Operational Reset in Contract Catering

Situation

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I was brought into a busy contract catering operation where front of house and back of house were operating in silos. Communication had broken down, trust in management was low, and discipline was inconsistent.

A major operational audit was approaching, and the previous audit standard had not been achieved under the previous manager.

What was needed

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The business needed calm, structured leadership. The immediate focus was to rebuild trust, create consistency and bring the team back under shared expectations.

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The leadership approach focused on:

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• Rebuilding communication between front of house and back of house

• Restoring trust in management

• Introducing daily briefings

• Clarifying accountability

• Applying discipline consistently

• Preparing the team properly for the upcoming audit

Action taken

I stabilised the operation by introducing structure into the daily routine. Front of house and back of house were brought back into one operational conversation. Daily briefings created clarity, and expectations were communicated directly.

Supervisor and team members were supported to understand what was required, where standards had slipped, and how to correct them.

Result

• Front of house and back of house were reunited under shared expectations

• Daily briefings were introduced

• Accountability was clarified

• Team morale stabilised

• The business achieved an exceptional FDA audit result

What this shows

Operational problems are rarely solved by pressure alone. They are solved by clear direction, consistent standards and leadership discipline.

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Leadership in Practice in an International Five Star Hotel Situation

Situation

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In a large five-star hotel operation, in the UK, I managed a highly complex back of house environment with 0ver 100 staff and multiple nationalities within the department

Communication across departments was weak, coordination was inconsistent, and a major function business had been lost.

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What was needed

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The department needed a clear communication structure, stronger operational coordination and a renewed focus on rebuilding client confidence.

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The leadership approach focused on:

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• Establishing clear communication structures

• Aligning a multicultural team

• Improving coordination across departments

• Creating consistency in service delivery

• Rebuilding confidence with an important client group

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Action taken

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I worked on the structure of daily communication and improved how information moved between departments and shifts. The aim was to remove confusion, reduce friction and create a more coordinated operation.

The team needed clarity on expectations, standards and responsibilities. Once communication improved, performance became more consistent.

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Result

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• Teams became better aligned across departments

• A stronger communication structure was implemented

• The function business was restored within six months

• Lost revenue revenue was recovered

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What this shows

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In a high-pressure operation, technical skill is not enough. Performance depends on communication, leadership structure and the ability to align people around the same standard.

Operational Restructure at after the reunification in German

Situation

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The 4-star hotel was going through major change during the transition from East to West systems.

The hotel had too many outlets, complex structures and a lack of clear direction. Over 150 redundancies were required, and trust within the team had been badly affected.

What was needed

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The situation required strong but fair leadership. Difficult decisions had to be communicated clearly, and the leadership team had to be aligned before the wider team could move forward.

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The leadership approach focused on:

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• Aligning the leadership team first

• Communicating difficult decisions clearly

• Stabilising team morale

• Reducing operational complexity

• Creating a more efficient operating model

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Action taken

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The focus was on simplifying the operation, reducing unnecessary complexity and creating a structure that could be managed properly.

This required difficult conversations, clear planning and consistent communication. The team needed to understand why change was necessary and how the new structure would work.

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Result

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• Outlets were reduced

• Team structure was streamlined

• Operational efficiency improved

• The business was aligned to a new operating model

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What this shows

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Change is not only about cutting costs. It is about creating a structure that the business can operate, manage and sustain.

From Strategy to Behaviour

Situation

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A current client had completed training and the SOPs in place. On paper, the structure existed. In daily operations, however, the standards were not being applied consistently.

The issue was not a lack of information. The issue was a lack of daily communication, structure and accountability.

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Challenge

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The business was experiencing:

• Avoidance

• Inconsistency

• Firefighting

• Weak follow up

• Standards not being protected by managers

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Root cause

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The standards were written, but they were not being actively led.

There was no consistent daily rhythm to brief, lead, correct and follow up. As a result, standards depended too much on individual effort instead of management structure.

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Action taken

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The focus moved from documents to behaviour.

Managers were guided to use a simple daily leadership rhythm:

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• Brief daily

• Lead visibly

• Correct quickly

• Follow up consistently

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The message was clear:

“Staff do not break standards. Managers stop protecting them.”

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Result

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• Management focus improved

• Daily accountability became clearer

• SOPs became part of daily operations

• Standards were brought back into active use

• Firefighting was reduced by creating better daily structure

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What this shows

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Training and SOPs only work when managers bring them to life every day. A standard is only a standard when it is protected, corrected and followed up.

Sustainability and Lean Improvement in a Small Irish Food Production Business

Situation

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The project began as a sustainability journey but had no formal environmental sustainability programme in place.

Cost was a major consideration. The programme had to be practical, realistic and suitable for a small production business.

The project also formed part of my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt work, where practical improvement tools were applied to connect sustainability with waste reduction, resource efficiency and cost awareness in a real food production environment.

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Challenge

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The business needed a sustainability approach that would not sit on paper. It had to involve the team, identify real operational issues and create practical improvements.

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The focus was on:

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• Resource efficiency

• Waste reduction

• Water usage

• Leaking hoses

• Team involvement

• Practical sustainability actions

• Cost awareness

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Action taken

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The project started with an introduction to sustainability for the production team. The aim was to make sustainability relevant to their daily work and not present it as an abstract environmental topic.

The team were encouraged to identify waste, inefficiencies and improvement opportunities in their own working area.

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Lean tools were used to support the project, including:

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• 5 Whys

• Root cause analysis

• Process observation

• Practical problem solving

• Team input and idea gathering

• Action tracking

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A key focus area was the issue of leaking hoses, where the connection between sustainability, cost control and operational discipline became clear.

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Result

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• Sustainability became more practical and understandable for the team

• Staff engagement improved through involvement in identifying issues

• Operational waste and resource use were reviewed

• Leaking hoses were identified as a practical improvement area

• A foundation was created for a wider sustainability programme

• The project supported my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt qualification, achieved with distinction

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What this shows

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Sustainability does not have to start with large investment. It can begin with observation, team involvement, waste reduction and better daily habits.

For small and medium sized businesses, sustainability works best when it is linked to cost control, efficiency and practical action.

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Each case study is different, but the pattern is the same.

Businesses improve when people know what is expected, standards are applied consistently, and managers provide clear direction.

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My role is to observe what is really happening, identify the gaps, and support owners and managers to turn plans into daily working practice.