Restaurant Leader Shares Her Secret Recipe for Industry Success [Video Interview]

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Seasons 52 Executive Chef Partner reveals how her leadership career journey prepared her to win… before, during, and (soon-to-be) after the pandemic.

A post on LinkedIn, raving about a standout employee, turned into a new connection between our Marketing Director, Matthew, and Kelly Grossberg, Executive Chef Partner of Seasons 52 Restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Kelly was shouting out an amazing performance by her Sous Chef. First of all, using social media for employee appreciation goes a long way toward making any team member feel special. Second, Kelly had a way of praising him that really showed her aptitude for leadership, and that caught Matthew’s eye.

After a few message exchanges, Matthew reached out to Kelly about sitting down for a video chat to share her thoughts on leadership, how things have changed in the restaurant business related to the pandemic, and the importance of team-building and employee appreciation through it all.

“This quote really changed my life and how I thought about leadership: ‘The world is full of those who shine… I alone am dark.’ …To me that means, I can let my team members be the stars, they can get the credit; I can be the background support and make sure they have the tools, support, training, and the love for what you do, so you can out there and shine” ~Kelly Grossberg, Executive Chef Partner, Seasons 52

Some thoughts Kelly shares about leadership and the importance of team:

  • great leadership does not come naturally to her; it’s something she is intentional about learning every day
  • treating your employees like people, even better than you would treat your guests or customers, shows them how much you appreciate them
  • there’s a BIG difference between being task-driven and being people-driven (and you can guess which gets better results)
  • how positive accountability in routines can not only form good habits, but also bring people together and aid in team-building

This interview is full of tips about understanding yourself and looking for ways to improve, coaching your leaders & employees to excellence, and the importance of empathy and emotion in connecting with your team. You’re sure to find essential takeaways from a great leader sharing her philosophies on leadership and employee development.

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