Gather Greatness

New Rules of Engagement For Today’s Restaurant Managers

billbaumgartner — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:49:46 +0000

It’s a new day.

It’s a new day for the individuals that aspire to long term careers as restaurant managers, or for that matter, any type of management position, in these changing times.

The days of “I told you to do it, so do it,” are as far removed as last week’s garbage. Somewhere in a heap of discarded ideas are the management styles of the 70′s 80′s and 90′s. Today’s successful managers are playing by a whole new set of rules. Rules because if ignored or dismissed, certain consequences are awaiting. Choose not to obey the new rules of engagement and get ready to face the new employee.

Who is the new employee?

You’ll know them when you start your shift. They are the associates that may display some or all of the behaviors, including,

Uncooperative

Lacking in focus

Nonproductive

Lacking in teamwork

Unmotivated.

New challenges face today’s restaurant manager.

So what are the new rules that are so necessary for efficiently managing your people?

Unfortunately, I am not so sure there is any manual or comprehensive list of management skills that can provide you with all the answers.

I would suggest developing your own list, a list that best fits your personality. The important thing, as you plan your week, is to write your plan with not only your operational goals, but also your developmental goals (people goals).

Think about the word Engagement.

What does it mean to you, your employees and your customers?

Now, how best might you engage them to not only achieve your goals but, “how can you help them get what they want.?”

If you can involve and engage them in what you are doing, they will become much more responsive to helping you get what you want.

So I like to plan each day with specific objectives relating to one or more of the employees working on my shift.

What is one thing I can teach or mentor or correct that will help that particular employee to make their job more rewarding or advance their career?

If done sincerely and in a true spirit of helping the individual, with one employee, five or six days, every week, think of the results that you can accomplish.

From my experience, you might expect a staff of

Well Trained

High Performing

Happy

Customer Oriented

and Loyal Employees.

My thoughts are not new; social media is preaching the same message.

My advice is simple, twelve simple words,

“Become a New-Age Manager. Engaging Yourself, Your Staff and Your Customers.”

Bill

On the road to becoming a New-Age Manager, take time to further achieving your greatest self by visiting my page. http://gathergreatness.wordpress.com “I guarantee it will help you increase your management skills.”

I see the light

billbaumgartner — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:28:44 +0000

I hear it almost everyday. People complaining about anything and everything.

How can they expect for things in their lives to get better?

All their energy is focused on finding and broadcasting all the negatives they can muster up.

Sometimes I ignore these people.
More often, I try to engage them in converstion, not to propogate their gloom, but to see if I can help them see things in a more positive light.

Often, they just blow me off, some other times I manage a smile from them, and rarely I even make a friend.

I am on a mission.

I now wake up in the morning with a burning desire,

to bring ‘VALUE TO EVERYONE I MEET.’

I’ts really not so hard. It just takes a little effort in the morning to start the day with a positive attitude. I make it a point to look for opportunities to bring joy, happiness, and a zest for living to everyone I encounter.

I hope you had a Great Day,

and wishing you a Greater Day Tomorrow.

Bill

http://gathergreatness.wordpress.com

Choose Greatness : You Owe it to Yourself

billbaumgartner — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 01:30:45 +0000

If I handed you a check for $25,000, how would that make you feel?

How long could you hold onto it? or would that be your objective at all?

Don’t you owe it to yourself to be happy?

Don’t you owe it to yourself to buy some nice things that you have been putting off, because you just didn’t have the extra cash; clothes, fine dining, a huge flatscreen TV or maybe a new car?

These things would be great.

But how long would it take before the money dwindled down?
And now you’re back in the same old place you were before?

You owe it to yourself to be happy.

You could save the money. Put it in the bank. Rest assured that now you have a safe net to catch you if life throws you a curve.

Now you could experience happiness.

But wait. What if the economy crashes or someone, somehow finds a way to steal your money? How do you feel now?

How does the human heart go about finding a true wealth, a lasting safe haven, a peaceful feeling of having all that it desires? A pretty tall order, wouldn’t you agree?

How about this.

How about, a life of freedom without fear, a life of certainty without doubt, a life of abundance without depravity? How about you owe it to yourself to do your best, to achieve more than you think you can, to be more than you dreamed you could ever be?

How about… you have the ability to choose?

You have the ability to choose whatever and how much you will receive?

I believe… you have the right to choose.
To live beyond the material objects of pleasure, is your choice.

I believe that which brings true abundance are things like character, honesty, goodness
and things that bring lasting happiness.
A virtuous character, a kind heart, and a willingness to serve others are in my opinion
what makes a person great.

Value or riches, honor or treasures, selflessness or selfishness,
I believe the choice is yours.

Choose greatness.

Choose to become Great.

Choose Greatness

billbaumgartner — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:00:49 +0000

Hi,

My name is Bill Baumgartner, and I am President of Gather Greatness, an internet-based company, dedicated to providing career direction and encouragement to its online members.

Let me ask you a question.
What have you been doing with yourself lately?

Did you answer with, “Oh, same old, same old?”

Well, let me ask you this:

More specifically, have you been accomplishing all of your goals and desires? or have you, of recent, even bothered to set any goals for yourself?

Do you sometimes feel you are stuck in a rut?

If you’re like me, it happens.
It happens to the best of us.
Maybe there have been occasions when you’ve been waiting for something to change or someone to show you the way.

I read an article the other day which contained the statement, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.”
I have found this to be true on several occasions.

Your life may have drifted along for an untold amount of time. You may have put the dreams you once had on hold, for one reason or the other. You may have lost hope that you could even accomplish your dreams.

Don’t you owe it to yourself to have “all that you desire”
Isn’t it time to clean out the closet and organize yourself?
What would you set out to do, if you knew you couldn’t fail?
Don’t you owe it to others, to realize your full potential?
Do you believe, deep down, that you were made for something Greater?

I believe you were.

Also, I believe that “you are, what you choose to be.”

Become someone Great!!!

You, and only you, can offer others what you have.
Become your best self.

www.GatherGreatness.wordpress.com is dedicated to finding your niche to developing your Greatness. I see people everyday who are just going through the motions of life. They have forgotten their goals and seem to have given up on their dreams.

Instead,

Dream
Believe
Visualize
Act
Choose Greatness

CHOOSE GREATNESS !

CHOOSE GREATNESS!!!

Change Your Life : You’re Just One Decision Away

billbaumgartner — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 01:32:21 +0000

Are you happy with your Life?

Is your Life everything you ever dreamed it would be?

Are you in control of how your Life is progressing?

Maybe Not?

Not to worry, the answer you are looking for is within your reach. I believe that it is so close that you can’t see it. The answer to your most pressing needs is no farther than “One Decision Away.”

The only problem is making yourself believe that:

You are capable of making a change

You deserve something better

You are not afraid to take a risk

You will succeed

Keep in mind, the initial step in any accomplishment is taking the first step.

Action is Key.

You are just “One Thought Away.” One solid decision to make a change is all that it takes to get the process started.

Let me assure you, I am not advocating a running away from your responsibilities. However, if in fact you feel the need for change, do the right thing. Start thinking of the ways in which you can accomplish your goals without sabotaging what you already have worked so hard to achieve.

There is an old saying, “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.”

However, don’t allow all the “What If’s” in your life to paralyze you from doing what you know will ultimately change your life for the better.

You may be several decisions away from your final destination, but you are only “One Decision Away” from becoming your true self.

Be honest with yourself.

If you want a change, take the first step.

I’m Back

billbaumgartner — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:14:32 +0000

I had to give up my www.gathergreatness.com/blog
but…
I will again be using the following platform on wordpress.com:

http://gathergreatness.wordpress.com/

Seasons Changed, and So Did I

billbaumgartner — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:33:20 +0000

Turn, Turn, Turn

This song inspired me to write the following post.

First, a little history may be in order:
Song: Turn,Turn,Turn
Author: Pete Seeger
Genre: Folk Rock
Year: 1962
Lyrics: The Bible, Ecclesiates – Chapter 3.
#1 Hit: The Byrds 1965

Pete Seeger has always been a songwriter. Born in 1919. The major theme of all of his songs was to bring about needed change. War protest songs, injustices, environmental issues are all brought to light in his lyrics. He is the master of ‘The Power of Songs.’

So what has this all got to do with becoming a success? of unlocking your greatness? of becoming your greatest self?

Well, just about everything!

The words, “a time for every purpose under heaven,” rings very clear for any aspiring professional.
There are different seasons for success in our lives.

There must be a time for planting,
a time for cultvating,
a time for pruning,
and a time for reaping an abundant harvest.

Mastering time is possibly ‘the most essential key to success,’
Mastering not only the minutes and hours of each day, but the different times (seasons) of your life, will determine your ability to reach your goals.

Becoming a success is not easy. It is challenging.
It’s not something you will achieve overnight.
First, you must sew the right seeds.
Second, remember all crops don’t grow at the same rate, and neither do people.
If you expect immediate results from your projects, forget it. Don’t expect harvests from which you have not yet planted. You will become frustrated and loose interest in your plans.

“Time and timing is everything.”

Everything has it’s time.

“Seasons changed, and so did I.”
“I swear, It’s not too late.”

No,

It’s not too late to gather your talents,
gather your treasures,
gather you time,
and
Gather your Greatness.

Bill
bill@gathergreatness.com

And
Hey, it’s a cool song.

Are you tired of being just average?

billbaumgartner — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:08:26 +0000

My friend,

Do you feel you are an *average guy* or *average girl* ???   Maybe somebody told you this, or an IQ Test-Score from the past embedded this idea in your subconscious mind. Whatever the source, it’s time to reconsider the validity as well as the consequence.

If you continually reinforce the idea that you are *average* …. what does this do to your self esteem?

Would you like to become *better than average*?

What would that look like for you ?

Could you put forth just 1 % more effort to becoming a *better than average person*?

What about becoming GREAT!

I challenge you to take just one small step this week, to becoming *A Better You*.

Don’t sit around and gather dust………. Gather Greatness !

Subscribe to my blog, for a more in-depth evaluation of *how to* increase your value, at www.gathergreatness.wordpress.com

The road less traveled

billbaumgartner — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:35:17 +0000

I have found myself traveling the same road for quite some time. I have gotten comfortable doing the same things, day after day, without too much thought. Even if the consequences were somewhat painful, I chose comfort over change. Maybe comfort is the wrong word; it may be familiarity. Most people don’t like change and continue to stay with something they are familiar with, versus trying to improve.

I realize the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence,   but should this stop us from even dreaming of becoming something more?

I believe the road less traveled will sometimes lead you in the right direction.

Are you tired of being just average?

Have you forgotten you goals and desires?

Are you making a difference in your life or someone elses?

Isn’t it time to make a change?

Don’t you have more greatness within you?

The answer to all these questions for me is YES!

If you feel that you are ready to make a change, follow me on the journey of a lifetime.

I am in the initial stage of creating a forum for like-minded people. Join me, right here at: www.gathergreatness.wordpress.com