| OK new restaurant owner. You open your doors | | | | on the sidelines? He had one of the most |
| for the first time; you are staffed to the | | | | intense gazes. You would always find Coach |
| gills to ensure you have enough staff to take | | | | Shula focused every play, kneeling, squatting |
| really good care of the large amount of | | | | or standing intently on the yard line marker |
| business you expect during the opening weeks. | | | | of where the ball was placed, watching each |
| Hosts are all over the door, greeting each | | | | player execute his Coaching. Sending in every |
| guest with enthusiasm and smiles. Managers | | | | play. Giving feedback about everything he |
| everywhere are talking to guests and | | | | could to everyone he needed to in order to |
| supporting staff. There is one server for | | | | get the results he demanded.All this, every |
| every 2-3 tables, and one busser and host per | | | | second of every game. Rewarding great players |
| 5 servers. Hosts are making small talk at | | | | who executed great plays, as well as |
| tables as they seat guests who are eager to | | | | redirecting poor performance as it happened, |
| hear about your menu and drink lists. The | | | | before it had a chance to taint the rest of |
| kitchen manager/chef is doing a great job. | | | | the team's effort to lose the game. If they |
| Food comes out of the kitchen in record time | | | | won, he praised the performances that led to |
| with great presentations, feeding the eyes of | | | | the victory, rewarded outstanding individual |
| the guest as they are placed superbly before | | | | efforts as well, and then began to prepare |
| them on exquisitely set tables. Bartenders | | | | for the next game almost as immediately as |
| are showing off their drink prep skills with | | | | the gun signaled the end of the current one. |
| awesome flair, while telling jokes and the | | | | If they lost, he praised great performances |
| sound of laughter is heard in the dining room | | | | and rewarded outstanding individual efforts |
| coming from the bar. Guests are happy and you | | | | as well, and then redirected poor |
| are able to put out operational fires | | | | performances so that those players could, in |
| practically before they flame up. Business is | | | | the next game, contribute to the team's |
| awesome and guest comment cards tell you to | | | | effort to win it. Winningest Coach in NFL |
| keep up the great job! You must be a genius! | | | | history! The only Coach with a totally |
| "This is easier than I thought!" you tell | | | | undefeated season! Several Super Bowl Rings! |
| yourself.Fast-forward 4 weeks!Guests walk in | | | | I think he has a restaurant or two as |
| the front door at 3:30pm and no one is there | | | | well.Compare that to the team in last place. |
| to greet them. They wait for 10 minutes | | | | Everybody wanting to call their own plays. |
| before the two bartenders who are talking to | | | | Lots of penalties due to frustrations by |
| each other at the bar, notice them and yell | | | | players. No momentum gained at any point and |
| back to the kitchen for the host to come out | | | | seemingly no GamePlan! or team strategy. Lots |
| and seat them. The host walks very briskly to | | | | of yelling by the Coach and tempers flaring. |
| the host stand barely making any eye contact | | | | Player in fighting and finger pointing as to |
| and says, "Two?" "Smoking or non?" Then walks | | | | who is responsible for lackluster |
| away from the guests and motions to them to | | | | performances. Low morale. Players wanting to |
| take their seats at the table she throws two | | | | be traded or have their contracts |
| menus down onto, before once again she | | | | renegotiated. Draftees not wanting to play |
| disappears into the kitchen. Ten more minutes | | | | for the team. Are you getting the drift |
| go bye before the server arrives and says, | | | | here?Coaches must set expectations and |
| "Are you ready to order yet?" Orders are | | | | performance standards in the beginning. Next, |
| taken but not written down because the server | | | | the Coach must be focused on watching each |
| is, "very good at remembering things" and | | | | player on the field during every play in |
| leaves talking under her breath. Drinks | | | | order to give feedback and support. Not |
| arrive. Food arrives relatively soon and has | | | | pointing out every action to perform, but |
| 2 side order mistakes as Miss | | | | guiding then encouraging each player to |
| Icanrememberalotofthings, forgot to put in | | | | execute their training 100%. Lastly, Coaches |
| the substitutions, and comments to the guest, | | | | need to reward behavior through the measured |
| "...well I guess I could have not understood | | | | results of active, participative goal setting |
| what you were telling me!" But brings out the | | | | as well as through individual performances. |
| substituted items and fails to apologize. | | | | Failing to execute on the Coaches part is |
| Server does not check back before all drinks | | | | usually related to a failure to deliver 99% |
| are completely empty, and guests become | | | | of these Coaching responsibilities. And every |
| worried that their friends who recommended | | | | time I analyze a bad restaurant, it |
| you have misjudged your restaurant from the | | | | inevitably falls to these causes for the |
| opening week they first tried you.What has | | | | reasoning behind the poor results.How does it |
| happened? This is the same staff you had in | | | | get so bad? There are many reasons, but my |
| the opening that performed superbly. Same | | | | top 6 include: a lack of skill due to poor |
| great food and service? Why would sales begin | | | | management training or the lack of ongoing |
| to dip lower than anticipated? Guest counts | | | | training; the failure to establish the proper |
| drop?In a word, "UNDER-COACHING"! It is | | | | Culture to achieve the business goals and |
| occurring in epidemic proportions everywhere | | | | objectives; fear; trying to be a friend |
| I turn.By creating a false sense of the | | | | instead of a boss; condoning bad performance |
| proper Culture in your restaurant from the | | | | and failing to develop great players.The |
| beginning, you have taught your staff that | | | | first one comes from my long-standing belief |
| the sense of urgency and pride with which you | | | | that you can never Coach or behave in any way |
| performed in the opening weeks, no longer is | | | | that you have never personally experienced |
| necessary or demanded by you. That now you | | | | yourself. How can you Coach superior |
| have to be checking out servers in the office | | | | performance if you have never seen superior |
| or checking in inventory and cannot be on the | | | | performance? How can you be a great Coach if |
| floor. You did not set up realistic labor | | | | you've never been Coached greatly? How can a |
| scheduling from the beginning for either | | | | server be great when they have never |
| staff or management and now your staff has to | | | | experienced great service? How can you |
| learn a completely new way of working without | | | | overcome training issues if you do not devote |
| the support of the army you gave them during | | | | yourself to Coaching your team? And who will |
| the opening. You have trained guests to | | | | Coach the Coaches?The Culture question is the |
| expect to be pampered by that same army but | | | | extension of the lack of proper skills point. |
| now that you need to run a decent labor cost, | | | | Culture is what happens in your restaurant in |
| you cut back to "normal operating staffing" | | | | the absence of a policy or direct |
| and leave the guest wondering what has | | | | supervision. How can you create a high |
| happened to such a good place so soon?And now | | | | performance Culture if you have never been a |
| what are you going to do? Coupons? Discounts? | | | | part of one? Each and every employee needs to |
| Quick fix, short-term gimmick marketing that | | | | challenge any behavior that doesn't |
| will only further confuse your guests and at | | | | accomplish the goals of the team. And you |
| the same time tell them that the price they | | | | must develop the security in yourself to |
| paid for their experience in the beginning | | | | allow staff to challenge you as well.Fear |
| was way too much? Profits begin to drop | | | | probably took you by surprise, but it is |
| toward red levels, while costs soar as you | | | | true. Coaches may have the skills necessary |
| sit in your office wondering what the license | | | | to Coach great players, but still lack the |
| number of that truck was that you just got | | | | courage to challenge unacceptable behaviors |
| run over by?Unfortunately, this is not a made | | | | or bad performances, or else the second |
| up scenario. It actually happened to the | | | | biggest fear - namely the fear of not being |
| restaurant owners that just opened their | | | | liked by the players. I have also had Coaches |
| latest unit close to where I live. And my | | | | that were actually afraid of talking to |
| wife and I were the guests. So when I asked | | | | guests. I have also seen Coaches who were |
| the manager what happened? His reply was, | | | | afraid to work the floor for fear of what bad |
| "...well we had hoped it would last longer | | | | things might be lurking about. And the ever |
| than it did, but we knew that eventually | | | | popular fear of actually being |
| business would drop off. Now we're all about | | | | successful!Trying to be a friend instead of a |
| our bottom line." And of course, when I | | | | boss gets more Coaches in trouble than most |
| offered my help (for free!) in recreating the | | | | anything else. I know that the feeling of |
| excitement and level of business they enjoyed | | | | family is a great thing to have and it can |
| before their expected reality set in, they | | | | provide above average results. But all too |
| politely declined. What a very sad statement | | | | often it is the backdrop to allowing creeping |
| to make on what started out to be a fantastic | | | | under-Coaching. It creeps in by taking the |
| example of how to do it right, but is now | | | | talent for granted. That they can perform on |
| nothing more than fodder for magazine | | | | their own because "...they know what to do!" |
| articles on what not to do.This kind of | | | | Hoping that just because you let a player |
| scenario plays out all too often in our | | | | slack off due to his "personal problems" and |
| world. However, it can be avoided. Moreover, | | | | then hoping he gets his act together doesn't |
| if it has happened to you, you can recover | | | | cut it either. You must deal with "C" & "D" |
| from it. Let us start at the | | | | players immediately in order to raise the |
| beginning.Leadership is about creating a | | | | talent level of your bench strength as well |
| Culture that achieves the vision set out for | | | | as keep those "A" & "B" players. Rewarding |
| the business. It is about doing the right | | | | everyone the same falls into this category as |
| thing towards your guests and staff, while at | | | | well. Rewards need to be tied to performance |
| the same time creating opportunity for the | | | | - period! Allowing players to remain in their |
| future of the business to grow and be | | | | "comfort zones" and not pushing them to be |
| successful. The tool used to accomplish these | | | | better or do more is another "good guy" trait |
| feats is nothing less than Coaching!I do not | | | | that must be overcome. And the worst one of |
| think you can talk too much on the subject of | | | | all, always seeking consensus on every |
| Coaching in our industry. The second most | | | | decision for fear of someone "feeling bad" |
| important subject for us at the unit level is | | | | about the decision.And oh you would never |
| Culture. Now let us understand more of the | | | | condone bad performances you say? Well you do |
| basics first. You will never be lacking in | | | | every time you accept less than the 100% |
| the Coaching department, and you will always | | | | execution of your performance models. Every |
| have a Culture in your restaurant. It may be | | | | time you allow a server to get drinks to a |
| good or it may be bad, but regardless, you | | | | table in more time than your training |
| will have a Culture. The question is what | | | | dictates! Every time you let a plate go out |
| kind is it? When you answer that question, | | | | of the kitchen that you know isn't 100%, but |
| you have a handle on the type of Coaching | | | | you let it go anyway for some reason. Every |
| that exists also.Great restaurants that | | | | time you let a player get by with being 5 |
| deliver WOW service AND amazing food AND | | | | minutes late, just because you're just plain |
| unbelievable value, AND deliver great | | | | happy they showed up! Etc, Etc, Etc...You |
| profits, (like the one in the beginning of | | | | need to spend time with each employee in |
| our story) have great Cultures that nurture | | | | order to set goals for them (yes each |
| staff to perform at their very best, every | | | | individual employee needs a goals action |
| guest, every table, every day. They have | | | | plan!). And the best tool is Transactional |
| superb Coaching driving this Culture as well | | | | Management.Failing to develop great players. |
| - leaders who Coach every employee, every | | | | Great players aren't born, they are made. You |
| play, at every table, every day. (Sorry if I | | | | might be able to hire what you consider "A" |
| rhyme!)Bad restaurants by contrast (and there | | | | players, but they are really only "A" level |
| are only the two kinds - more on that later!) | | | | opportunities waiting for you to develop them |
| de-evolve into a Culture of slackers | | | | into "A" level players. Just because a great |
| performing tasks somewhat relative to service | | | | player got to the "Pro Bowl" with one team |
| and placing what appears to be food in front | | | | doesn't mean that he can do it with another. |
| of people who walk in and request something | | | | He must be developed into that superstar he |
| to eat while they sit down at a table where | | | | has the potential to be, and then continue to |
| it will be placed for their consumption, and | | | | be developed in order to keep that superstar |
| then expected to fork out greenbacks for it, | | | | edge! Skills get rusty if not kept sharp and |
| as well as the opportunity to be ignored by | | | | used constantly. Plus your Playbook is |
| their wait person who is off doing only God | | | | different than the last team he played for. |
| knows what, only God knows where. And | | | | The bottom line here is that you have to |
| although you think that these two places are | | | | practice, practice, practice! Practice each |
| universes apart, I guarantee you they are | | | | and every play in your Playbook until it |
| only a few subtleties different. Coaching is | | | | becomes second nature to your team. When that |
| present here too, just not in the form you | | | | happens, you have the right Culture to |
| came to expect from the first | | | | win.This game is won by each and every detail |
| restaurant.Coaching is the proactive job of | | | | of each and every play. The more |
| restaurant managers in charge of a business. | | | | opportunities you give your opponent to beat |
| Not a novel idea but then again it is 2005 | | | | you, the more they will. Play it smart. Coach |
| and I still rant over how a manager/owner can | | | | your team. Work towards the goal of 100% |
| expect to be like restaurant number 1, and | | | | execution on every play. Then watch out for |
| sit at a table in the dining room all day | | | | that shower of Gatorade!Have Fun Today! |
| working the keys of a calculator trying to | | | | |
| come up with the math that will allow him to | | | | Jeffrey Summers, Head Coach |
| pay his bills. Then wonder why he can't. But | | | | |
| I digress.Hey! Let's talk football!Restaurant | | | | GameOn! Restaurant Coaching Solutions (TM) |
| number 1, (let's call it my restaurant) has a | | | | Jeffrey Summers is a 24 year veteran of the |
| GM/Owner who, like the great Coach on a very | | | | Hospitality Industry and is currently the |
| good football team, is on the sidelines | | | | passionate |
| watching every play, calling the plays, | | | | |
| Coaching the team through the series of plays | | | | Head Coach of GameOn! Restaurant Coaching |
| that will lead to winning the game, and | | | | Solutions (TM) . You can reach Jeffrey |
| living the game through the actions of his | | | | through his popular website at or by calling |
| team, one play at a time. Ever see Don Shula | | | | 972-736-3253. |