In retrospect, it's so clear to me. I didn't own my restaurant. My employees owned my restaurant. They didn't work for me. I worked for them. And the more you conduct your daily routine with that in mind, the more successful you'll be.
When you boil it all down, your job is to make your employees' jobs easier. When you shirk your responsibilities, they can't get the job done. Here's how it usually unfolds...
- You don't invest in training
- A server delivers mediocre service
- Tips aren't as good as they could be.
- The customers leave.
- Your server leaves.
You let your customer down, and your employee down. You didn't do your job.
I developed a simple routine that I scheduled into my work week. I call it the One-On-One. Each week I would schedule a meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) with an employee. At that meal, I asked three simple questions, and I always heard something I either didn't know, or needed to hear again. And they all answered the question I really wanted to know..."How can I make your job easier?"
One-On-Ones have other benefits, too. We know that we need to build a happy, confident and productive workforce, and One-On-One's encourage:
- Pride
- Self-Esteem
- Respect
- Appreciation
- A team environment
- Lower turnover
Give this simple system a try. Download my form with questions to get you going. I guarantee that you will learn more about your business in a 45-minute One-On-One than in a full day with a consultant.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.