This other day there was a meeting on my schedule, but instead of meeting with me, my colleague was meeting with the police. Our meeting had to be cancelled because the person I was going to meet was dealing with the fact that their long-time, right-hand person had been exposed for embezzling a considerable sum of money … Continued
Management is not about doing things, it’s about growing people and leadership. If you call yourself a manager and you find yourself in the doing mode, stop. Julie Dickson, the managing director of Black Sombrero in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia recently wrote me. That’s right . . . she operates a “Taqueria and Tequilaria” in … Continued
The best companies make strengths out of their weaknesses. If you want to get the most from your business, you really don’t have any choice. Yesterday I was on the phone to a frankly excellent customer service department of a consumer electronics company. The phone was answered quickly, the person who answered was smart, funny, and … Continued
If you want to increase profits and asset value, pay your people more. We all spend a lot of time thinking about employee retention, attracting great candidates, and providing good benefits. It’s vital to have a stable workforce that understands our culture and our systems, and that takes care of customers in the way we want … Continued
Our server forgot to fire our third course. Which would normally lead to eye rolling, dissatisfaction, exasperation or worse. But the first two courses had been so . . . good, each plate so so well-conceived and unique to Dallas, and we had ordered so much food that we were satiated and almost grateful, ready to … Continued
Businesses start because they’re good at something. The best businesses grow and prosper because they become good at everything. Most business people know where their weak spots are. The best business people do something about them. I’m reflecting on two of the restaurants I visited in Dallas on a recent weekend. One of them is … Continued
Businesses tend to build their foundation on one thing they do really well. The best businesses then import competence and develop the skills that do not come naturally to them. Eventually they have the complete package, even though they still rely on the thing that they do the very best. In that way, a business … Continued
People prefer to buy from people they like. We like to know a little history about a business. We like to think we are doing business in someplace special, with special people. The most successful businesses have great stories to tell and these stories serve to engage their associates and customers in what makes their … Continued
The best operators constantly update their image, offerings and physical plant or they risk falling behind. In a market where product changes quickly, information between customers who notice anything outdated or inferior travels even faster. Operators who fall behind eye deteriorating circumstances and think they can get by without re-investing in their product and facilities. … Continued
I know a restaurant manager who says,“Mistakes are unacceptable. But I do offer forgiveness.” That’s certainly one way of looking at it. Not my approach. I read a book that mentioned perfection. The author said it was the denial of humanity. We are all human, but what human can afford to make serious mistakes when they open a new business? In … Continued