Kristine Boyden, COO for Edelman, often known as the world's largest PR firm, writes for the Huffington Post that mastering the art of management is a lot like mastering the art of creating a memorable dining out experience.
Ms. Boyden’s five tips:
1. Ingredients alone do not a great meal make.
"Just like a soufflé, you can have all the right ingredients — but it's likely to flop if you don't get the proportions right. Same goes for teams: You can have all the right people, expertise and capacity, but if you don't get the right proportion of each, the initiative can quickly become a disaster."
2. Master the fundamentals.
"Sure, a signature dish may be delicious, but if you have to ask for silverware and water refills, or continually flag down your server, you're far more likely to tell your friends about that negative experience rather than the positive parts. Same goes for your teams — they can be 'strategic' all day long, but if they can't deliver on the fundamentals, few clients are going to stick around or recommend them to others."
3. Timing is crucial.
"A well-paced meal matches the diner's needs at the time. In order to savor the goods, you can't be rushed. Conversely, when you're on your lunch hour, you should never endure painfully slow service. That said, it's important to time your pitches accordingly. If your boss is in the midst of answering an urgent request from the CEO or the board, that isn't the time to wow them with your next big idea and a 40-slide presentation of amazingness."
4. Play your position.
"There are distinct staff positions in great restaurants for a reason. The high performance of the chef, server, sommelier and dishwasher are all important. But, true success only occurs when they work together. No leader should ever be above collaborating and jumping in to support any role if that's what the organization needs most to succeed."
5. Real-time feedback is key.
"If your soup is cold, tell your server in the moment so they have a chance to correct it right then — saving yourself from logging onto Yelp to complain when you get home. This also applies to your business: If you didn't get what you needed from a client assignment brief, tell the client in the moment."
For more on ASC turnarounds:
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