The Coaching Role: Inspiring and Motivating3
- Meet with every employee in the next two weeks
to discuss:
a. The strengths and weaknesses of the school’s food-
service program from each employee’s point of view.
b. The special concerns and dreams of each employee.
c. Ideas for growth: the employee’s as well as
the program’s. - Thoroughly familiarize himself with working
environments in all five food-service outlets: the Student
Union Cafeteria, the alum and faculty “Regency
Restaurant” (also located in the Union), The Snack Shop
and the two dormitory cafeterias — and to hold team
meetings with the complete staffs of each. - Establish an administrative committee that would function
in the vacated role of associate director. The committee
would be composed of the five current staff managers,
plus three team-elected members. The duties
of the committee were to be defined in upcoming
brainstorm sessions.
The time Neil had anticipated for the question session proved
too short. Many members had questions. It was apparent that
loyalties existed to the associate who resigned — as well as much
anger at the president over treatment and salary issues. Neil noted
the essence of each remark or complaint on overheads for all to
see. By the time the session was over, he had 11 note-packed
overhead transparencies!
Neil concluded the meeting by promising to transcribe each
remark, to study each and report his conclusions to everyone
within one month.
The days ahead were busy ones for Neil. He asked for and was
given an office in the Student Union building instead of the office
of the past director, which was located across from the president’s
office in the Administrative Building. He met daily with the five
managers of each food-service outlet to discuss current operations
and to brainstorm methods to improve service and profitability.
Once the three newly elected committee members had joined these
meetings, an additional daily meeting was added to study
personnel policies and practices. 119
C A S E S T U D Y