We’ve quantified what we expect from Zingerman’s leaders when it comes to the “soft skills” that make for effective managers/leaders. Here are some of those expectations:

1. Provide vision: written vision for department completed as part of each year’s annual plan.
2. Give great service to the staff: follow Zingerman’s 3 Steps to Great Service and 5 Steps to Handling Complaints when inter- acting with your co-workers and the people you manage; go the extra mile for staff a minimum of 5 times each day.
3. Manage in an ethical manner: Have at least 1 caring confrontation per month. 4. actively learn and teach: at least 2 hours of formal learning per week and at least 1 hour of formal teaching each month.
4. Help staff succeed by living Zingerman’s training compact: Document clear perfor- mance expectations in a Training Passport for your department, provide resources, recognize and reward performance.
5. Say “thanks!”: Write a minimum of 1 thank you note per week; say thank you to everyone at the end of every shift.