Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2023 - 25

MY RECIPE
FOR
Here is Milton McGowian's Recipe for Success.
Milton McGowian,
DBA, CDM, CFPP
success
Milton McGowian, DBA, CDM, CFPP has worked in the culinary industry for
more than 30 years and has been in the senior living industry for over 20 years.
He currently serves as Vice President of Resident Services at Sharon Towers at
SouthPark in Charlotte, N.C. McGowian received his bachelor of business degree in
2017, his master of business administration in 2018, and his doctorate in business
administration non-profit leadership and management in 2022 from Liberty
University.
1. Practice patience. Patience is a continuum,
anchored by present rewards on one side, and future
gratification on the other. Patience is a moral virtue
that moderates the emotion of anger, and your
physical and mental health grows when you practice
patience. You can make more rational, realistic
decisions and you make others feel comfortable.
2. Put on your thick skin. Working in the foodservice
industry can be challenging, so don't take things
personally. Counterpropose a new solution when your
idea is criticized. Listen to criticism about the food
or process you created without becoming offended.
Remember, everyone has their own opinion.
3. Be transformational. Produce a big change or
innovative improvement in a situation. Offer
inspirational motivation to the staff around you and
build trust within your department. Work together to
achieve the departmental goal.
4. Create a culture that is inviting. Treat team members
fair, and be interested in their wellbeing. Offer support
and kindness. Identify your organization's core values,
establish trust by representing those values, and
maintain clear expectations.
5. Be a trendsetter; think outside the box. Do your
homework, be confident about food and create new ideas
to satisfy the foodservice industry and your customers.
Be in touch with industry trends and create your own
style. Don't be afraid to fail.
6. Know your purpose and recite it daily. Appreciate the
sacred nature of your work. Understand why working
in foodservice is meaningful to you. Explore your
passions and develop a growth mindset.
7. Develop yourself and the people around you. Learn
new things and build new skills. Control your own
destiny and seek growth opportunities, organizational
commitment, social support, and career development
for you and your team members.
8. Respect differences in others. Accept individuals for
who they are. Be excited about new ideas they bring
and how you can improve processes with outside-thebox
knowledge. Remember, diversity is being invited
to the dance, and inclusion is being asked to the dance.
Belonging is feeling comfortable at the dance.
9. Listen to customers and team members. Listening to
your customers allows you to connect with them and
opens the window to manage customers' experiences,
satisfaction, and loyalty. Your team members are
your greatest asset; learn from them by listening and
acknowledging what they are saying.
10. Remember where you come from. Get in the dish pit,
serve on the hot line, or wait tables. As your paths turn
greener, never forget the past struggles that helped
you get to where you are today. Recall the shoulders
that you stood upon to rise up the ranks, and offer your
shoulders to help the new generation of foodservice
workers rise up.
View the archive of My Recipe for Success articles at www.ANFPonline.org/myrecipeforsuccess
NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023 25

http://www.ANFPonline.org/myrecipeforsuccess

Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2023