Effective Event Staff Leadership

    Leadership in the special events industry is a pervasive role.  At all levels for private parties, wedding receptions, banquets, and other special events, there are layers of leaders working together.  From corporate event coordinators to event planners to event staffing companies, all must utilize initiative and leadership.  Even the lone private party bartender, personal chef or the reception and seated dinner service waiter must exhibit self-leadership and self-motivation.  That is why event staffing companies especially require effective leaders on every level.

          But beyond the requisite charisma, leadership of event staff at special events poses unique challenges because events are always variable and dynamic, and ever-evolving solutions are required .  Therefore, one challenge of an event lead, waiter captain or executive chef is being able to use all of the perspectives the group to formulate the best leader decision.  In doing so, a leader can ‘lead from among the staff instead of reigning from above them’. 

    General Patton demonstrated this to his generals by having them each place a piece of string on the table and lead it around with their finger.  Then he told them to instead push the string with their finger, which of course doesn’t work very well at all.  Through this example he demonstrated the merits of “leading others from the front” versus pushing them from behind.  This concept is also found in the Boy Scout saying, “Lead by example”.

     Therefore, a good event staffing leader must be an example and a teacher to others while being wise enough to listen more than they speak.  As well, an effective event staff lead or wait staff captain delegates authority in order to create ‘a company of leaders’ , empower others beyond themselves, and create a positive team morale.  In simple format, the effective event staffing leader embraces and embodies The Golden Rule.

  That is why all effective leaders must possess both a strong intuition and a spiritual compass that governs their decisions.  It is these qualities that embues a leader with direction, and allows them to be a follower to the GREATER PURPOSE to which they have been called.