Standards Only Work When Leaders Enforce Them
Written standards don’t change behavior — consistent leadership does.
A lot of kitchens proudly say,
“We have standards.”
Recipes.
Checklists.
SOPs.
Training binders.
And yet… execution is still inconsistent.
That’s because standards don’t work on paper.
They work when leaders enforce them — every shift, every time.
Why Standards Break Down
nobody corrects small misses
enforcement depends on who’s managing
busy shifts excuse shortcuts
accountability feels optional
Eventually the team learns a dangerous lesson:
Standards are suggestions.
What Strong Leaders Do Differently
They:
coach in the moment
correct calmly
reinforce expectations consistently
don’t wait for problems to grow
protect standards even when it’s uncomfortable
Consistency from leadership creates consistency on the line.
Final Thought
Standards aren’t about control.
They’re about clarity — and clarity requires leadership.
