How do you relate to your multi-unit team and managers and everyone else? How much do they depend on you?

If the answer is “a lot,” know that creating such dependency isn’t a formula for building a great career.

Success won’t come because you do the work of everyone else in your organization. So raise them up and give them an arena in which to grow.

Whether you look to reduce food cost, increase your dining rooms quality of service and guest recognition, or improve communication of your culture, employ a consistent approach.

At the end of every day, reflect on how you resisted the temptation to take on issues yourself and, instead, took the more strategic (and valuable) path of allowing someone else on your team to learn, succeed, and get credit.
 

 

Superhero Trap

People think their job comes with a blue body suit, red boots, a red cape with a yellow-and-red “S” emblem on their chest, and the finishing touches of a red belt with a yellow buckle.

But that kind of thinking is a trap.

At first, many restaurant owners don’t understand this idea.

When I operated, I understood that clearly.  Still, when I started consulting decades ago, at first, I fell into the superhero trap.

I have been extracting myself and multi-unit restaurant owners from this trap ever since.

Including, on the extreme, one I know who feels an unnecessary need to visit all 5 of his restaurants every day and still another who wastes valuable time distributing desserts to all units in his truck.

 

At Its Best When You Were Here

When a client says to me, “Our business never ran better than when you were here,” I at first hear it as a compliment. But then I think, “There should not be much drop-off after I leave – because everything ought to stick.”

I met a management team at a very successful client restaurant last week, just as I had started to work with their organization.  

They seemed open to getting better, and they wanted to know just how much of me they would be seeing.

“If you see a lot of me, that will not necessarily be a good sign,” I told them. “Because my job involves showing you tools and strategy to run your restaurant better without being reliant on me. This team is smart and experienced and has built an incredible platform for growth. You can do it; I will help you level up.”

 

How to Raise People Up

Many people think their job (and my job) involves taking care of everything. In reality, the highest form of serving others raises people up so they create solutions themselves.

My invitation to you? Do what I do: Spend your day building talent around you, and resist the temptation to handle things yourself.

Address short-term needs – “what ought to happen” – with a long-term approach. Only by making people better can you achieve your growth plan.