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Step up as chief stew the right way and avoid these common stew mistakes

After training hundreds of stewardesses to become Top-Notch Chief Stews, Yachts Mermaids founder Marién has made a list of the common stew mistakes she has seen in first-time interior HOD. And helpfully, how to avoid them so you can have an easier time transitioning.

Here are some common chief stew mistakes and how to avoid them:

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Mistake 1: Forgetting to develop a management mindset

How to avoid: You are likely thinking of jumping into a Chief Stew role because you’re awesome at your job. But the crazy thing about your new position is that it’s not about you anymore. As a stewardess, your number one job is to accomplish tasks. Now, as a Chief Stew, your number one job is to help other people outstandingly achieve the tasks.

This shift is often difficult for first-time Chief Stews, but it’s crucial—your performance will be tied to your team’s performance. This means that if your team fails, you fail. And if they succeed? You can take credit, but you have to share it with the rest of the team, or they won’t be willing to do an excellent job for you in the future.

Mistake 2: Not having an SOP in place

How to avoid: Create an Interior Management System, aka SOP. This manual, or stew bible as we call it in the interior departments, will be the backbone of your management duties. Without it, you will be lost like a needle in a haystack in your new role. The Mermaids Kick-Starter Bible will support you in creating your own Interior Management System. With over 90 digital and editable templates, you will save time, which means you will lead by example as a Chief Stew. Download the MKSB here.

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Mistake 3: Repeating what previous Chief Stews have done onboard, even when inefficient or wrong.

How to avoid: Learning who you are as a leader is the key to succeeding in your new role. Repeating what others have done if it works is ok, but I often see first-time chiefs doing things the way they have seen others do it, even when they know it is not beneficial just because they haven’t taken the time to develop their leadership skills. The best way to achieve this is by investing in developing your self-leadership skill sets. If you are ready to heighten and develop your natural leadership skills in no time, check out the YM self-leadership mini-course; Click here.

Mistake 4: Over compromising

How to avoid: Knowing how to set boundaries with the crew, owners, and guests is crucial to your success. As a first-time chief stew, you want to show that you can do the job, but that doesn’t mean that you need to say yes to everything they ask, specifically if doing so means achieving the outcome by putting your mental and physical health at risk . Sometimes NO is the correct answer. That’s why reconnecting with your feminine energy and menstrual cycle is the key to setting boundaries and avoiding burnout. Understanding the 4 phases of your menstrual cycle will allow you to plan your personal and work life around it to support your mental and physical health and that of the team. Click here to learn more about the YM Magic Womb Masterclass for Stews.

Mistake 5: Leading from a frenetic energy

How to avoid: Having a self-care routine is essential to prevent engaging in frenetic energy. Practices like meditation, exercise, and guided breathing will help regulate your energy. As a leader, whatever you feel, others will notice and feel it too. If you are constantly anxious or worried, your team will pick up on that, and more than likely, they will start to feel the same way, which translates to a chaotic team energy and service. Taking care of yourself should be your #1 priority. If you don’t have a healthy mental and physical state, your work performance will suffer, and so will your team efficiency—That’s why Marién recommends investing in a coach or therapist to help you maintain balance in your life. She has over seven years of experience supporting stews in this field. Click here to book a session with Marién.

Here is what others are saying about their coaching sessions with Marién:

“Marién always gives me the tools I need to calm down and come back to myself so that I can be the best leader for my team.” -Greta

“my overall mindset has changed for the better, and we have done some critical work unlocking my full potential. It has helped me, not only in my work life but my day-to-day life.” -Marcelle

Remember that the secret to succeeding in anything you do and avoiding stew mistakes is preparing and investing in yourself. Click here to learn more about all the ways Marién can support you.

We hope you are able to avoid these common chief stew mistakes and progress you career successfully!

For further guidance visit the Yachts Mermaids homepage here.

And, for more of the latest industry content, click here.

Marien, co-founder of Yachts mermaid has shared with you her top tips on how to perfect your role as a chief stew.

Are you starting as a Chief Stew or trying to improve in your role? Either way, you have to understand how things will get done smoothly, efficiently, and consistently by all your team members. And that’s why having an SOP in place in your interior department is crucial.

A standard operating procedure (SOP), in other words, an interior management system, is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by a Chief Stewardess to help the interior crew carry out routine operations. The aim is to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance. Meanwhile, reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with the yachts’ regulations.

A standard operating procedure is a document that provides clear-cut directions and instructions. It will tell you how teams and members within an interior department must go about completing certain processes.

Creating an SOP provides a “true north” for your team to strive toward. But also, a clearly-drawn map to guide them along the way.

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Benefits of implementing an SOP:

Ensures Consistency –As I’ve said, an SOP enables your interior team to run like a finely-tuned machine. A huge part of running “like a machine” is consistency. Following an SOP like the Mermaids Kick-Starter Bible will ensure that your team will always know the right path to take—and will always take it. Download the MKSB here.

Ensures Efficiency- With SOP in place, compliance regarding all organizational processes is not merely a suggestion but a mandate. It’s simple: It ensures your team knows the most efficient and effective way to go about a certain task.

Enables Proper Onboarding and Training- It makes it easier to train your team members about the best practices in certain situations and how to navigate them. In contrast, in not having clearly-defined SOPs in place, you run the risk of leaving your team uninformed. As well as, being unprepared to handle particular challenges as they come about.

Maintains Organizational Knowledge- For the sake of argument, let’s say your team already knows exactly how to handle any situation that comes their way—and is always able to do so effectively and efficiently. In this case, it may seem like documenting everything your team already knows would be a waste of time, money, and other resources. After all, everyone knows what to do, so why take the time to write down everything they already know?

The problem, though, is that your team isn’t going to remain intact as-is forever. Crew will quit, be promoted, go on leave…the list goes on. When that happens, you need to know that the knowledge and expertise they’ve brought to the interior will stay within the yacht.

In documenting your SOP, you’ll ensure this info stays within your vessel—allowing new team members to pick up right where the old ones leave off.

Challenges of Developing an SOP:

While there are many benefits to developing an interior management system within your department, doing so comes with its fair shares of challenges, such as a shortage of time or a shortfall in computer skills required to create one. The Mermaids Kick-Starter Bible is here to help you with creating an SOP as fast and smoothly as possible. The MKSB is a practical guide system that provides you the foundation, confidence, and knowledge to excel at your Chief Stewardess role. These guidelines will save you time and energy, as there is no need to recreate them. They are digital and editable templates!

Merging your knowledge with these guidelines will create the perfect SOP for your team and vessel, whether private or charter.

Included in the MKSB system you will find over 90+ Templates in Mac and PC versions, Video Trainings, live support, and private coaching if desired. Download the MKSB here.

Accessibility, Visibility, and Centralization of Information:

The standard operating procedures must be accessible to all members at any time, even after they’ve been developed. This is so all crew is able to engage and access the information.

Without this accessibility and visibility, it can be pretty easy for SOP to fall to the backburner. This will only lead team members to go back to the “old way of doing things.” Defeating the purpose of developing SOP in the first place. Moreover, the SOP documentation must be the same documentation across the board. The most effective way to ensure this is to keep the document in a centralized database that all members have access to. That way, you can guarantee that all team members are following the right documentation at all times. As part of the MKSB, you will receive video training on how to maintain your system accessibly, visible, and centralized. Get it here.

Management and Maintenance of an SOP:

Please keep in mind that regarding the management and maintenance of an SOP, there are two main challenges to consider. First, your team will need to be properly trained and prepared to implement the procedures in question. This means ensuring they have access to any equipment or other resources required to complete the tasks defined within the SOP. All of this, whilst ensuring that they know how to efficiently and effectively use these resources. If this piece of the puzzle is missing, your team simply won’t be able to act in accordance with SOP.

What’s considered the best course of action, for the time being, may not always be so. Personnel changes and various other factors may require your team to revisit previously-developed SOP as time goes on. You will end up doing more harm than good to your interior department if your team follows an outdated or obsolete SOP. I advise you to meet with your team at the end of each season. By doing so, you can find out what procedures are working successfully and which ones need improvement. This will ensure your team works smart, not hard. And also, making sure the SOP is always updated.

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5 First Time Chief Stew Mistakes