ssue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the emplo

Too often, customers are frustrated in restaurants by indifferent service and food quality, and companies seem to be unable to solve the turnover problem - it's blamed on bad hires or inadequate training. Some companies even cut training dollars since they expect their employees to quit anyway.

Perhaps the training dollars are targeted at the wrong level.

A recent trip through the local electronics store illustrates the point. I spent nearly $1,000, and the checker, who also happened to be the manager, didn’t say a word the whole time. I asked why I didn’t at least get a “thank you” for spending so much money. His reply, within earshot of numerous employees? “It says so on the receipt.”

All the employee training programs in the world will never change the environment in that store. Similar things might be happening in your restaurant. You spend dollars on training employees, but the real issue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the employ

raining dollars since they expect their employees to quit anyway.

Perhaps the training dollars are targeted at the wrong level.

A recent trip through the local electronics store illustrates the point. I spent nearly $1,000, and the checker, who also happened to be the manager, didn’t say a word the whole time. I asked why I didn’t at least get a “thank you” for spending so much money. His reply, within earshot of numerous employees? “It says so on the receipt.”

All the employee training programs in the world will never change the environment in that store. Similar things might be happening in your restaurant. You spend dollars on training employees, but the real issue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the emplo

000, and the checker, who also happened to be the manager, didn’t say a word the whole time. I asked why I didn’t at least get a “thank you” for spending so much money. His reply, within earshot of numerous employees? “It says so on the receipt.”

All the employee training programs in the world will never change the environment in that store. Similar things might be happening in your restaurant. You spend dollars on training employees, but the real issue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the emplo

on the receipt.”

All the employee training programs in the world will never change the environment in that store. Similar things might be happening in your restaurant. You spend dollars on training employees, but the real issue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the emplo

ssue --- management development --- is never addressed.

If managers don’t know how to coach and develop people properly, or if they allow shortcuts, sloppy uniforms, and people to arrive late, it doesn’t matter what the employee training manual says. That store will run at the low level the manager allows.

So what’s the answer? Spend money developing the managers. Train the people who need to train the people. It leverages your investment and has a big trickle-down effect, since once the manager changes their behaviors, the employees will soon follow.

Still skeptical? Why not reallocate a bit of the marketing money for your next promotion or ad spot to training managers? It’s insane (and expensive) to attract more customers and have them find out you aren’t very good. There’s the money to pay to fix the real training issue.