Service as a team
I always want to be a part of a team.
One thing I've learned from years of cooking and leading in kitchens is that listening is crucial. If you're talking all the time because you know best, very little will improve.
Failure isn't a destination, it's a path. And when you're on it, you have to figure out why you're on it and how to change course.
When you do talk, converse. You don't have to figure out all of the solutions yourself. You don’t escape from a deep pit alone. Leaders are mostly decision makers. Give others the opportunity to make suggestions and create meaning.
Make no mistake, it's damn difficult to improve a restaurant. It takes a lot of being good at what you do to be on a successful team.
There is no anxiety worse than being in the weeds and struggling to get others to work in harmony.
There is no greater feeling than when every single person on staff is on top of their game and food flies out of the window on a packed Friday night.
I've been on both teams. Both as a line cook and as a leader. And those experiences all came with a million lessons surrounding discipline, purpose and communication.
These are the two most important lessons I can note:
1. You must learn how to show respect on a team before ever leading anyone correctly. A leader is just another part of a team.
2. Your motivation has to come from making somebody else's day.
It's the purpose of service that drives improvement. People work hard for their money to spend it on you and you want to make something great for them. Even if it's a burger.
People can buy a cheap burger at McDonald's, but they came here. To your restaurant. Your sign on the front of your building, your excellent sanitation rating and your dining room decor promises a unique experience. Give it to them.
If you think this post about restaurant work doesn't have anything to do with design, I'm afraid you may be on a bad path.
