Page 54 - BCM_April_2024

BOWL EXPO PREVIEW

Managing vs. world, we have to manage many, many

different things and, yes, we can say we
manage things, not people.
“But it’s still people that are a part of
Leading vs. or running those things. So, we have to
make sure that we understand what the
guidelines are so that they’re not run-
Coaching ning off the reservation — that there are
certain budgets, a certain time frame
and a certain direction that we want the
workflow to flow in.”
The leadership mindset comes into
How to identify and implement the picture whenever a group of people
your best management style. runs into a challenge and cannot figure
out what steps to take to resolve it.
“Whenever you put on that leader-
ship mindset, you help figure out
BY JOHNNY CAMPOS the different executive levels of what a what that solution should be, or paint
perfect food-service operation should a picture of where the group needs to
xperienced bowlers know that look like, that’s what has really led me be,” Brooks says. “And you paint the
E they cannot play the lanes the to writing my book.” picture so vividly that everyone can see
same way every time, even in familiar His presentation will focus on one of what the destination is.
bowling centers. the “keys” of his recently released book, “Not every leader can talk you
After starting a league session or a “Every Leader Needs Followers/Never through every single brushstroke. But
tournament, skilled bowlers also can Lead Alone Again.” the great, visionary leaders are able to
recognize when they need to adjust, “Most books have chapters, but mine paint that picture and let you see it —
either on the approach, on the lane or is 10 keys to transfer restaurant man- and you will choose to get on a plane
by switching to a different ball. agers to hospitality leaders,” Brooks while it’s being built because they have
The same can be said of food-service explains. “Key No. 5 is base elements of painted that picture so well that you
managers working in a bowling center the talk I am doing at Bowl Expo, which can see the destination even before you
or an FEC. Sometimes different issues is leading with the right mindset. get there.
call for different managing mindsets to “It talks through how managing and “Being a leader also means under-
resolve a variety of situations involving leading and coaching isn’t one versus standing what the industry trends are,
the center, the staff and customers. the other; it’s understanding that they what the different departments are
That’s the core topic that Jason are three different mindsets that most within the company, and trying to find
Brooks will explore in his presenta- food-service managers have to under- ways to bridge those gaps between
tion called “Managing vs. Leading vs. stand, and when to use them at the the different departments in order for
Coaching” at International Bowl Expo right time to get the best outcome.” everyone to get to where they need to
this summer in Denver. Brooks says he will go over the dif- go.”
Brooks has more than 30 years of ferent styles of management mindsets While the management and leader-
experience in the restaurant industry and reveal some of the pitfalls that ship mindsets are somewhat similar,
in various leadership roles. He has might occur along the way. But first, he the coaching mindset is quite different,
worked for more than 20 restaurant will define what each style of manage- according to Brooks.
brands, including six of the top 100 in ment is. “Most people say or think that
the United States. “When you think about managing, it coaching is reserved only for the top
“I always say that I’ve had the involves taking a group of people and five percent of companies or people,”
opportunity to view the Mona Lisa keeping them within certain guardrails he says. “They think it’s something
being painted 20 different ways,” he in order to reach a certain point, by a only executives get. But to be honest,
says. “Some of them are amazing pieces certain time, within a certain budget,” coaching is the true mastery of one-on-
of art and some of them are just pieces. he says. “Most people use managing ones.
But having that background of seeing for the greatest part of their day, which “When you think about coaching
everyone from CEOs and COOs to all of isn’t a bad thing. In the food-service (continued on page 92)

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