🌱How to End the Call-Out Crisis That's Destroying Your Restaurant (And Your Managers)

Picture this: It's 3 PM on a Saturday, and you get a text message. 

Another call-out. 

Your general manager, who should be focusing on preparing for the dinner rush, is now scrambling to cover a shift. 

Sound familiar?

If you want to break the call-out cycle that's burning out your managers and hurting your guest experience, you need to read what happened in my coaching session today.

I was working with a Director of Operations who came to me frustrated about time management. 

He wanted to focus on strategic initiatives but felt trapped putting out daily fires. 

When we dug deeper, we uncovered the real problem: his restaurants were experiencing 4-5 call-outs per week!

If you're tired of playing defense with operational fires and want to get to the root cause of the issues holding your restaurant back, the answer is right here. 

Here's what that was actually costing his business...

His managers were constantly covering shifts instead of managing operations. 

They couldn't focus on guest experience, develop their teams, or handle service bottlenecks. 

The ripple effect was massive (burnt-out leaders, inconsistent service, and zero time for growth initiatives).

I asked him one simple question: "Are you making it too easy for your staff to call out?"

That question changed everything.

After reviewing their current process, we discovered they had accidentally created a system that encouraged call-outs rather than preventing them. 

Here's the solution we implemented:

Step 1: Communicate the "why" behind your schedule
Explain to staff why the schedule is built the way it is and ensure all requests are submitted before schedules are posted.

Step 2: Transfer ownership
Once the schedule is posted, staff members are responsible for their assigned shifts. If they need coverage, they own finding it.

Step 3: Individual outreach requirement
Staff must personally contact each unscheduled team member (no group texts that everyone ignores). Only after exhausting all options do they involve management.

Bonus accountability tip: Require staff to actually call (not text or Slack) when they need to call out. It's much harder to bail on your team when you have to have a real conversation about it.

The beautiful part? 

This isn't just about reducing call-outs. 

When you explain why you build schedules the way you do, your team starts to see the value you place in them and understands their important role in the business success.

This is what systems thinking looks like. 

One small change creates a massive ripple effect throughout your entire operation.

What operational challenge in your restaurant could be solved with better systems rather than more effort?

Ready to build systems that create thriving teams and sustainable growth? You can work with me one-on-one to implement custom solutions that fit your specific challenges, or join our group coaching program where restaurant leaders support each other through similar transformations. 

Visit https://www.IRFbook.com to get started.

Christin

🌱How to Identify Top Talent by Learning from Your Best Employees

A 2 min read, an action plan + a brand new resource

Stop hiring based on gut feelings and start hiring based on what's working.

Recently, I worked with a client who was struggling with staffing challenges after having to let go two employees who weren't the right cultural fit.

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing... most restaurant owners know what they DON'T want in an employee, but they've never clearly defined what they DO want.

Ready to transform your hiring process? Let's work together to create a systematic approach to identifying and attracting top talent for your restaurant. Schedule a call here and let's build your dream team.

The solution starts with looking at your current superstars.

Think about your best employee right now.

What specific qualities make them exceptional?

Is it their warmth with guests?

Their ability to self-manage during busy shifts?

Their curiosity about learning new skills?

Here's your action plan:

• Write down 5-7 specific traits your best employees share (not just "good attitude" but measurable behaviors like "greets every guest within 30 seconds")

• Create interview questions that reveal these traits ("Tell me about a time you had to handle a difficult customer when your manager wasn't available")

• Design a staging process with clear criteria to evaluate these qualities in action

• Develop scorecards to rate candidates objectively on each trait during interviews and stages

The goal isn't perfection... it's consistency in identifying people who will thrive in YOUR environment.

When you hire based on clearly defined criteria rather than hoping for the best, you reduce turnover, improve guest experience, and create a team that actually wants to work together.

What specific quality do you most admire in your best employee, and how could you measure that during an interview?

Help other restaurant leaders build stronger teams by sharing this to your network.

P.S. Here are 5 additional ways I can support you in building your dream team:

1. One-on-one coaching to develop your complete hiring and training systems - christinmarvin.com/contact

2. Group coaching workshops for your management team on effective interviewing techniques - christinmarvin.com/groupcoaching

3. Leadership development sessions focused on implementing the people systems from my Multi-Unit Mastery framework - christinmarvin.com/contact

4. "The Hospitality Leader's Roadmap" - my memoir with leadership lessons from over 20 years in the industry - Available on Amazon

5. "Multi-Unit Leadership" - the complete framework for scaling your restaurant operations while building strong teams - Available on Amazon

🌱How to Think Like a Successful Multi-Unit Restaurant Owner (3 Mindset Shifts That Change Everything)

A 2 min read and 3 resources to help you grow.

I just finished reading "How Successful People Think" by John C. Maxwell, and holy shit, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

The book isn't about restaurants, but every page screamed truths about why some operators build empires while others stay stuck running one location forever.

Maxwell breaks down the thinking patterns that separate successful people from everyone else.

And here's the thing - most restaurant owners are stuck in survival mode thinking when they need to be thinking like empire builders.

If you're ready to scale beyond your current locations but feel overwhelmed by the complexity, let's talk. Schedule a conversation here and let's explore how to shift your thinking from operator to CEO.

I help independent restaurant owners develop the leadership mindset and systems needed to grow confidently.

Here are three mindset shifts from Maxwell's book that will transform how you approach multi-unit growth:

1. Think Possibilities, Not Limitations

Most restaurant owners think: "I can't expand because I don't have enough good managers."

Successful operators think: "How can I develop the systems and culture that create great managers?"

The difference? One mindset keeps you trapped. The other builds solutions.

Stop asking "What if it doesn't work?" Start asking "What if it does work, and how do I make sure it does?"

2. Think Systems, Not Tasks

Average operators think in terms of daily tasks and putting out fires.

Successful multi-unit owners think in terms of systems that work without them.

Maxwell talks about "big picture thinking" - the ability to see beyond the immediate and focus on what matters most.

When you're in location A, you should be confident that location B is running exactly as it should because your systems and people are solid.

3. Think Growth, Not Maintenance

Maintenance thinking asks: "How do I keep what I have?"

Growth thinking asks: "How do I multiply what I have?"

Maxwell emphasizes that successful people are always learning, always improving, always looking for the next level.

In restaurants, this means investing in your leadership development, creating promotion pathways for your team, and building processes that can scale.

The moment you stop growing as a leader is the moment your restaurants stop growing too.

The Bottom Line

Your restaurant's success is directly connected to how you think as a leader.

If you want different results, you need different thinking.

And if you want to build a multi-unit empire that runs without you, you need to start thinking like the CEO you're becoming, not the operator you've always been.

P.S. If these mindset shifts resonated with you, here are three additional ways I can support you:

1. One-on-one coaching - Let's work together to develop your leadership mindset and build the systems needed for sustainable growth. Visit christinmarvin.com/contact to get started.

2. Group coaching program - Join a small cohort of like-minded restaurant owners working together to implement these growth-focused mindset shifts and build scalable operations. Apply at christinmarvin.com/groupcoaching

3. Leadership workshops - Bring these concepts to your entire leadership team and create alignment around growth-focused thinking. Get started at christinmarvin.com

The question isn't whether you can scale successfully - it's whether you're willing to think differently to make it happen.

🌱How to Stop Confusing Your Team with Unclear Leadership Roles

A 2 min read (and explicit language)

Your managers are getting mixed messages from multiple owners. Your team doesn't know who to report to. And everyone's frustrated because nobody knows who's actually in charge of what.

Sound familiar?

Here's the truth: unclear roles don't just frustrate your team... they destroy your culture and kill your profits.

When your managers don't know who they answer to, decisions get delayed. When owners contradict each other, trust erodes. When responsibilities overlap without clear boundaries, nothing gets done well.

If you're struggling with unclear leadership roles and responsibilities, I can help you create the clarity your team desperately needs.

I work with restaurant owners to build systems that eliminate confusion and create accountability at every level.

Step 1: Map Your Essential Leadership Roles

Start with these core positions and define exactly what each one owns:

General Manager/Operations Manager: Overall restaurant performance, P&L responsibility, final decision-making authority for daily operations.

Kitchen Manager/Chef: Food quality, kitchen operations, BOH staff development, inventory management.

Front of House Manager: Guest experience, FOH staff scheduling and training, service standards.

Assistant Manager: Specific operational areas (you define which ones), manager development, covering shifts.

Don't create roles just because you think you should. Create them because your business needs them.

Step 2: Define Clear Expectations for Each Role

For every leadership position, document:

• Primary responsibilities (what they own completely)

• Secondary responsibilities (what they support)

• Decision-making authority (what they can decide without approval)

• Reporting structure (who they report to and who reports to them)

• Key performance indicators (how you'll measure their success)

The goal isn't to micromanage. It's to create clarity so your leaders can actually lead.

Step 3: Address the Owner Problem

If you have multiple owners, you need to get your shit together before you can expect your team to function.

Decide who has final authority on:

• Daily operations decisions

• Staff hiring and firing

• Menu changes

• Policy updates

• Performance management

Your team should never hear conflicting directions from different owners. Ever.

Step 4: Roll It Out to Your Entire Team

Once you've defined roles and aligned ownership, communicate it clearly:

1. Hold an all-hands meeting to introduce the new structure

2. Create a simple org chart that shows who reports to whom

3. Post role summaries where everyone can see them

4. Train your leaders on their new responsibilities before expecting them to execute

5. Set up regular check-ins to ensure the new structure is working

Step 5: Hold Everyone Accountable

The best organizational chart in the world means nothing if you don't enforce it.

When someone steps outside their role, address it immediately. When leaders aren't meeting their responsibilities, have the conversation. When owners contradict each other, fix it behind closed doors.

Your team will only respect the structure if you do.

Clear roles aren't about creating bureaucracy. They're about creating clarity so your people can do their best work without constantly guessing what's expected of them.

Stop making your team navigate mixed messages and unclear expectations. They deserve better leadership than that.

P.S. Here are 3 additional ways I can support you:

1. One-on-one coaching to help you design and implement a leadership structure that actually works for your restaurant - christinmarvin.com/contact

2. Group coaching for your leadership team to align everyone on their roles and responsibilities - christinmarvin.com/groupcoaching

3. Leadership development workshops to train your managers on how to lead effectively within their defined roles - christinmarvin.com/contact