“Setting the Table”
You are a role model and you create the environment in which individuals and the restaurant will succeed.
- Attitude and Positive Energy
- Temperament
- Consistency (your restaurant's Atlas Brand Standard)
- Prepared and Punctual
What to cover in pre-shift and 1:1s
- 01
Everything the team does tonight starts with the tone we set before doors — that's what "setting the table" means at Atlas.
- 02
Attitude and positive energy: your team reads your face before they read the floor plan. Walk in at [Time] ready.
- 03
Temperament: we don't lead by volume. Correct in private, praise on the floor.
- 04
Consistency is our Atlas Brand Standard — [Venue Name] should feel the same on a Tuesday as on a Saturday.
- 05
Prepared and punctual: pre-shift starts on the minute, with notes written, VIPs known, and 86s confirmed.
- 06
Name one thing you'll model this week so the team can hold you to it.
Tip: Open your pre-shift with the standard you're modeling tonight, not the problem from last night.
Questions your team will ask
Ready to send — just edit the brackets
Tonight we're leading with Setting the Table. Pre-shift [Time] sharp — uniforms right, 86s confirmed, VIPs named. My standard tonight: [Your Standard]. Call me on it. — [Your Name]
Your pre-shift visual support
Put these up in the office before pre-shift
Milestone Check-Ins
Four fixed touchpoints in a new team member’s first year. Each one pairs with the Leadership Principle it draws on most — open that principle for talking points and ready-to-send copy.
Transition check-in
One-on-one, 20 minutes, off the floor
Check in one-on-one on how their transition is going — the shift rhythm, the team, and whether anything is still unclear.
- What has felt smoothest so far, and what still feels foreign?
- Who on the team have you leaned on most?
- Is your schedule working the way you expected?
Early performance review
One-on-one, 20 minutes, before or after peak service
Review early performance against the standard and answer any lingering questions about systems, menu, or expectations.
- Walk me through the part of the menu or system you feel least sure about.
- Where have you been corrected more than once? Let's close that gap.
- What do you still need from me to work independently?
Full performance and expectations conversation
Scheduled sit-down, 45 minutes, documented
Have the fuller performance and expectations conversation: results to date, standards going forward, and the next 90 days.
- Here is how your section, station, or shift is performing against target.
- These are the two expectations I am holding you to next quarter.
- What would you need to take on more ownership here?
Work anniversary recognition
Pre-shift recognition plus a short one-on-one
Recognize the work anniversary in front of the team, then talk about what the next year looks like for them.
- Name one specific thing they did this year in front of the team.
- Ask where they want to grow — station, section, or leadership.
- Confirm the development step you will support in the next six months.