Empowerment with Direction

“Empowerment, a technique used by participative leaders to share decision-making authority with team members, is a proven way to improve employee morale and increase their stake in the restaurant.” (Text, pg 54) I feel that empowerment, with good direction, is the best way to manage a BOH operation. However, this does not mean it is acceptable to be an absent manager because you empower your employees to make their own decisions. Empowering employee’s gives them more control over decision-making, resources management, and work in general, but for this style of management to be successful there must be an authoritative presence.

I have spent time in kitchens that were understaffed, but well managed with employees inspired by empowerment of their position and they run like a well-oiled machine. I have also spent time in the opposite situation. The kitchen is crowded with employees who have too much responsibility and an absent authority figure. Granted both situations have their problems but the later, I feel, is much worse.

Empowerment gives an employee a sense of partnership rather then a feeling of being a subordinate. When this style and technique of management is employed there must be an exorbitant amount of respect on both ends of the spectrum. There must be a respect level from upper management to the lower level employees and vice versa. If an employee does not respect management, the chances of them making the best decisions for the company are slim to none. However if your employees have a respect for your abilities, your character, and how you manage they are much more likely to used their empowered position to the betterment of the establishment.