Danny Meyer is the founder of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG).

Leadership Style on Danny MeyerName

nInstitution

nCourse

nDate

n

nTable of Contents

n TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc491044904″Leadership Style on Danny Meyer PAGEREF _Toc491044904 h 1

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044905″Introduction PAGEREF _Toc491044905 h 3

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044906″Union Square Hospitality Group and its Business PAGEREF _Toc491044906 h 3

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044907″Challenges Faced PAGEREF _Toc491044907 h 4

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044908″Competitive Advantages PAGEREF _Toc491044908 h 5

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044909″Comparison of the leadership style of Danny Meyer, Thomas Keller and Steve Ells PAGEREF _Toc491044909 h 5

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044910″Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc491044910 h 8

nHYPERLINK l “_Toc491044911″References PAGEREF _Toc491044911 h 9

n

n

nIntroduction

nDanny Meyer is the founder of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). The company owns and operates a wide range of restaurants in different cities across the United States (Meyer, 2017). The success of the Union Square Hospitality Group has been attributed to effective leadership style that Danny Meyer has employed in the past three decades. Meyer has succeeded in encouraging organizational culture that value the efforts of its staff (Meyer, 2014). The company does not only focus on serving delicious food to its customers but also concentrates on meeting the employees satisfaction. His leadership strategies are centred on promoting customer experience by putting the staff first. In addition, the success of the USHG Company is credited to selection of top talents who are able to run the daily affairs of the organization (Union Square Hospitality Group, 2017). In addition, Meyers leadership style seeks to create a feeling of shared ownership, which promotes engagement among the customers. Consequently, the clients view the restaurant as if it belongs to them. In this regard, it helps to establish repeat business, which enhances retention. Furthermore, the strategy also encourages appreciation, acceptance, and affiliation that help to grow the business (Shoener, 2011). Research also indicates that Danny Meyer also emphasize the need for dialogue. In this respect, the hospitality industry requires dialogue because every customer needs listening as well as appropriate, gracious and thoughtful response (Meyer, 2017). More importantly, his leadership style is founded on the idea of listening to the customers ideas and thoughts before making informed decisions.

nUnion Square Hospitality Group and its BusinessMeyer founded the Union Square Café in New York in 1985. Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) has established some of the renowned bars, cafes and restaurants in New York, which provide exceptional foods. The organization now offers a wide range of eateries beyond the common restaurants (Meyer, 2014). Moreover, it has established popular restaurants such as Shake Shack. Furthermore, the company provides functioning consulting and operates a multidimensional events and catering business such as Union Square Events. Its businesses are in various cities including the Washington D.C, Las Vegas, Chicago and the New York (Meyer, 2017). The company has also launched comprehensive catering services including Gramercy Park Hotel, Hospitality Quotient and Maialino. Similarly, the organization possesses about twenty-eight James Beard Awards and various accolades for its unique approach to hospitality (Union Square Hospitality Group, 2017). Apart from business, the firm also support local and national hunger relief projects such as the Bed-Stuy Campaign against Hunger, the City Harvest and Share Our Strength. It also participates in civic efforts geared towards beautification and maintenance of urban environment (Shoener, 2011).

nChallenges FacedDanny Meyer faces numerous leadership challenges in steering the company in the right direction. Firstly, Meyer experiences some challenges in pursuit of balancing the requirement of the firm and the needs of the customers. Research has indicated that most leaders are unable to balance this because they tend to sacrifice one side (Shoener, 2011). Organization cannot succeed if the leader fails to consider the needs of each side. Meyer is forced to forego the demands of certain group of individuals, which may affect the achievement of results. Moreover, the leader experiences some challenges related to motivation of employees (Meyer, 2017). Although Meyer offers the right conditions to facilitate motivation, some of the staffs may not have a higher sense of inspiration. Furthermore, the ability to sustain focus is a huge problem among the corporate leaders such as Meyer (Gallo, 2014). In most cases, there is a wide range of disruptions in the company that confuse leaders such as Meyer. In this respect, it affects proper management of the organization.

nMeyer has to manage very many outlets hence it becomes difficult to maintain the same level of consistency in terms of quality of its products (Gallo, 2014). Moreover, he is forced to hire many new staff who takes a longer time before they adopt the corporate culture . In this regard, they are not able to sustain high standards across their outlets.

nCompetitive AdvantagesDanny Meyer has devised numerous strategies to handle distinctive barriers associated to the Hospitality industry. More importantly, the USHG has acquired competitive advantages to handle these challenges by placing the significance on the experience and satisfaction of guest received in the eateries (Union Square Hospitality Group, 2017). The company believes that good experience outplays the food because a good feeling encourages more guests to return (Meyer, 2014). The company seek to leverage top talents among its staff who are able to offer outstanding services.

nThe companys competitive strategy is also based on its capacity to diversify business in different sectors (Gallo, 2014). For instance, the company operates various outlets such as Jazz Standard, Blue Smoke that is a barbecue joint, and Shake Shack that is a burger outpost, which has turned out to be the firms growth vehicle. USHG also has management-consulting firm, and event and catering divisions (Meyer, 2017). In addition, the organization has over twenty locations in different parts of the world including in Doha, Qatar. Similarly, it has restaurants in Equinox health club and in the Museum Modern Arts (Shoener, 2011). The large customer base of the company also acts as a competitive advantage. The USHG has invested heavily in winning the trust and confidence of its customers, which play a role in strengthening their loyalty to the firm (Union Square Hospitality Group, 2017).

nComparison of the leadership style of Danny Meyer, Thomas Keller and Steve EllsThomas Keller is a restaurateur who is the founder of the French Laundry in California and Napa Valley restaurant in 1994 (Eblin Group, 2010). Keller has received numerous accolades for his exceptional leadership including the Outstanding Restaurateur Awards (Four Foundation, 2017). Both Danny Meyer and Thomas Keller have similar leadership styles. For instance, due to astute leadership styles they have employed, their companies have attained countrywide acclaim (Eblin Group, 2010). Both have demonstrated admirable capacity to manage people because of their gentle and constant leadership style (Meyer, 2017). Additionally, they are able to sustain the excellence level and set standards in their organizations. Keller and Meyers styles of leadership are achieved by training their employees to be sensitive of the things that occur in their restaurant and to adjust based on situations with artful grace and precisions so that every customer has an ideal experience (Four Foundation, 2017). Moreover, the restaurateurs also demands consistency from their staff as the key staff in meeting the needs of the customers.

nSignificantly, both Meyer and Keller emphasize proper communication in passing information to the staff, which ensures that they are effective in their responsibilities (Eblin Group, 2010). Clear communication helps employees to understand what is needed and deliver information in an inclusive manner. Timely, appropriate, and clear communication is the crucial in management of restaurants (Shoener, 2011). Furthermore, their leadership styles are similar because they are determined to establish organizational culture where workers feel satisfied and engaged in the daily running of the company. Meanwhile, this is very vital when firms are pursuing an expansion strategy (Four Foundation, 2017). Finally, both exhibit transformational leadership styles as they encourage their teams to initiate creative actions and ideas that can lead to innovation (Eblin Group, 2010).

nSteve Ells is the current Chairman and CEO of the Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG). Ells established the company in 1993. The organization has a reputation of utilizing organic ingredients and preparing the “made to order” foods (Nisen, 2017). Ells leadership strategy is centred on formulating a company culture that helps to service high quality products to its customers.

nSteve Ells leadership style has enabled the transformation of the company. In particular, he is guided by vision in order to understand the future and formulate it at the same time. Steve Ells is a great leader who has the capacity to see where the industry and business are moving (Jacobs, 2013). He is a visionary leader who is able to develop a mission about the future and implement on such plans. For this reason, he has succeeded in turning the firm into a unique type of fast-food restaurant. Steve Ells founded Chipotle believing that fast food does not have to be costly. As he has realized the transform of the company, his vision has advanced into the “Food with Integrity” (Nisen, 2017). Subsequently, Chipotle is in the leading position in terms of preparing sustainably raised local produce and meat. Currently, the company has over 2,000 restaurants. Furthermore, the market value of the company is approximately $20 billion, which reflects his ability to head successful company. More importantly, his leadership style has transformed the restaurant industry based on the ability to use crucial features (Jacobs, 2013).

nHis leadership style also played a part in establishment of a distinct type of culture, which helped to develop unique foods. In 2005, approximately 1,000 stores were launched in the US. In addition, Steve Ells concentrated in establishment of a restaurateur program where marketing managers from within would formulate a feedback system of motivated and better employees (Bowman, 2015). In the same year, the system helped to promote nearly 20 per cent of the managers from within the company. Internal promotions have also worked to motivate about 96 per cent and 86 per cent of hourly managers and salaried managers respectively (Bowman, 2015). For this reason, most of the employees have been promoted through the program.

nConclusionDanny Meyer is one of the effective leaders in the hospitality industry. He is the founder of the Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). Since he ventured into the hospitality industry in 1985, he has demonstrated excellent leadership skills leading to success of his companies (Shoener, 2011). USHG has launched a wide range of business in the hospitality industry in different parts of the United States such as consulting and learning business, and Hospitality Quotient (Meyer, 2017). Meyer uses a wide range of leadership strategies in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives. For instance, his leadership strategies are centred on promoting customer experience by putting the staff first. In addition, the company pursue to create organizational culture that ensures that the customer feels satisfied in order to achieve repeat business (Eblin Group, 2010). However, the company faces a number of challenges which includes high cost of operation, shifting conditions of labour, rising merging and change of technologies. Thomas Keller is one of restaurateurs whose leadership traits can be compared to that of Danny Meyer (Four Foundation, 2017). Both demonstrate transformational leadership because they encourage their staff to come up with creative ideas that can lead to innovation (Shoener, 2011). Finally, both leaders promote communication and set clear standards and expectations for their teams in order to facilitate adequate achievement of goals.

n

nReferencesBowman, J. (2015). 3 Qualities That Make a Great CEO — The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool. Retrieved 20 August 2017, from https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/02/02/3-qualities-that-make-a-great-ceo.aspx

nEblin Group. (2010). Cooking Up Your Leadership Legacy. Eblin Group. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from https://eblingroup.com/blog/cooking-up-your-leadership-legacy/

nFour Foundation. (2017). Thomas Keller | FOUR Magazine. Four-magazine.com. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from http://www.four-magazine.com/articles/226/thomas-keller

nGallo, C. (2014). NYC Restaurant King Danny Meyer: ‘Experience Trumps Food. Forbes.com. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/05/29/nyc-restaurant-king-dannymeyer-experience-trumps-food/

nJacobs, A. (2013). For Chipotles Steve Ells, less is more — Business Management Daily: Free Reports on Human Resources, Employment Law, Office Management, Office Communication, Office Technology and Small Business Tax Business Management Daily. Businessmanagementdaily.com. Retrieved 20 August 2017, from https://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/34352/for-chipotles-steve-ells-less-is-more

nMeyer, D. (2014). There goes the Neighborhood Café. Danny Meyer: Union Square Cafe is a Casualty or Rising Rent Costs.. New York Times. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/opinion/danny-meyersunion-square-cafe-is-a-casualty-of-rising-rents.html?_r=0

nMeyer, D. (2017). How to Be an Effective Leader. Inc.com. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from http://www.inc.com/magazine/20061001/column-guest.html

nNisen, M. (2017). How Chipotle transformed itself by upending its approach to management. Quartz. Retrieved 20 August 2017, from https://qz.com/183224/how-chipotle-transformed-itself-by-upending-its-approach-to-management/

nShoener, C. (2011). Redefining an Industry: Danny Meyer on the Business and Culture of Hospitality. Outofordermag.com. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from http://www.outofordermag.com/2012/11/danny-meyer-union-square-hospitalitygroup/

nUnion Square Hospitality Group. (2017). Danny Meyer | Union Square Hospitality Group. Ushgnyc.com. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from HYPERLINK “http://www.ushgnyc.com/people/leadership/danny-meyer/”http://www.ushgnyc.com/people/leadership/danny-meyer/