Pizza Today -March 2023 - 16

BUILDING BLOCKS N I C K B OG A C Z
Step 2: Structure
Once a set day and time is settled,
consider the meeting's organization. It is
important to take some time before the
meeting to write out an agenda. Make a
sheet or packet to hand out to everyone
that has the outline of the meeting on
it. You won't get off track, and you won't
miss anything important. Just don't do
this a few minutes before the meeting -
when it's planned out ahead of time, it'll
be much more eff ective.
I like to start each meeting with a
3 Steps to Hosting an
Eff ective Team Meeting
" Like a human being, a company has to have an internal communication
mechanism, a 'nervous system,' to coordinate its actions. "
- Bill Gates
O
K, do you really need to
run your company like Bill
Gates does? After all, you're
just a pizzeria. But a company of any
type and size is a living, breathing
thing that requires nurturing. So, why
not take a few pointers from one of the
best businessmen of all time?
We've talked a lot about communication
in this column, so you might
recall my favorite way to communicate
is through meetings. It may sound
simple to hold and plan a managers'
meeting, but there are a few key components
to making them successful.
Step 1: Scheduling
Since I was GM of a single unit
with 15 employees, I've been a big fan
of meeting at the same time weekly or
monthly. For example, every Monday
at 8 p.m., we hold a GM phone
meeting to go over the previous week.
Th e fi rst Tuesday of every month is
our all-manager meeting, and every
Wednesday at noon I meet with my
regional team. Th ese dates and times
are set in stone. Th at way we're proactively
addressing situations that arise
as opposed to reacting and holding a
separate meeting to consider the issue.
It is important to communicate
ahead of time when you set the meeting
times and dates, along with an
advanced notice of when it will be.
You also set an expectation of how
long the meeting will be. Th en, hold
your staff accountable for attending.
quick recap of our mission statements,
visions and, of course, some good oldfashioned
praise. I like to recognize great
performances. I like to go over any issues
that are occurring, break down upcoming
promotions, let everyone know about
special events or plans in place, and leave
room for open discussion. Make the
meetings collaborative. Everyone should
have a chance to share their opinions and
thoughts.
Step 3: Learn Something
Most importantly, I love using meetings
to have teachable moments. Whatever
the biggest issue of the month may
be, do not just talk about it and brainstorm
the solution, but really discuss and
explain why you're resolving the issue
the way you are. We've had full-blown
lessons on everything, from fi lling out
employee paperwork to labor and food
costs, as well as seemingly simple things,
such as how to sweep the fl oor most
effi ciently at night.
Not a natural teacher? We'll get into
how to teach your employees - note:
this is not training - in our next installment.
NICK
BOGACZ is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh. Instagram: @caliente_pizza
16 / PIZZATODAY.COM / MARCH 2023

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Pizza Today -March 2023

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