Manage Personal Work Priorities and Professional Development
Assessment Task 2: practical A
Professional Development
Name, mission, values and strategic goals of the organisation
A restaurant is a place where meals are prepared, and customers pay to be served. I wish to work at Wine, and Dine restaurant due to its exotic nature and excellent ratings of customer service. Its mission is to provide customers with healthy diet options and an environment conducive for ample relaxation. The restaurant is renowned for having staff that are well trained in customer service as well as having talented chefs who make delicious meals. Wine and Dine is a small restaurant, but its principal goal is to achieve world-class expectations of an ideal restaurant and to improve the flow of customers.
Development policies, plans and procedures
The Wine and Dine restaurant have sound cleanliness policies whereby its employees must ensure to wash their hands with soap and clean water before handling any food, cooked or otherwise. The dishes must be cleaned after customers clear their food. Also, the tables are wiped clean after every customer, and the tablecloths changed as frequently as possible(Arduser and Brown 9). Also, employees are advised to call in sick in case anyone comes down with some cough of flu. It is vital to ensure food is safe for consumption; therefore, these policies must be withheld to protect customers from illnesses due to contaminated food.
Furthermore, there are specific guidelines on how to handle certain foods to prevent them from going bad thus minimising wastage. For instance, food kept in refrigeration should be retrieved such that the first foods to be held in the refrigerator must be removed first if needed. The policy prevents food from overstaying too long and potentially harming its consumers. Therefore, it is crucial for employees to abide by all rules and regulations set because they help to safeguard customers and this keeps their inflow steady thus increasing sales.
Also, the employees are provided with meals, and this helps to encourage them to put value into their work as they feel appreciated. The process of vetting in new employees is taken very seriously because the management takes time to investigate an applicant’s previous work experience to ensure people employed are credible(Arduser and Brown 12). Also, the administration does not put up with misbehaviour, and any rule-breaking comes with repercussions that may even cost the person his or her job.
Objectives of restaurant management and how they fit with its goals
I want to apply for the position of manager at Wine and Dine. A restaurant manager ensures that all activities run as expected, the restaurant keeps getting profits and supervising the employees. To become a successful manager, one must sharpen communication skills, problem-solving prowess and be competent in customer service delivery(Arduser and Brown 2). For the restaurant to achieve its goal of becoming the ideal restaurant and increase the inflow of customers, its manager must have what it takes to push forward the agenda.
Key Performance Indicators
As the manager of Wine and Dine restaurant, I shall research of ways to enhance communication, especially towards my employees to provide a comfortable environment for them to work in and at the same time earn their respect. Also, I shall ensure that all upcoming issues are dealt with appropriately without making scenes, especially where customers are concerned(Harvard Business School. Press 7). Also, I believe in my customer service skill and shall, therefore, always lead by example. For instance, instead of spending the day in the office, I shall make time to interact with customers while serving them and gathering feedback on what more needs to be done to improve services.
Appendix A – Training Needs Analysis
Skill or Knowledge
Level of Competence or Knowledge, where 1 = No skill or knowledge, and 6 = Expert, could teach others
1
2
3
4
5
6
Organisational skills
Yes
Time management
Yes
Problem-solving
Yes
Speaking and presenting to groups
Yes
Project management software
Yes
Report writing
Yes
Staff management
Yes
1 Customer service
Yes
2 Stress management
Yes
3 Accountability
Yes
4 Patience
Yes
5 Cleanliness
Yes
Discussion with my trainer and assessor
On the 25th of October 2018, I had a meeting with my trainer, Miss Angela. The purpose of this meeting was for her to gauge whether I had taken up the skills required to manage a restaurant. She noticed that I still had communication issues due to poor eye contact during a conversation. However, she insisted that I work on the weakness since communication is vital for running any business, especially a restaurant where one must interact with customers(Arduser and Brown 44). Angela recommended some exercises to help me maintain eye contact, for instance, talking into a mirror for 10 minutes without breaking eye contact. I promised her that I was willing to do all it takes to become the best manager I can be.
Angela also noticed that I was tense during the meeting due to fear of failure. She reminded me that great managers must have failed at some point in life, that mistakes are how people learn. She advised me to find someone to talk to about my stress management issues. I promised to seek professional counselling. I considered the meeting with my trainer a success because she took the time to listen to me and offered great advice on how to work on my areas of weakness.
Ways to improve my competence
Furthermore, I need to work on staff management skills because I have not had the chance to supervise employees before and to be a manager, I must know how to relate with the employees(Harvard Business School. Press 16). I to read books and articles on management skills to learn proper ways of handling issues with staff at the restaurant. Also, my classmate Jeff noticed that I needed to improve on my problem-solving skills. We met on 30th October 2018 and role played different chaotic situations that are likely to emerge, and I had the chance to think critically on how to deal with such instances. I realised that the virtue of patience is crucial when handling difficult situations.
The learning styles quiz analysis
After completing the free learning styles quiz, I identified my learning style to be a multimodal learning preference. It entails the need to incorporate images, texts and features in learning. People with multimodal learning preference are considered flexible and easily teachable, and these two aspects are vital for anyone seeking managerial positions. Leading is more of learning from other people than giving orders. Therefore, to improve my communication skills, I shall ask skilled people to demonstrate the giving of speeches, and there were able to learn how to behave during public speaking.
Additional skills to develop
The restaurant business is growing fast, and restaurant owners are looking for competent leaders to fill up managerial positions to increase sales. Due to high competition, I need to equip myself with extra skills to stand higher chances of earning this position. The following are areas I intend to sharpen my knowledge on;
Multitasking
Learn a foreign language
Creating connections
Managing a restaurant requires one to have the stamina to multitask. With the flow of customers in and out, many issues crop up needing to be addressed at that particular time. Bearing in mind that managers are required to file paperwork and handle other responsibilities, I intend to research on activities to help cultivate the ability to multitask. Also, the people living near Wine and Dine restaurant include Germans; therefore, I am looking forward to taking on a few German lessons to communicate with such customers. Language barrier should not deter anyone from receiving the best hospitality that can be offered. Having worked on communication skills, I need to master the art of connecting with people almost instantly(Arduser and Brown 45). Some customers are likely to be potential stakeholders into expanding the business and creating these connections will influence the growth of the industry.
Networking event
My classmates and I recommended that the school organise a benchmarking forum to one of the best restaurants in the state. After attending the conference, I got to experience first-hand the day to day activities involved at restaurants. The employees there were friendly, kind and always wore big smiles on their face. I learnt that smiling and customer service must come in handy. Also, I discovered the importance of teamwork because the staff worked for a hand in hand while serving customers and this kept activities flowing smoothly. Besides, the atmosphere was very calm and soothing with magnificent views of beautifully done flower arrangements. Customers were kept entertained with a live band to enhance the mood. Evidently, out of the box ideas on ways to impress customers, play an essential role in maintaining a high number of customers coming in to have a taste of luxuries a restaurant has to offer.
Appendix B – Professional Development Plan
My career objective is:
To sharpen my skills in management and communication to grow the restaurant and double its profits.
Skill or knowledge gap
Development activity
Details (Provider, location, etc.)
Time frame
Cost
Effective communication
Research on activities to build by confidence in public speaking
Professors and friends
3 months
Not applicable
Learning German
Signing up for German classes online
The internet
6 months
Not applicable
Staff management skills
Research articles and books
The internet
Professors
1 month
Not applicable
Creating connections
Interact with influential people to sharpen my skills
Events on hospitality matters
2 weeks
Not applicable
How LinkedIn works
LinkedIn is a social network site used by business people to establish networks of professionals they know and trust. As part of profiling, people fill in their employment history, skills and level of education. A person is only allowed to connect with people they have had contact with professionally or in school. The site helps employers to pinpoint potential employees whom they would like to work with and helps me keep the connections I form from the hospitality events I attend since keeping in touch with potential employers is likely to land me the job of my dreams.
Assessment Task 3: practical B
Managing Personal and Work Priorities
Priorities, tasks and Commitments
DATE
MORNING ACTIVITY
AFTERNOON ACTIVITY
2/11/2018
Assignment on table setting
Attend Jeff’s birthday party
3/11/2018
Groceries shopping
Hockey match
4/11/2018
Go to Church
Relax and read a novel
5/11/2018
Meeting with Human Resource Manager
Visit my aunt across town
6/11/2018
Washing clothes
Relax and read a novel
7/11/2018
Study for the examinations
Sleep
8/11/2018
Benchmarking at Wine and Dine
Online German lessons
9/11/2018
Attend a wedding
Dinner at a restaurant with my family
10/11/2018
Washing dishes
Sleep
11/11/2018
Go to Church
Shop for clothes
12/11/2018
Family get together
Go to a movie
13/11/2018
Meeting with my Professor
Relax and read a novel
14/11/2018
Online German lessons
Prepare dinner
15/11/2018
Dry-cleaning
Study group meeting
Meaning of work-life balance
Work-life balance is the ability of a person to juggle between attending to personal needs and work-related issues. Each day, I made sure to allocate time for work and own life. For instance, I made time to meet with the Human Resource manager at Wine and Dine and still went to visit my aunt all the way across town. However, I made sure to prioritise on work stuff first. I also took breaks between activities to avoid over fatigue which may lead to stress. Besides, I took time to unwind by relaxing and reading my favourite novel as well as creating ample time to sleep to prevent stress due to over-working.
Also, stress is related to chronic health conditions such as personality disorders and high blood pressure. It is almost impossible to run a company with such health problems effectively. Therefore, it is essential for me to deal with stressful situations with an open mind to prevent them from weighing down on my emotional health. Exercises have a significant effect on helping the body to relax. Also, observing healthy diets helps to maintain perfect health. Additionally, occasional meetings with my therapist are vital as I get to pour out heavy emotions which are refreshing and only then will I be of sound mind to successfully manage a restaurant.
Works Cited
Arduser, Lora, and Douglas R. Brown.The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training: A Complete
Ready-to-Use Training Program for All Positions in the Food Service Industry. 1st ed.,
Atlantic Publishing Company, 2005, pp. 2, 9,12,13,44,45,52,54.
Harvard Business School.Press.Leading by Example. Harvard Business School Pub, 2007,
- 7,15, 30.