Hospitality staffers come to their positions with a huge variety of life experiences. They may have worked in the industry for years, or this may be their very first job. This means there will be a wide range of skill levels at any one hospitality establishment.
Not all skills will be a help to you in your hospitality career. Some may actually hurt you! So here are some skills that you should leave at the door when you walk into work.
Standards You Learned at Your Last Job
Many of your customer service skills will translate well from hospitality job to hospitality job. But each restaurant, cafe, hotel, or resort has its own rules, standards, and best practices. So when you get a new job, it’s time to shed the old way of doing things and pick up the new.
Maybe your last restaurant didn’t have a specific time standard in place for greeting your tables. But your new job requires that you touch the table within 30 seconds. You work here now, and it’s your responsibility to fully embrace the way your new employer wants the guest’s experience to flow. Sentences that start with “At my old job…” should be rare.
Unearned Leadership
Some people are natural leaders. Once they know the “right way” to do something, they may take it upon themselves to correct their coworkers’ mistakes. But no one likes a lateral team member who acts as a supervisor.
Let your managers manage. If you see someone who seems to be struggling, you can always offer your help. If they refuse to take it, then it’s up to a manager to address the situation. And if your manager doesn’t seem to realize there’s a problem, you can always (politely) let them know that one of your teammates seems to be having a hard time. After that, it’s up to management to address the situation.
Self-Reliance To a Fault
If you’re the independent type who prides yourself on pulling your own weight, you may need to leave a bit of that attitude at home. While each member of a hospitality team has their own responsibilities, the ultimate goal is to provide a great guest experience. Sometimes, that means reaching out to help others or reaching out to ask for help yourself.
Everyone finds themselves in the weeds sometimes. If you cling to your independence at the expense of the customers, you’ll find yourself in trouble with guest complaints and an unhappy manager. Put your ego aside and ask for help when you need it.
The same concept applies when one of your coworkers asks for help. Rather than demand that they handle their own section, help them get back on track. Maybe you can offer a few tips for managing their workload to be more efficient.
Your Bawdy Sense of Humor
You’re the life of the party. You have friends and coworkers rolling during your leisure time. Fantastic! But there’s a fine line between funny and offensive. What is appropriate with your friends after hours is not necessarily appropriate with your customers. While it’s understandable to want to make your guests laugh, you don’t know them well enough to anticipate what they’ll find amusing and what they’ll find in poor taste.
Keep any joking far, far away from topics like politics and religion. Foul language and dirty jokes have no place in your guest interactions. If you can make folks laugh, that’s great. But keep it clean until after your shift.
Calling It As You See It
Unfiltered honesty can be great when you’re having a heart-to-heart with a friend who needs some tough love. But it’s not as helpful when you’re in a performance review with your boss and you take the opportunity to tell them what you think they’re doing wrong.
The kitchen hierarchy is based on the organization of the French military. And while the front of the house usually isn’t quite as strict, there is still a clear chain of command. If you have thoughts or suggestions for institutional improvement, that’s great! But they should be provided in a respectful manner to your managers, and you have to let leadership make the ultimate call on whether to implement them or not.