Jordan Coplan

We have stickers, we have “Food for Thought” moments on Slack, we take field trips to the POS and walk-in. We have selling challenges. One of the more fun learning & developments I did was SVU (Service Victim Unit), where we worked alongside Adrian Monk (the OCD TV detective) to solve the crime of what went wrong. People learn better when they feel safe, engaged, and not afraid of failure. I think it can all be summed up to laughing a lot and not being too serious. One of my favorite sayings is “the biggest room is the room for improvement,” and that’s my philosophy with learning. Learning builds empowerment, which leads to stronger workplace retention. Humor reduces stress. Recognition and autonomy improve motivation. It’s all intertwined.

These create healthier systems. Mentorship and emotional intelligence are not soft skills in hospitality. They’re operational skills.

Chef Spencer (my husband) and I always rank our best meal - best drink, best bite… and why? What can we take away from that? I think great hospitality leaders are observant. We’re constantly studying how people move, respond, connect, and feel. I also really am a nerd and love numbers and data, so I often read up on trends, economy, etc.

I’m inspired by the idea that restaurants can still be deeply human places. Hospitality evolves because people evolve. We have to keep trying, learning, and standing our ground on our beliefs and values. Just because it’s a trend doesn’t mean we have to adopt it, yet at the same time, because it is a trend, perhaps we should consider it. This industry is anything but stagnant; we roll through employees - no matter the reason. We have to keep learning and growing because our employees expect that from us too.

I have worked at a lot of different places and a lot of different odd jobs, and that collective knowledge I’ve learned (from a smoothie shop to a kayaking excursion to earning a $20 pound of cheese as payment) influenced me to be well-rounded. I buss, I wash, I restock. I’m not above any of that.

I like to say I grew up living there. It was an eye-opening experience that showed me all of our methodically-planned, faulty systems. It solidified my desire to make a stronger, lasting system. Maybe not as large as working with 90 kids a day, but I recall the Welcome Conference in 2022 - there was a big focus that frontline workers are the face of humanity. How can we help change those we see day to day?

It really struck a chord; while I love serving, it really pained me to see us all struggle on the floor and the disconnect from management to us. Even with a family-owned restaurant, it felt like there was such a need for a different perspective. I knew I could be the one to offer that.

It seems like a lot, but there’s a lot of work to be done! We can’t assume anyone knows anything. We also can’t think that one way is the best way. We can all learn from each other, and people closest to the work often have the best solutions. There’s only so much we can control and should control; allow the team to make decisions that work for them and allocate more brain space to be creative. Bask in a smooth running service! Control is not the same as leadership.

Healthy hospitality environments do exist. There is a sweet spot; places that put forward the hard work to show up for their team deserve people who are seeking this type of support. There’s a dime a dozen restaurants, why waste your time if you feel like it’s not working out? High-performing restaurants without being emotionally destructive are not unicorns (or shouldn’t be, at least). Dysfunction shouldn’t be normalized. There are so many leaders out there doing the good work: Burnt Chef Project, Chris Shepherd and Southern Smoke Foundation, and lots of research on psychological safety and employee wellbeing. Leadership and culture matter more than people realize, and it’s up to us to share resources and put these theories into practice.

Enjoy the sun along the way.

Not only is it beneficial for yourself, but authentic leadership creates psychological safety, which improves trust and team performance. Employees are more engaged when leaders are emotionally transparent and consistent. Plus, vulnerability from leadership often gives permission for staff to communicate honestly, which can also support stronger customer service.

I value my off days and try to be away from my phone, especially emails. I have introduced Slack to the restaurant so there are minimal work texts. This creates a solid boundary that when I open it up, I’m setting the intention of working, granting me the patience for whatever lies on the other side of the notification - and there does tend to be more grace for my team than anyone else. We’re a dog-friendly hotel, so those interactions are also sparkles of joy. I do yoga, daily walks, play in the dirt, have couch days (and giving yourself grace for them), and at-home facials for self-care!

If you stay curious, you stay inspired.

I’m a creative person, and art is a huge part of my life. When I first met my husband, who’s coincidentally also my Chef (the tale as old as time), we were walking through Capitol Hill in Seattle, talking about the flowers blooming and how inspired he felt for spring and the new bounty ahead. I was currently working on an art project, and it really clicked how we could play off each other easily. The sun’s shining, it creates shadows. If it’s dark, we create our own light. We’re not always going to be in the mood, per se, but inspiration is everywhere.

Being a third grade teacher was harder than managing a team of 17 adults. I always remind myself that. I’m a glass half full kind of person, and understanding that things take time, and giving people the grace to learn and accomplish things is important. I also think being able to harness my perfectionism and ADD helps me multitask, while not getting off track. This helps my nervous system stay calm and not change the energy of the dining room. This has taken a lot of reflection and understanding of myself and how I want to be showing up while under pressure.

High emotional intelligence also further builds a psychologically-safe working environment, adding to the culture that I’m working hard to cultivate.

Emotional intelligence is very important for longevity in this industry and preventing burn out. Technical skills can be taught, but emotional intelligence is much harder to do. Specifically, conscientiousness - those who look for the details, follow-through, and understand cause and effect - are an employee gold mine. I found a free test online that I administered after our initial interview. I set percentages for each category that I’m looking for, and this is my selection battery. Hospitality really is emotional labor, and we need a team that can regulate without losing their humanity.

Don’t give it all the thought, worry, and build up. Get it over with already (kindly, of course)! Plus, timely feedback creates trust. If we build it up, things become more serious than they need to be. Clear, respectful communication reduces workplace stress and resentment for everyone.

The more authentic I became as a leader, the more my work life became congruent with my values and beliefs, making an easier work-life balance because I was being truer to myself.