Training Date: April 12th, 2016

Catie Daus and Morgan Kelly

1. Executive summary
a. The topic of the training program will be how to improve communication between
all employees including upper management and the servers. The target audience is
13 servers with 2 management personnel present. We are focusing the training on
the servers, but the general manager said some cooks might come sit in on the
training. The goal for the training is to improve overall employee communication.
They will learn the necessary functions of how to communicate with their coworkers.
b. The objectives are
i. You will understand your dominant communication style and you will
know how to effectively communicate with other styles.
ii. You will know how to implement strategies to improve communication
with upper management.
iii. You will be able to apply communication techniques with all staff
members to avoid future miscommunications.
c. Since the target audience is servers, they are probably not too enthusiastic about
doing more training, after already completing their training when they first arrived
at the diner. Because of this dilemma, there will be an icebreaker, two activities, a
short video clip, and a 5-minute break to maintain focus.
d. The trainees will be provided with handouts of the Powerpoint so they can take
notes and can reference it during and after the training session. Unfortunately
there is no TV or room for a projector so we will just be using the handouts.
e. All three learning styles will be incorporated into the training so that everyone is
able to learn at their own discretion. There will be Powerpoint handouts for the
visual learners, there will be a lecture-based presentation for the auditory learners,
and there will be role-playing and other activities for the tactile learners.
f. At the end of the training session, the trainees will be given the opportunity to
evaluate the training and give any suggestions for future improvement.
2. Target audience for training
a. 13 total servers & cooks will be able to stop in if they want, but it is directed
towards the servers
b. Full time and part time
c. Men and women
d. Between the ages of 18 and 65, with the majority of them between 20 and 35
e. Everyone speaks & reads English
f. No mental or physical disabilities
3. Training Goals
a. Our goal is to improve communication between the all the servers and the servers
and upper management. We are hoping they take away valuable communication
skills to help them communicate with all employees effectively.
4. Program
a. Date: April 12th at 2:00 PM
b. Title: Enhancing your experience at Joes Griddle and Grill
c. Length (Between 60-90 minutes)

i. Introduction: 3 minutes
ii. Icebreaker: 10 minutes
iii. Overview: 1 minutes
iv. Objective 1: 5 minutes
v. Activity: 15 minutes
vi. Objective 2: 10 minutes
vii. Activity: 15 minutes
viii. Objective 3: 10 minutes
ix. Conclusion: 1 minute
d. Objectives
i. You will understand your dominant communication style and you will
know how to effectively communicate with other styles.
ii. You will know how to implement strategies to improve communication
with upper management.
iii. You will be able to apply communication techniques with all staff
members to avoid future miscommunications.
e. Outline
i. Introduction
1. As employees are beginning to come in, we will be giving them a
short communication style quiz to fill out. Once they have their
style we will give them a colored note card corresponding to
their styles. These notecards will be used throughout the training to
pair with different people who either are or are not the same
communication style as them.
2. When everyone is present, we will introduce ourselves (Seniors at
JMU, Majoring in Organizational Communication Studies,
minoring in Human Resources Development. This training is for
our capstone project)
3. Explain the purpose of the training/its importance
a. Show charts from the needs assessment survey and mystery
diner survey
ii. Icebreaker (Pat on the Back)
1. Directions: Everyone grab a piece of paper and trace your hand on
it. Then have someone tape it to your back. Walk around and write
compliments about one another. (3 minutes)
2. Debriefing:
a. What did you get out of this experience?
b. Were you surprised by any of the comments written on
your back?
iii. Overview of objectives/activities
iv. First Objective: What communication style are you?
1. Communication style is defined as the way one verbally and
nonverbally interacts to signal how literal meaning should be
taken, interpreted, filtered, or understood and is closely related to
how things are said rather than what is said International
Journal of Hospitality Management

2. Communication style quiz

a. Demonstrators (pink): Take time to build a relationship and
socialize with them. Create a fun, lively atmosphere with
new and diverse elements. Help them make a list of
priorities, but try to skip the unimportant details and boring
material. After a meeting, be clear about who is going to do
what and by when. Put everything down in writing. Be
slow to criticize them. Instead, motivate them with praise.
b. Assertors (orange): Be clear, brief, fast, and precise. Be
well-prepared to provide solutions to their problems. Skip
the small talk and get down to business. Highlight key
points. Avoid going into too much detail. Find out their
goals and provide options with clear costs and benefits.
Supply concrete data to back up claims of progress. Show
how goals have been obtained.
c. Contemplators (Yellow): Explain How to recognize; How
to Communicate with a Contemplator: Avoid too much
small talk and focus on the details, Go slow and give them
time and space to think things through, they can be known
as perfectionists sometimes, Put everything down in writing
d. Narrators (Green): Explain how to recognize; How to
Communicate with a Narrator: Be warm and inviting.
Focus on their feelings, Dont ever push them into a corner
to get what you need, Build a relationship and learn more
about their personal lives before getting down to business,
Reduce their fears by clearly explaining how a certain
change will benefit them and those around them.
v. Activity: Defend the Egg
1. Directions: There is one person who is the architecture who draws
a design for protecting the egg but, cannot communicate with any
of the other members during this time. After 2 minutes, the whole
group must create the design the architecture made with minimal
changes and it must look like the original design. Proceed to drop
egg from a height and see whose egg doesnt break.
2. Debriefing: Discuss how the architect represents management and
how this effects one-way communication.
a. What went well and what was effective in terms of
teamwork?
b. Were there any prominent traits or characteristics of good
leadership or teamwork, or meaningful contributions during
gameplay?
c. Would do anything differently next time?
d. Was this hard because you had to follow the architectures
design and you had no input?
e. Can this be related to communication between yourselves
and upper management?

vi. Second Objective: Management Communication

1. What is management's role?
a. Regular Communication Practices: Find ways to
communicate regularly without making it tedious.
i. Weekly? Monthly? One-on-one?
ii. Communication channels: phone, e-mail, face to
face, sticky notes, regular meetings with
management
iii. Use online social media sites and email alerts. Ask
employees if they would like to get updates via text
messages or emails? Or the bulletin board?
iv. Facilitate a discussion where the servers can express
how often they would like to have updates from
management/which way of communication they
prefer
b. Soliciting Feedback:
i. This facilitates two-way communication and lets
employees know their ideas are important. For
managers, it gives them an opportunity to gain new
ideas, as well as insight into employees jobs.
c. Active Listening:
i. Listening is as much a communication skill as
speaking or writing. How do you feel about
management's listening skills? Have you tried to
communicate anything with them?
d. Lead by Example:
i. Employees need to know that their managers are
credible and will follow through on what they say.
Management can establish credibility by promising
only what they can deliver; admitting when theyre
wrong and never denigrating an employee or their
ideas, particularly in front of others.
ii. Managers also need to be mindful of their
communication styles and aware that their nonverbal signals everything from how they stand to
their facial expressions Do you feel as though
management indicates an openness and willingness
to communicate?
2. Communication is not a one-way street! Many common problems
in restaurants result from poor communication and could be
avoided by implementing simple workplace procedures.
a. How can you help management and yourselves succeed?
b. Asking questions, confirming details, giving feedback to
management and asking for clarification
vii. Activity
1. In-human Knot

2. Objective: First, create a tangled mess of your ropes then trade

your tangled mess with another groups and see if you can
untangle their mess (while they work on yours).
3. Directions:
a. You need at least 12 people (two groups of 6) with people
observing if needed
b. Setup the activity in advance of the group by placing three
ropes on the ground in the shape of an asterisk.
c. Team members pick up an end of a rope with one hand.
Once you pick up a rope you can't let go of it until the
activity is over.
d. Each team of 6 will now take two minutes to tie a big knot
in the center of the ropes. Keep working on making the
knot more tangled until time runs out. Remember, no
letting go of the rope!
e. After time is up, lay your ropes (your tangled mess) on the
ground and let go of the ropes.
f. Teams will now rotate to another team's knot and pick up a
rope. Now work together to untangle the knot without
letting go of the rope.
4. Debriefing Questions: Discuss the importance of co-worker
communication and how if you dont do your job, someone else
will be picking up the slack and it affects the restaurant as a whole.
a. Are you working with a team that needs to experience what
its like to make a mess and then hand it off to another team
to solve? Sometimes you see this in shift workers they
will either create a problem or recognize it and then
postpone solving it if they know the next shift will be more
likely to solve it.
b. What was it like being left with this mess of a knot that
wasnt yours?
c. If members of the group were not helping to get out of
the knot, how did that affect your feelings about it?
d. What kind of knots is this group in? What do we need
to unravel those knots?
e. What can you do to avoid problems altogether?
f. What is our responsibility to this problem? Is it ours to
solve?
viii. Third Objective: Co-Worker Communication
1. Verbal Communication Guidelines
a. Basic Communication Standards: Help employees
understand that they represent the restaurant and must
uphold its reputation. Include tone and quality standards in
verbal communication guidelines that ensure everyone
maintains a level of professionalism. Discourage yelling
and the use of profanity, and insist that employees speak

respectfully to each other. Remind employees that even if

loud voices or inappropriate language is a momentary
reaction to chaos, customers may overhear and take a dim
view of such emotionally charged conversations. Also,
strong emotions can offend fellow employees and decrease
employee morale.
b. Address Communication Barriers: Generational, cultural
and language differences can cause miscommunication
between employees and customers. Acknowledge these
differences, and agree on behind-the-scenes jargon that
employees of any age can understand. Bridge any language
gap with a set of non-verbal cues such as gestures or
demonstrations.
c. Encourage Clear Communication: Miscommunication can
lead to ordering errors and result in unhappy customers. Set
verbal guidelines for the front and back of the house that
focus on speaking clearly and politely and a rate that isnt
too fast or too slow. Hold a short meeting before the start of
each shift to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Reinforce verbal communication guidelines, go over daily
specials and encourage employee participation. For
example, you can have a seasoned waiter demonstrate
upselling, have a cook explain a few kitchen jargon terms
and ask open-ended questions such as asking servers to set
and verbalize a total check goal for the day.
d. The Value of Scripting: Scripts can be effective for
instructing front-of-the-house employees on how you want
verbal communications to proceed. They clarify verbal
guidelines for welcoming and seating customers, taking and
placing orders and responding to customer complaints.
However, how strictly employees should adhere to
prewritten scripts depends on how they interact with
customers.
i. Have employees work together in teams and come
up with a few scripted greetings that they can use
at the front of the house
2. Nonverbal Communication
a. About 65-75% of all communication is nonverbal in nature.
People use nonverbal cues to arrive at judgments about
how they relate to coworkers.
b. Behaviors such as gesturing or fidgeting express
nervousness, while speaking loudly and quickly expresses
aggression. Avoid sighing, averting your eyes, or any other
negative body language so you dont unintentionally
communicate something. Try to use forms of positive body
language such as maintaining eye contact and genuine

smiles. Even if youre feeling stressed that day or in a bad

mood, making yourself smile can actually signal to your
brain that you are feeling happier.
c. Pay attention. When somebody addresses you, pay
attention. If possible, stop doing what you're doing; if not,
ask them to wait for a minute or so until you can pause.
Then give him or her your full attention. Face the person
and listen actively by nodding and reflecting what they said
back to them so they know youve heard them.
d. Take initiative. Go out of your way to make someone elses
job easier. Complete side work so the next shift starts off
prepared and isnt trying to catch up with side duties during
a rush. Even if you feel like its not your problem, it will
reflect badly on the restaurant as a whole if one person in
the team fails. If another server is busy and you have extra
time, help them out. A satisfied customer = repeat business.
More business = more tables for everyone more $.
3. Miscommunication in the kitchen can cause the servers to deliver
the wrong items to customers, resulting in dissatisfied customers.
a. List two ways you can improve your communication so
that the right meal is brought out to the customer and the
food does not sit out too long after it is ready.
ix. Closing: Bring the meeting back together and recap. Create an action
plan. The trainees write down 3 things they will do differently after this
training. Conclude the training session and give them the evaluation
materials at the end of their information packets and thank everyone for
participating.
f. Teaching Strategies
i. Adult Learning Theory: Adult learners learn best when the training is
personal and relevant. They will absorb information more easily when
they can see how it is applicable to their own job and can connect their
own experiences to the content. This is why we will facilitate a discussion
about their current communication methods. We will show their answers
from our needs assessment and ask them why they think communication is
poor and how it could be improved. We will establish relevance by
explaining how their professionalism and teamwork affects the customer's'
experience and their tips.
ii. Multiple Intelligence Theory: It is important to use a variety of different
strategies such as lecture, visuals, and experiential activities, so you can
reach everyone in the audience, because each person learns differently.
Combining different methods also enhances retention. Learners retain
90% of what they say and do. Therefore, we will incorporate activities
with the discussions, so that the trainees can practice what theyve learned
and reflect on it. We will target visual learners by providing handouts.
g. Teaching Materials
i. PowerPoint Handouts with fill in the blank sections so trainees are

actively listening
ii. Communication Style assessments
5. Audiovisual Equipment
a. Handouts
6. Evaluation Plan:
a. The evaluation sheet will have instructions followed by a thank-you and that their
feedback is appreciated at the top. The following questions will be on the
evaluation:
i. Open response:
1. What was your favorite thing about this session?
2. What did you learn today that will help you in the future?
3. If you could change one thing about this training session, what
would it be?
4. What is your overall feeling about your ability to communicate
with co-workers at the end of this session?
ii. Likert Scale Questions:
1. You were able to focus on the informative material when presented
2. The training use a variety of activities relevant to the training
3. The topic fit the audiences needs
4. The material was created well (error free, easy to read)
5. The room set up appropriately for the training
iii. Instructor Evaluation:
Instructor 1: ________________ Instructor 2: ____________
1. Understood the topic being presented
2. Was well prepared for the training session
3. Encouraged discussion and participation
4. Preserved professionalism
5. Was organized
7. Equipment
a. Pens
b. Colored note cards
c. Straws (x100)
d. Painting Tape
e. Raw Egg (x5)
f. Zip Lock Baggie (x5)
g. Construction Paper (x4)
h. Paper towels
i. Trash bag
j. Newspaper
k. Ropes for in-human knot
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