What ranks among the best barometers of an effective leader? It's modeling the behaviors the leader expects from her or his people. One of the most practical indicators of this is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. You know what I mean. It's the CEO who bends down to pick up litter in the hallway without caring who might be watching.
Chef Jeff and Kate Fournier own and operate the wonderful Thompson House in Jackson, NH. Jeff is a superb talent who's held key positions with Chef Lydia Shire at Pignoli, Excelsior, and Locke Ober in Boston. I watched the other evening after a busy eight-top cleared. There was Jeff washing down the table and readying it for the next party (photo below). Message to staff? No task is beneath you, when push comes to shove, no matter your rank in the organizational hierarchy. You know, some people were raised very well. That's almost always where successful leadership begins.
