Everyone knows that a great CEO, Chief Executive Officer, is one of the most important positions in any company. However, being a restaurant CEO is a little more specific than other executive management positions in other companies.
Being a great restaurant CEO takes specific skills along with dedication. Owning a profitable restaurant takes more than hard work – it takes the know-how of the daily ins and outs. So how do you know if you have what it takes?
Top 5 Qualities Needed in a Restaurant CEO
Unfortunately, it’s tough to know exactly what it’s like to be the CEO of a restaurant until you try. However, there are a few qualities that most restaurant CEOs demonstrate. Below are a few examples of these kinds of qualities needed to be a great restaurant CEO:
- Ownership – Restaurant CEOs often own the business.
Some restaurant owners appoint themselves the CEO. By doing this, they are giving themselves great responsibility. They may choose to have other managers running various departments in the restaurant and reporting back to them, or they may be doing all the duties themselves. It is up to the individual how hands on they want to be in their restaurant, but ultimately it is their responsibility to keep the restaurant running smoothly.
- Commitment – Being a restaurant CEO means working holidays and odd hours.
A restaurant CEO is responsible for being the person who oversees almost every aspect of the business. He is often the first one in the morning, and one of the last ones to leave at the end of the night., which means long hours almost on a daily basis. He is also expected to work at the restaurant on the busiest of days, for example, weekends and holidays, which is something other CEOs can usually take off. This may take a toll on the individual, but the restaurant business is a fast-paced environment.
- Education – Many have a degree, but some need to be able to learn on-the-job.
Having a four year degree from a university in hospitality and hotel management is ideal for a restaurant CEO to have. Although, as stated before, if you are the owner of the restaurant who has appointed yourself the CEO, you may not hold this specific degree. This does not mean you can’t run a successful restaurant, it only means that you may have to learn things with on-the-job training.
- Leadership – The restaurant industry is fast-paced, and the CEO has to be in control of all aspects of the restaurant at once.
A great restaurant CEO must be able to lead his team of employees. This means staying focused and cool and calm under pressure, which is very important especially in the restaurant industry because it can be a very fast-paced, chaotic environment. By staying cool under pressure, it will set a great example for your team in which to follow. You’ll be amazed at how smoothly things will run when everyone is working with grace under pressure.
- Duties – Restaurant CEOs must know how to deal with employee and customer relationships.
You will have many duties to perform and supervise while being the CEO. You should have knowledge of all aspects of the restaurant. This means knowing what all your employees do, as well as who they are. Knowing peoples names gives them respect, and they will want to do a good job for you. A CEO who sits in his office with no interaction, will not gain respect from his employees. Get out there and talk to your employees, ask them questions and be interested in their answers.
Being a great restaurant CEO takes a certain individual. One who has great people skills and knowledge of the restaurant business. Remember, the customer is almost always right, but be ready to back up your team member when a customer is wrong. Having grace and dignity while dealing with the public is often a skill that cannot be taught in school, it comes back to that on-the-job training.
Are you a restaurant CEO? How do you think your job differs from that of CEOs in other industries? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
About The Guest Author: Amanda DiSilvestro is a professional blogger that writes on a variety of topics including NYC restaurants. She writes for Restaurants.com, a leading directory of restaurants.
Restaurant Photo via Shutterstock
