More Support, Less Micromanaging: Three Lessons Plant Leaders Can Learn from the Fast-Food Industry

Whether they’re a team leader in a manufacturing plant or the manager at a food-fast restaurant, frontline leaders are often united in a common issue. As leaders, it’s their instinct to jump in and solve problems, rather than let their team members handle the situation. But when leaders handle everything themselves, it can lead to a host of problems, from burnout to unengaged team members.

Do these problems sound familiar to you? Here are three insights to help you shift your leadership mindset and become a stronger, more mindful leader for your team.

More Servant Leadership, Less Micromanaging

To change the way you lead, practice servant leadership. Through servant leadership, you prioritize the needs of your team over your own by supporting and celebrating your team members. Servant leadership also revolves around giving your team members the opportunity to take accountability, build their own skills, and find their own solutions.

To practice servant leadership, take a step back. Instead of solving problems yourself or micromanaging your team, give them the space and support they need to solve challenges and find their own creative solutions. This way, your team can build confidence and feel empowered... and by letting your team handle their own challenges, you might even find outcomes you would have missed if you jumped in to handle it yourself!

The Role of Curious Conversations

When issues do arise, try to get to the root of the issue. For example, imagine a team member doesn’t meet a deadline. Instead of getting angry or asking defensive questions, use patience and curiosity. Talk to your team member about what went wrong and you might uncover a deeper cause, like issues with another team member or even a personal problem that’s affecting their performance.

By engaging in curious and empathetic conversations, you show your team members you support them and want them to show up to work at their best, most engaged selves. You also create a healthier, more supportive workplace environment.

Show Your Support

When a team member isn’t performing as expected, it’s easy to blame it all on them or their training. But in reality, many performance issues stem from a lack of support. If someone feels unrecognized or unsupported in their role, it can affect productivity and morale, and create an environment where they simply don’t feel like showing up as their best self.

To combat this, find ways to support and recognize your team. Have curious conversations to find what each team member needs to thrive, then find ways to support and incentivize them. With the right support, your team can change the way they show up and turn around their behavior and results!

Learn More on the Podcast

These great insights come from Monica Rothgery and her new book Lessons from the Drive-Thru: Real Life Wisdom for Frontline Leaders. With a career that took her from a Taco Bell general manager to the first female COO of KFC US, Monica has dozens of stories and lessons for frontline leaders who want to lead with authenticity and vulnerability.

Monica was also a recent guest on the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast, where she discussed stories from her book and shared other impactful insights leaders can use to change how they show up. You can listen to her episode here.