation, or an important decision—take time to visualise success. Imagine yourself performing with confidence and clarity, and mentally rehearse the steps you’ll take.

Visualisation conditions your mind to expect success and can alleviate anxiety or hesitation. By mentally preparing yourself, you’ll enter situations with a clear sense of purpose and self-assurance.

9. Lead with Purpose

Confidence in leadership grows when your actions are aligned with your purpose. Know what drives you—whether it’s making an impact, achieving a long-term vision, or championing a cause. When you lead with purpose, your decisions and actions have deeper meaning, and you’ll inspire greater trust and respect from your team.

Purpose-driven leadership also ensures that your confidence doesn’t come off as arrogance because you’ll be grounded in authenticity and service to others. This kind of leadership inspires loyalty and cultivates a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute.

10. Learn to Be Comfortable with Discomfort

Leadership often involves making tough decisions, navigating uncertainty, and stepping into unfamiliar territory. The more you embrace discomfort, the more your confidence will grow. It’s in these moments of challenge where real growth occurs. When faced with a difficult decision, remind yourself that no leader has all the answers, and that it’s okay to take calculated risks.

Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding challenges—it comes from overcoming them. Stepping into uncomfortable situations and making decisions despite the unknown will strengthen your leadership muscles over time.

11. Empower Your Team

Finally, a confident leader recognises the importance of empowering others. When you enable your team to take ownership of their work, make decisions, and grow, you not only build their confidence but reinforce your own leadership. A team that feels trusted and valued will reflect that trust back to you.

Delegate responsibilities, mentor your team, and celebrate their achievements. As they grow under your leadership, your own confidence will be reinforced by their progress and success.

Leadership Confidence is learned through experience

Confidence isn’t an innate trait—it’s built through experience, action, and persistence. Whether you’re overcoming imposter syndrome, facing new challenges, or navigating uncertainty, these strategies will help you build and sustain the confidence needed to lead effectively.

Leadership is a journey, and confidence is something you continually develop along the way. By embracing growth, acting with purpose, and empowering those around you, you will not only inspire trust and loyalty but also unlock your own potential as a confident, capable leader.

If people enjoy work, the rest will fall into place - Lessons in Culture

Your brand isn’t just your logo and a two-dimensional design. Your brand is your people - their personalities, their behaviours and actions. 
From the first greeting with a customer or client to the final farewell, it’s people who breathe life into your brand and create a meaningful human experience.

When you reflect on meals out you’ve had - which do you remember? Do you remember exactly what you ate and drank? Or do you remember the experience and how you felt? I’m pretty sure that even if you’d had some of the most delicious food in your life if the service was bad and if the staff weren’t warm and friendly you’d think twice about going back and if they were grumpy and rude you wouldn’t go back at all - even for the food.

It’s people make the experience - the emotional connection your customers have with a brand.

For all businesses, not just customer-facing ones, your people build your brand. When people enjoy their work, feel genuinely connected with the brand’s purpose and values, and when they feel valued, your brand and your business will thrive. When people love where they work, that energy radiates outward, creating memorable experiences that resonate with customer.

What is culture?

Culture is the invisible thread that binds an organisation’s values, practices, and people, creating a unique experience for both customers and employees. Culture builds a sense of belonging and guides what we do and how we do it.



• It’s how your people feel on a Sunday night.

• It’s what people say about your when you’re not in the room.

• It’s the thing that connects us.

• It’s what makes us feel alive

At the Propel Talent & Training conference this week, hospitality businesses large and small came together to explore the concept of culture and how to nurture it. 

Ceri Gott is Chief People Officer at award-winning restaurant group Hawksmoor - which has held a place in Best Companies for over 10 years. Gott said

“If your people enjoy work the rest will fall into place.

For her “Culture is a group of talented people creating something special.” 

At Hawksmoor, building and nurturing this culture goes beyond policies; it’s about creating a place where kindness, innovation, and individuality thrive. Founders Huw Gott and Will Beckett say:

Everything stands or falls with people. People are at the heart of every business, nowhere more so than in hospitality. At Hawksmoor, every employee understands they’re not just part of a restaurant—they’re part of a bigger story.

Their ambition according to the Hawksmoor 2023 Impact report is to create:

 “SOMEWHERE YOU CAN FEEL PROUD TO WORK We want people who work at Hawksmoor, and their families, to feel proud of where they work – of the restaurants themselves, of their co-workers, of the company and of the industry. We work hard to build environments where people feel that way, and encourage them to bring families in (with a discount) to help engender that feeling, especially as this is an industry that parents don’t always wish for for their children; mistakenly in our view'.”

They have embraced this by defining values:


Liberating Kindness

Kindness is at the core of Hawksmoor’s ethos. As much as grand gestures this encompasses small things that make a difference - simple acts of appreciation like a thank you or a friendly hello can transform someone’s day. 

Gott said “We recognise that companies that foster kindness not only create a positive workplace but are also more profitable.” Kindness releases oxytocin, the “happy hormone,” which can enhance our immune systems and reduce stress. While negative interactions, such as rudeness or microaggressions, even being a witness to negativity, impacts how much a person can get done in a day and reduces their ability to problem solve.

Be the Change

Hawksmoor recognises that its people are central to innovation. Regular listening and open communication channels help keep ideas fresh and encourage employees to shape the future of the brand. By valuing feedback, they not only improve our services but also empower our staff to take ownership of their roles. The team is what makes Hawksmoor’s culture come alive, with each site’s unique dynamics creating “sub-genres” of the overall brand culture. This practice nurtures a workplace where everyone can contribute to shaping the future.

Every Day’s a School Day

Creating a learning culture where everyone has the opportunity to develop and grow which keeps people in the business, and develop new skills even if they don’t stay. This commitment to learning ensures that every team member feels supported and equipped for success.

You Be You

Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzzwords at Hawksmoor; they are integral to its identity. Co-founder Huw Gott, who was diagnosed with ADHD, openly shares his experiences, encouraging everyone to be their authentic selves. It’s recent staff survey revealed that 97% of employees feel welcomed at Hawksmoor.

The vital role of managers

In recognition of the fact that the number one predictor of how happy someone feels at work is their manager, Hawksmoor is committed to developing leaders who model these standards daily. Managers are recruited for their people skills, and they invest as much time and effort to training managers as much as anything else

Hawksmoor created a new role called ‘Culture GM’. This person looked after the liaison between support teams, operations, and the restaurant teams, ensuring clarity of the organisation’s operational strategy was being delivered in person and across all channels to everyone in the company.

People are your brand

People aren’t just part of your brand; they are your brand. Every interaction with customers and colleagues, every story shared—they’re the lifeblood of your business.

Top Tips for Building a People-Centric Brand

1. Prioritise Empathy and Kindness
   Small gestures and genuine gratitude make a big impact. A culture rooted in understanding, human relationships and kindness is not only supportive but also productive.

2. Encourage Authenticity
   Embrace diversity by allowing your team to bring their full selves to work, promoting a culture of openness and acceptance.

3. Invest in Growth and Development
   Provide continuous learning opportunities that empower employees to grow, ensuring they feel valued and equipped to succeed.

4. Share stories and celebrate success
   Highlight achievements and share stories to foster pride, build camaraderie, and reinforce a culture of recognition and appreciation.

5. Coach leaders to be role models and call them out when they aren’t

6. Don’t tell people how to behave
   Behaviour isn’t black and white - instead suggest boundaries what’s too much what’s not enough.

10 Ways to build a happy, engaged and motivated team

10 Ways to build a happy, engaged and motivated team

When you think about how much of our time is spent at work, it’s only natural that we want to enjoy that time, we want it to be meaningful and have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. No one is going to be committed to a job that is always stressful, boring, monotonous, or where we feel unappreciated. We want to have good relationships with the people we work with, to feel that our work has a purpose, that we are valued and recognised and that our time at work is fun. These are core needs which drive employee engagement. 

Employee Engagement matters because happy staff equal happy customers. It drives higher productivity and ultimately a more successful business. It boosts retention and reduces stress. Paying someone a competitive salary is not enough to ensure that they are engaged, loyal and committed to their job.

What do we mean by employee engagement?

A simple definition of employee engagement is the ‘emotional commitment’ that someone has to their work and the organisation. It’s how emotionally involved and loyal they are to the business, colleagues and customers. That emotional commitment is what drives people to go above and beyond their job description to create a memorable moment of hospitality for your guests.

So what can you do to build an engaged team?

10 Ways to boost engagement

1. Shared Purpose and Values
   Engagement starts with having a shared purpose, bringing everyone together around the reason you exist. Managers need to connect employees with the mission and vision of the organisation by connecting their work to the bigger picture. Instead of focusing on the day-to-day tasks, highlight how you want to make a difference to your customers and deliver a memorable experience. Do your team know why you are all there? What does your organisation want to be known for, how is your business special and how are you going to achieve that together? If you can communicate the vision with your team, the ‘WHY’, and give them the opportunity to contribute to the ‘HOW’ then you will build commitment. A culture where people have a sense of how they are part of creating something amazing.

2. Build a Community

   A positive culture is an enigmatic thing. It’s a community which comes together around shared values. Values are how you behave as a business, what you believe in, and how you treat each other and your customers. Define these values and communicate them on a regular basis. Seeking your staff’s contribution to defining values is even better. Values aren’t just a list of words written up in the staff room or handbook, they have to be authentic and demonstrated in everything you do. An employee will feel connected to their job when their personal values align well with the organisation’s values, so when hiring new staff communicate your values and explore if there is a match, and then reinforce them every day.

3. Positive Relationships

   The number one reason people leave a job is because they don’t get on with their manager. The relationship between a manager and employee is vital, as is fostering good relationships between peers. Managers should communicate with their team regularly, Check in with your staff on a daily basis with a focussed “How are you?” (rather than just a casual greeting) - ask questions and practice active listening. Make time for one-to-ones as well as team meetings. Consider the whole person, ask people what motivates them, and what their passions are to get a sense of how fulfilled people are in their roles.

4. Trust and Mutual Respect

   In a culture where there is mutual trust and respect, staff trust leaders to make the best decisions and leaders trust staff to do their best work without needing to micromanage. When you give people responsibility and autonomy they are likely to exceed your expectations. Employees who feel comfortable expressing themselves are more engaged, so aim to create an environment where people feel comfortable approaching you with ideas or concerns. Be transparent, honest and consistent as a leader. Respect everyone and treat everyone the same whether they are full or part-time. Deal with conflict in the moment rather than sweeping it under the carpet and letting it fester.

5. Recognition
   It’s human to want to feel seen, heard and valued. You can work as hard as you can, and be the best you can be, but if you don’t feel seen and heard, you will lose motivation and become disengaged. When we’re busy it is easy to forget to acknowledge people. On a daily basis, encourage people with a simple smile, celebrate success with a high-five, thank people at the end of a shift and highlight positive achievements to the whole team. 

6. Growth and Development

   People don’t just leave a job for more money - they leave because they’re not challenged, because they’re not learning and because they don’t see an opportunity for career development. We all have a natural curiosity to discover and learn new things. What opportunities do you offer for personal and professional growth and development? How do you support your staff to be the best they can be? This might be skills training for the job or mentoring from a colleague to develop soft skills. It might be giving formal or informal feedback to encourage people to push themselves forward or it could be talking about their future in the business.

7. Wellbeing

   Plenty has been written about the importance of looking after your staff’s well-being. When people feel stressed or that the balance of their life and work is wrong they become disengaged. Strive to establish the right work-life balance: encourage people to take breaks, monitor overtime and raise a flag if someone is doing too much. Try to set a manageable workload with the right balance of challenge and interest and ensure that they have the right tools, equipment and training for their job. Create an environment where people feel they can talk to someone about any issues they are experiencing in or outside work. Signpost people to additional support if needed.

8. Flexibility

   Flexibility means giving your staff the opportunity to enjoy their life outside of work as much as possible.
Flexibility on rotas isn’t easy to achieve but be aware of what other commitments people have outside work, whether that’s childcare or studying. Try to provide rotas with as much notice as possible, and avoid last-minute changes so people can plan their time away from work.
It’s estimated that around 30% of hospitality workers leave in the first 90 days because the job isn’t what they expected, so be transparent with new starters about expectations and the reality of the role.

9.  Fair reward

   A secure income is obviously important to people, not least during this cost of living crisis. The industry has seen higher average pay rises than the national average. But while businesses are under their own financial pressures what else can you do to reward people for their commitment? Do you also offer incentives for higher performance, a benefits scheme (from pensions to perks). Financial bonuses, gifts or a hand-written note for high performance or going above and beyond are all meaningful ways to reward staff.

10. Fun

    We spend more of our waking hours at work than out of it, so it needs to be fun. Managers should encourage fun and promote a relaxed environment where people can enjoy a laugh together. Social events are a great way to form genuine connections, that may be a staff meal, a casual after-work drink or a more organised staff party.

The Crucial Role of Effective Management: Insights from CMI Research

The Crucial Role of Effective Management: Insights from CMI Research

People don’t leave companies, they leave managers. New research from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has highlighted the impact that managers have on employee’s motivation, job satisfaction, and their desire to stay with an organisation. A good leader brings people together to drive toward a common goal.

The CMI report Taking Responsibility - Why the UK Needs Better Managers conducted in partnership with YouGov reveals:


• One in four of the UK workforce holds a management role

• Only just over a quarter (27%) of employees describe their manager as highly effective.

• Half (50%) of those who don’t rate their manager say they plan to leave their company in the next Only 34% feel motivated to do a good job.

The significance of effective managers becomes evident when considering the impact on employee loyalty.

• 72% of workers who rated their managers as effective felt valued and appreciated.

• Conversely, only 15% of those with ineffective managers felt similarly valued.

Accidental Managers

Managing a team of people is something that we often fall into. We get promoted because of our skill or ability, because we are technically competent and suddenly we are responsible for other people with no support or guidance about how to be a manager.

Good management and leadership practices are linked to improved performance, higher retention rates, the creation of positive work environments (culture), and the achievement of business objectives

The report confirms that many people are ‘Accidental Managers’ promoted just because they are “popular, good at their job, or happen to be available to take charge.”

• 82% of people who enter management positions have not had any proper management and leadership training.

• Nearly half, 46% of managers believe colleagues won promotions based on internal relationships and profile, rather than their ability and performance.

The research found a consistent link between managers who had received management training and more effective organisations. Many people surveyed emphasised that without adequate management and leadership development, they lack the confidence to perform their roles and deliver results effectively.

Meanwhile, managers who had received training, said that they ask their team members for feedback, are more comfortable with managing big changes, and are also able to leverage technology to improve efficiency.

In conclusion, the CMI's research shines a spotlight on the pivotal role of effective management in fostering a positive work environment, employee satisfaction, and strategic success. It also highlights the pressing need for comprehensive management and leadership development programmes to equip future leaders with the skills and knowledge required to excel in their roles. It's time to invest in better management practices to shape the future of work.

Why is Management and Leadership Important?

This report demonstrates a clear need for more training not only for new and emerging managers but also for experienced ones. Management is not just a title or a position; it's a set of skills and qualities that can be honed and developed over time. Leadership training plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals into successful leaders. Let's explore what leadership training can achieve.

What is the impact and benefit of management training?

1. Goal Setting and Vision

   Improves strategic focus by ensuring that everyone is pulling in the same direction. Teaches goal-setting techniques and strategic planning, enabling leaders to inspire their teams with a compelling vision for the future.


2. Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
   Instills effective decision-making frameworks and problem-solving methodologies, ensuring that leaders can navigate challenges with confidence.


3. Enhanced Self-awareness
   Leadership training often begins with self-assessment. It encourages individuals to reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, and personal values. When leaders understand themselves better, they can relate to their teams more authentically and make informed decisions.


4. Reduce Turnover and Boost Retention
   Build a positive community where people feel heard, valued and appreciated. In turn they will be more loyal and committed.

5. Build a Strong Culture and High-Performing Teams

   Discover insights into team dynamics, motivation techniques, and strategies for building a positive and collaborative work culture.


6. Increase Productivity and Efficiency 

   Improves time management and prioritisation by equipping managers with techniques to maximise productivity, delegate tasks, and focus on what matters most.


7. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

   Support managers to be more emotionally intelligent and improve self-awareness, confidence and relationships with others.


8. Improve Communication Skills
   Equip individuals with the tools and techniques to communicate expectations, give feedback and resolve conflicts. Better communication fosters trust and transparency within the team.

9. Build Resilience and Adaptability 

   Helps leaders to embrace change, stay resilient in the face of setbacks, and lead their teams through uncertainty.


10. Continuous Improvement
    Fosters a growth mindset, where leaders are open to learning, feedback, and self-improvement.

Polly Robinson is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Trainer.
She designs and develops bespoke management and leadership training programmes as well as offering some online leadership workshops for anyone to join.

"Hospitality is the "Power of Human Connection" - Dame Karen Jones

Inspiring words from Dame Karen Jones, chair of both the Hawksmoor and Mowgli restaurant chains, senior independent director at Deliveroo and who founded casual dining chain Café Rouge in 1989. During the Pandemic, she worked closely with ministers and was the only hospitality representative on the government's Build Back Better business council. She was made a dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2022 for her services to business and the hospitality industry.

People are at the heart of every hospitality business.

Karen Jones spoke at the Propel Hospitality Talent & Training Conference on Tuesday she said:

Hospitality is the lynch pin of society. We realised how much we missed it during lock down.

She reminded us that the holy grail of hospitality is:

The power of the moment of human connection that keeps your customers coming back again and again.

When asked about what attracted her to working in hospitality she said it was the

• Excitement hospitality can give

• The pleasure of looking after people

• Lovely colleagues who are fun, high energy, innovative and entrepreneurial

She went on to talk about that elusive "hospitality gene" found in people who just get the excitement and buzz of hospitality and love the pleasure of looking after people. The million dollar question is: is the hospitality gene innate or can you teach it? Karen Jones believes that you can. An employer needs to explain what hospitality is all about - the hard technical skills and soft communication skills can be learned later.

The Importance of Culture

Culture is hard to define she said, it’s more complex than “your people just doing the right things when people are looking.”

Culture is that feeling it gives you.

She defined CULTURE as the 'feeling it gives you' built on 4 pillars:

1. Being clear about the culture you want to create and knowing and communicating your values.

2. Genuinely caring about your people. Remember everyone is different: different backgrounds, different outlooks and with different ambitions. Culture is about trying to weld them into a whole through daily decisions that strengthen not weaken the culture.

3. Not expecting people to do things in their work life that they wouldn’t do in their personal life

4. Always delivering on what you say you will.

How to define your Values to build Culture

Karen Jones emphasised that your values have to be what you genuinely believe in. Values should be driven by the business founders or leaders, not outsourced to a consultant. Create a Mission and Vision statement that communicates your purpose and values. This is the time for leaders to be quite direct - your team need something to hang their hat on.

Keep your values simple and easy to articulate. If you can't remember them or say them clearly, they're too long and complicated. Use the one-sentence test! Can you say what you stand for in one simple sentence?

You know your values have caught fire when people start using them and talking about them. Then they start to drive behaviours.

4 Crucial Factors to Retaining Employees

Building on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Karen Jones identified four blocks to retention, without these things you will never get people to stay in your business.

1. PAY - You can’t do a good job if you are worrying about how you are going to pay the rent.

2. SAFETY & SECURITY - If I do well will I be secure?

3. WORK LIFE BALANCE - long hours and low pay are the worst things. Our cognitive ability is affected by stress and the main causes of stress are fair pay and scheduling.

4. CAREER ADVANCEMENT - how do I get my foot on the next rung of the ladder?

How does Hospitality improve diversity, inclusion and equality?

Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express and star of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, has written widely about her experience of starting her restaurant. She says she believed it would never be possible to run a business in a world that she described as "an all white, all male club." She said, if she had a daughter, she would seriously discourage her from a career in hospitality, where kitchens are all too often "a toxic testosterone-fuelled environment."

This last point obviously resonated strongly for me after my then 17-year old daughter announced that she wanted to be a chef. We talked seriously about what a tough career choice that was, especially for woman. We talked about how life as a chef almost completely incompatible with being a mother and how the majority of kitchens remain a very male and macho environment. Needless to say, like all good teenagers, she listened to my advice and chose to ignore me!

At the Propel Hospitality Talent and Training Conference in London on Tuesday 3 October, Asma Khan moved me to tears as she spoke, as she has done before when talking about her incredible work establishing a cafe in a refugee camp in northern Iraq employing traumatised Yazidi women.

This time she spoke about how she still feels like an outsider in the world of hospitality, but she’s learned to see it as an advantage. She talked about how food not only has the power to bring us together, but is also a cause of division. She said in India “Food is main way people are divided” by religion and caste. At her restaurant Khan employs women from all backgrounds, religions and ages and abilities. Everyone is welcome and everyone is equal “We put our religion and our caste at the door, we celebrate every festival. We are a team.

A diverse team gives you strength

Asma Khan believes that you strengthen your team by having a diverse team and urged all businesses build a diverse workplace.

Hiring a diverse team is key to inspiring the next generation in hospitality.

Her advice:

• Understand you are a team

• Be empathetic and let people know that they matter

• Offer flexible work and reduce the hours

Darjeeling Express is a model of what a diverse workplace can be.

However, the reality of diversity in the hospitality sector is different as demonstrated by Be Inclusive Hospitality's 2023 Inside Hospitality Report , a comprehensive account of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in hospitality through a race lens and whic includes 3,120 views and experiences captured encompass all backgrounds, genders, ages, jobs, and lengths of service.

The report says 1 in 3 respondents report personal experiences of discrimination at work and that only 16% of hospitality workers believe it’s an inclusive and diverse industry.

I was honoured to host a crucial discussion in The Restaurant Show with:

• Lorraine Copes Be Inclusive Hospitality award-winning social entrepreneur, hospitality consultant and life coach. Lorraine has two decades as an executive director for brands including Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and Corbin & King, but felt compelled to form Be Inclusive Hospitality CIC in 2020 due to the consistent lack of representation of people of colour in positions of influence and the supply chain. This social enterprise now holds the prime position of igniting much-needed conversations and delivering initiatives to advance change within the hospitality, food, and drink sectors.

• Mecca Ibrahim co-founder of Women In The Food Industry, a Community Interest Company for conversation, insight, stories, resources & community support as women in food face obstacles of inequality & inclusion.

• Chris Todd Head of Talent JKS Restaurants a former chef who now oversees all recruitment and talent initiatives across JKS’s portfolio of 22 restaurants including Trishna, Gymkhana, Kitchen Table, Sabor and Lyle’s; Hoppers, BAO, Brigadiers.

We agreed that more needs to be done to change the perception of working in Hospitality. The sector has improved but we need to blow our own trumpet more to shout over the stereotypes portrayed in TV shows like Boiling Point and The Bear. Education is key. We need to get young children interested in food and hospitality and work with parents, schools and colleges to show it’s an amazing career for life, not just a stop-gap.

Mastering Performance Management: 10 Tips to giving feedback

One of the most challenging things about becoming a manager is building the confidence to give effective feedback to your team. Delivering positive or negative feedback can feel daunting, you might not want to come across as soft and gushing, worry about being critical and being disliked, or just giving feedback that is unhelpful and demotivating.

FEEDBACK CREATES A CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL VALUED

In hospitality, people are our greatest asset and so, of course, their performance and attitude are central to the customer experience and business success. Giving regular feedback creates a virtuous circle of development and improvement.

So giving feedback is crucial to keeping your team on track, boosting quality and performance, to avoiding or repeating mistakes, and giving people the opportunity to grow and develop. When delivered well it can be inspiring and motivating. Creating a culture at work where feedback is a regular habit will strengthen relationships and boost retention. A feedback culture helps employees feel valued and heard, promotes accountability and encourages people to take an active role in their own development.

Feedback can be formal and planned as part of a one-to-one conversation or regular performance review or it can be informal and ad hoc, but remember that the quality of the feedback is more important than the frequency.

HOW TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

There’s a huge difference in impact between giving feedback badly or well. Badly delivered feedback can sound judgemental, vague or intangible, and saved up until it becomes irrelevant, an irritation or a resentment.

Phrases like “Why didn’t you do that?”, “Why did that happen?”, “You never do this”, “You should do that” or worst of all “If I were you…” (Nobody likes a know-all!) This will create a defensive response and people will tune out and switch off.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR DELIVERING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

1. SPECIFIC AND UNBIASED

The sweet spot is to deliver feedback (and I’m talking about both positive and negative feedback here) that is specific, unbiased and descriptive. A useful way to remember this is with the acronym: AID - which stands for:

• Action

• Impact

• Direction.

Start by objectively describing the action, what did or didn’t happen, explain the impact of that and then explore together how to move forward, make sure it doesn’t happen again or make it even better next time. Rather than making assumptions use phrases like “I noticed” or “I believe”. e.g.

“When the handover to the next team shift wasn’t done, I noticed the impact was that this task got forgotten.”

2. FEED FORWARD NOT BACK

There’s a popular concept called “feed forward” which focuses not on what has happened in the past, you can’t change the past and focus instead on the future. It’s more effective to help people learn to be right than to prove that they were wrong and that people will respond much more positively, listening better and coming up with their own ideas for improvement. You can use examples and give suggestions and encouragement for improvement.

3. MAKE IT A DIALOGUE

Next, make a feedback discussion a conversation - a dialogue, not a monologue. Ask people what they felt or observed was the impact, use questions to raise their awareness and ask them how they think they could do better next time. This will show your commitment to helping the person improve, grow and develop.

4. IN THE MOMENT

Make feedback immediate, don’t save it up until it becomes an issue or resentment. Suppose you have a process of performance appraisals or reviews. In that case, it can be tempting to hold back until the next one, but giving feedback should be part of your everyday management of your staff - a continuous loop: agree on next steps and objectives, monitor and support, review and reward.

5. IN THE RIGHT SETTING

You’ve probably heard the phrase “Praise in public and criticise in private’. Public praise in front of peers and colleagues adds more weight to the praise, reinforces positive performance and encourages others to emulate. But if you have more critical feedback to give, it’s kinder to find a private place to talk and you are less likely to provoke a defensive response.

6. DELIVERED THOUGHTFULLY

Be aware of your words and your thoughts. Remember that communication happens on different levels - what you mean to say, what you actually say, what the receiver hears and how they interpret it. When giving feedback try to be a fair witness, an observer - so even if you think someone is stupid or lazy, you need to describe their behaviour and its actions on the rest of the team or your customers. Leave your personal opinions and judgment at the door.

7. DEALING WITH CHALLENGING SITUATIONS

And what if you have a more serious issue to deal with and are dreading a difficult conversation?

This is the time to not respond in haste or anger, take some to calm down, reflect and prepare for the conversation and be clear what you want to get out of it. Ask the person for a meeting and give them some time to prepare too. It may be helpful to ask someone else to sit in the meeting - e.g. someone from HR or operations. Make it clear that you are trying to find a way to move forward and find solutions together. Make sure that the meeting is noted for future reference and share it with them afterwards.

During the conversation try to regulate your emotions, getting angry will not help, describe the issue and its impact, be factual and specific. Avoid playing ‘You Tennis’ where you make the feedback very personal “You did that…”, “you are always late” and turn it into personal observations such as “I noticed that this happened and it had this impact” or “I’m aware that when you arrive late it means we’re behind all day.”

Then open up the conversation giving the recipient time to tell it from their perspective, listen and pause, before clarifying and summarising. Use phrases like “How do you feel about this?” Or “Is this a fair representation of what happened?”

8. PROBLEM SOLVE TOGETHER

Then move into problem-solving together, asking questions to mutually agree next steps and finally suggest a follow-up meeting. You can be clear about your exceptions and what improvement looks like.

In serious cases, it’s essential to make clear the consequences of continued performance or behaviour issues. This doesn’t mean threatening that they will lose their job, but could include a formal warning or losing a bonus.

9. FORMAL AND INFORMAL, REGULAR AND AD HOC

The practice of regular formal performance reviews once or twice a year is evolving. Any manager who has had to deliver these for a team will know how time-consuming they can be and the temptation to save up difficult subjects until they are long overdue discussions. Employees can dread these formal meetings and find them demotivating. As a result, many businesses are moving away from them towards less formal, more regular performance conversations.

If your company still has a process of formal appraisals, the same principles as giving informal feedback. It should be a dialogue, not a monologue. The discussion must be fair, specific, consistent and forward-looking apply. Use specific examples to illustrate both the positive and negative such as customer feedback or information from colleagues.

10. ASK QUESTIONS

A vital part of any appraisal conversation is to start by asking the employee how they think they are getting on and explore their aspirations what skills (hard or soft) they want to develop and what are their future aspirations.

Together you should agree on future goals and targets that are aligned with the company’s values and overall objectives, this way staff feel they have a role to play in the vision and ambition of the business. These objectives should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Record them on paper or digitally then you can review progress regularly.

If you can create an environment where feedback is regular and a two-way conversation, you will create a culture where people feel motivated, supported and inspired to keep learning and growing.

Why should anyone be led by you?

Have you heard the old cliché:

"People don’t quit a bad job, they quit a bad boss?"

Perhaps you can think of a time when you’ve left a job purely because you didn’t get on with your manager? 

Leaders I speak to in every sector say that recruiting and retaining talent is currently the biggest barrier to growth. So there has never been a more important time for managers, to reflect on how they are as bosses, managers and leaders to create a positive environment and build a committed team. 

We fall into management

Managing a team of people is something that we often fall into. We get promoted because of our skill or ability, and suddenly we are responsible for other people. You need them to respect you, listen to you and be loyal to you, but it isn’t always easy. 

Here are my tips for being a better leader and understanding the difference between leadership and management. 

SELF-AWARENESS

Developing your leadership ability begins with some self-reflection and self-awareness of how your behaviour impacts those around you? What sort of boss are you - are you an inspiring leader or hands-on manager? Do you have rapport and trust with your team? Are you able to empower and energise your team? Are you consistent and able to keep your cool under pressure? 

It can be valuable to reflect on the best managers you’ve had or even the most inspirational teachers? How did it make you feel and how did it impact your commitment? I imagine the ones you remember inspired and motivated you, you will have felt they listened to and valued and as a result, you felt more committed and focussed. 

SHARE A VISION & INSPIRE

A leader needs to look beyond the day-to-day and ‘dream great dreams” Imagine your vision is to create a wildflower meadow and you have a team of people to do the hard work. A manager would give a specific list of instructions and tasks to each person - ask them to drill the soil, to plant the seeds in a specific way and to water it precisely. While a leader will share his vision of a beautiful colourful meadow, rich in biodiversity and ask the team how you can work together collectively to make that dream a reality. Which do you think is the most inspiring, motivating and going to get the best results? 

A manager’s job is to set operational objectives and standards, but as a leader it’s your role to communicate the vision, the big picture, and share a purpose and values in a way that will appeal to your team and that will motivate them to get out of bed in the morning. Make sure that even people with the most mundane jobs, can see how their role is key to achieving that vision. 

BUILD TRUST & RAPPORT

How strong are your relationships with your team, do they trust you and do you trust them? Without that individuals are only working for themselves and not for the team. Building rapport begins with growing your emotional intelligence, being able to see the whole person not just the worker, making time for one-to-one catch-ups and checking in on people’s wellbeing as well as just everyday tasks. 

Practice deep listening and paying attention to non-verbal communication as well as the words that are being said, sometimes the words coming out of someone’s mouth don’t match what their body language might be telling you. 

Are you able to keep your cool under pressure? How consistent and reliable are you? There’s nothing more tricky than tiptoeing on eggshells around your manager because you don’t know what mood they’re bringing to work that day. We’re all human and sometimes things can get too much, so if you do lose it sometimes, apologise, admit you were wrong and accept accountability for your mistakes. Demonstrating vulnerability is key to building trust. 

EMPOWER & ENABLE

To what extent do you give your employees autonomy and consult with them for their ideas and input? Give your employees the opportunity to contribute creatively, to solve challenges or own a project. Treat them as responsible adults, giving them agency to decide how they carry out their work (where possible) and to make a meaningful contribution to the business. This creates an environment where people feel that they are contributing to the greater good and will go over and above. 

SHOW APPRECIATION

It’s human nature to want to feel valued and appreciated. Feeling undervalued is one of the most frequently given reasons for leaving a job. While people who feel appreciated are more loyal and committed. Yet, we’re too often wrapped up in just getting the job done to remember to stop and thank people for their contributions. 

So as a leader, think about how you recognise people’s contribution, from small thank yous for getting a task done, to giving feedback to support people with their personal development or celebrating successes over a team drink. 

WHEN TO LEAD & WHEN TO MANAGE 

There is no right or wrong here, there’s a time and a place for both management and leadership. A good leader will be able to adapt depending on the person, the task, the context and the urgency. If you have a new starter with little experience or none of the technical skills required for the job, then you will need to be more manager, giving clear instructions and checking in on progress. In an urgent situation, for example, dealing with a difficult customer, again you may need to step in and manage the situation more closely. But when you are dealing with someone who is highly committed, whether or not they have the experience or skill, you can step back to a more supportive, coaching role, ask for their ideas and help them develop their skills. This gives them the chance to feel they are making a valuable contribution, to feel that they are being challenged and to grow their experience and confidence. 

Less experienced managers usually find themselves more at the directive managerial end of the spectrum, telling, showing, instructing, and often admit to micromanaging because it’s easier and quicker, but this is the fast track to creating low morale and unengaged teams. 

If you do one thing after reading this piece

Set aside a bit of time to reflect on how you show up at work, how your leadership approach impacts the people around you, why would anyone want to be led by you, what are your strengths and what do you perhaps need to work on?

If you are interested in exploring how these ideas apply to your experience and role, please get in touch about one-to-one coaching or my leadership development workshops.

Polly Robinson is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Facilitator specialising in Working with leaders in hospitality.