3 Reasons You're Not Slaying F&B... Yet

1. The status quo is still in place.
2. Execution needs work.
3. Minutiae and nonsense is distracting you.

I figured I'd get right to the 3 reasons since you wouldn't read anything before that, am I right? Uh huh. Are these the ONLY three reasons? Maybe not but they're the Big 3.

Because if you want to truly slay F&B - or anything in life for that matter - it starts with the Desire to do so, then you seek the Knowledge you need, then you commit to the Vision. Not to depress you all to bits but here's what I see a lot of managers doing:

1. Accepting the procedures in place as gospel
2. Unclear on how to make the right changes
3. Just don't envision how their store/their employees/their professional lives will improve

Clearly, if you're doing all three of these, you're stuck in a big ol' jam. You probably don't know that it's time to light a fire under someone's butt. And that someone is YOU! But you're here, taking the time to figure stuff out so you're not quite as stuck as all that. No matter where you are professionally at the moment, you can start telling a new story right now. And the story is that you are an F&B Warrior.

You have already drawn the direct line from improving your store to increasing your bonus, your promotion, your sanity. And you can see the skills you gain to get you there are unique to YOU! You're more valuable when you have a system to produce measurable results - that is, PROOF that you're kicking ass.

So let's start with 1. The Status Quo... The problem is that we're often faced with processes and procedures that have been in place for years. And even worse, we're often faced with people around us who have accepted those actions as Written In Stone.

You probably won't be able to change everyone and everything at once, unless the restaurant sign outside has your name on it, so identify what the number one biggest issue is for your store. If your team is recalcitrant, start making it your mission to champion a change for that ONE thing. Your quest for improvement will benefit greatly from getting that one win.

Now onto 2. Executing... Have you ever had a great idea but when you tried to implement, it fell on its face? Maybe it was the packaging. It's like if I go to date night wearing a wedding dress. I'm telling my date "This is what I want, let's go!" I've found the most brazen way to make that encounter ALL about me. Will my date buy in? Not unless they're a freaky weirdo...

So, your great idea that had the face plant... was it all about you? All about the company? Of course it was! But was that how you packaged it? Meaning, could it have been presented as a win for the team that was tasked with executing? What are they getting out of it? Because if the answer is "Nothing" you're doomed to never get another one of those brilliant ideas off the ground.

And 3. Minutiae and Nonsense... In his book Think And Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill states "Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one when success is almost in reach." Have you ever thought about your distractions like that? As if Delegate-able Tasks, Candy Crush, and OPP (other people's problems) are all crouched in an alleyway wielding baseball bats, ready to pounce as soon as you start to gain traction toward something important.

Peter, one of the most focused servers I've worked with, always managed to stay locked in while taking guest's orders even if other servers/other guests/clueless hostesses frantically tapped him on the shoulder, tried to whisper a message in his ear or wave their hands at him in desperation. Again, at the POS station - where random bitching often ensues and gossip is mercilessly spread - Peter had no problem telling his peers "Not now, I'm focusing." When I commented on his laser-focus, he said "Hey, the shift is only so long and we're all fighting for control of our time. When the enemy can't destroy you, they will distract you." Maybe that's an old proverb or a quote I should probably already know but either way, it stuck with me. It's a great rallying cry for us F&B Warriors.

Hi! I’m Leslie Kalk, Restaurant Coach, with ONE MISSION – to improve the lives of bleary-eyed restaurant managers by motivating wait staff to provide the best guest service on planet Earth. I’m also a rabid football fan, a karaoke diva and a fiend for an exquisite cup of coffee. Find me on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected]

P.S.... When you’re ready, here are 3 ways my team and I can help you take command of your business this year:

1. Join the ROOM (Restaurant Owners, Operators & Managers) group and connect with other badass restaurant operators who are growing their business, too. Right this way.

2. Sit in on our next class. If you need clarity on how to take your store to the next level without losing your mind, c'mon in. I'll let you know when the party's getting started. You can sign up for it here. 

3. Work with me privately. If you'd like to work directly with me to fix your staffing issues, save your sanity and rock store revenue... just email me at [email protected] and put "Private" in the subject line. Tell me a little about your business and what you'd like to work on together, and I'll get you all the details!