You could consider setting standards in any of the following ways:

• The group leader (a supervisor, manager, or in the case of a multinational franchise, someone at head office) sets the standard
• Group members (the employees who do the work) set their own standards
• Group members and leaders negotiate the standards together

When we think about how people learn and what motivates them, we know that people probably work harder and are more productive when they can set their own standards. However, it’s also true that if employees represent a company that has restaurants around the world, the company wants standards to be consistent wherever customers are. If you go into Restaurant A in Canada, you will get the same greeting, service, and hospitality when you visit the same chain in America, Australia, or England. That kind of business models leaves only a limited opportunity for employees to influence the standard that has been set, although their own behavior and attitude will affect their ability to meet the standard set.