Why Soft Skills Matter if you want to be an Awesome Bar Manager
Running a bar requires more than a vast knowledge of mixing cocktails and different wines; a good manager knows this to be true.
For years, I’ve worked and travelled in different cities around the globe, handling positions in bars in Europe and Asia. In my fifteen years, I have learned the critical role that soft skills and good team management play in the success of a business.
Most of the time, bar managers get promoted because of their experiences and skill. While this is definitely a requirement, having people skills is also a must. A good manager can make or break a business more than any other person, and the best ones I’ve met are those who know how to empathize with his team members.
Over the years, I’ve met and worked with a lot of managers all around the world. And here are five soft skills that one should have to be an awesome bar manager.
The ability to create and build trust among your team is a must-have for any leader. To do this, managers must have good communication and trust higher management’s decisions.
You must be able to trust the owner’s vision. This includes translating and executing this vision with your team. You must also be quick to recognize your team’s achievements and encourage them to continue their progress.
Everyone has a unique way of adapting to training and situations. As a manager, you need to understand and recognize this fact.
You must learn each of your staff’s abilities and how they adapt. You can learn about your team’s abilities by giving them tasks that fit their strengths. You can also measure how fast they learn and know which of your team members need more help.
It also helps to know the tools and materials you can use to maximize your team’s training sessions. These materials should include each person’s differences.
A good manager should also be aware of what’s going on around him.
You must learn how to determine when something is amiss in yourself and your team. Being sensitive enough to learn what’s bothering your team can make a difference. But it doesn’t mean that you’d need to be their in-house therapist. Checking in on them lets them know that each member is valued and important.
As a good manager, your team’s well-being should also become one of your priorities. They are your frontline, generating sales and creating profit for the business. Your job is to assist your staff in honing their skills, even through the ups and downs.
A good manager has empathy for his team. He must understand the complexities of the tasks he assigns and must also learn how it works.
Absences can’t be avoided in the workplace, and as a manager, you must be able to cover to make up for manpower. No task should be to low for you, even if it comes down to wiping tables and putting the trash out.
This attitude also helps promote teamwork and makes your team realize that you are a part of them.
You must have an eye for people who are passionate about what they do.
Not everyone goes into the hospitality business because it’s what they want to do. Some of them do it to help make ends meet. But it doesn’t always have to be this way.
A good manager helps their staff develop a growth mindset. They promote a culture that loves continuous learning. Whether it is coming up with new recipes or concocting interesting cocktails for the bar, awesome managers encourage creativity among their team.
Through experience, a good manager can see potential in people who are in it for the love. Hire people who have this desire to learn and improve themselves. Once you do, find out how you can hone their skills and encourage them to develop their passion.
Did I miss anything? Add your awesome tips to the comments section below!
