“The best leaders are the best notetakers, the best askers and the best learners!”
- Tom Peters
This month, I have taken a new look at the way I am able to follow and give directions. Over the holidays, I love to bake, and I did just that! BUT for the first time in many years, I had a few colossal baking failures! When I shared this with my husband, the first thing he asked, being an analytical chemist, was if I had followed the recipe, in which I gave him the infamous wifey stare before replying “not so much”. This is a man who makes his living by meticulously following SOPs, only deviating once issues arise, and then he “tweaks” the protocol. He made a great point. I have always prided myself on being able to do things based on my good kitchen instincts that I have acquired over my long, and might I add successful, career in foodservice. So, that in turn made me doubt my abilities to provide good directions to teach others how to follow protocols and recipes.
We spend a lot of time as CDM, CFPPs honing our leadership skills, but what is it about our teaching skills that leadership comes into play? I “Googled” it and began my research, wanting to learn more about the two. I teach classes for a local community college for foodservice managers and my main class is food prep, where I teach students from within a kitchen how they can follow and analyze recipes for the perfect culinary outcome.
There is a difference between the skills of leadership and teaching, especially when it comes to giving clear and concise directions. It is not just a matter of knowing your right hand from your left or the points on a compass: north, south, east, and west. I tend to spend a lot of time using up and down signals, my wedding ring finger for left, or other ways to give directions. Riding in the car with me can be a real trip since I have my own directional prompts; not everyone appreciates my up and down for right and left! I like to have a “soapbox” topic each year to challenge myself and to be able to go out and share with my fellow CDM, CFPPs/healthcare teams.
THIS is my calling for 2021 - leaders as teachers: embrace the best of both! So, follow my journey in bettering the way we educate and train our teams, create our circle of competency, and enhance our gold standard of nutritional cares.
Please stay healthy and keep serving up wonderful meals to all that you care for in your facilities!
Salutations in the New Year!