Judge me by my Bean and Cheese burrito

If you are reading this article thinking that it applies to work- then move on- it has nothing to do with life in corporate America. So why post a blog on LinkedIn that has nothing to do with work??? Read on my friends….

I am just back from a 9-day PTO stint where I can share I did very little work and a whole lot of relaxing which included eating more than I should have. Here in Cali we are blessed to have some of the best food around ( Yes NY we have good stuff, too) including a wide variety of different international cuisines including some of the best Mexican food on the planet.?Those of you who are in Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia…. I know – we can go to your best Mexican restaurant but I’m sorry--- it’s a pale comparison into what we offer here in Cali…. Which is what sparked me to pen this piece.

During my PTO I indulged in quite a bit of Mexican cuisine… and it got me thinking: How do you judge the best Mexican food around? Is it tacos? Is it enchiladas??? Well my friends… I’m here to offer a different approach to you: The way to judge the quality of a Mexican restaurant is: The bean and cheese burrito.

OK- before you flame me allow me to share with you why it’s what some consider the lowly bean and cheese burrito. First- any Mexican restaurant you visit SHOULD have this available. It’s a staple. If not- turn around and leave. Even those “so called” Mexican joints like Taco Bell and Del Taco have one ( and no, those are just imposters thinking they offer Mexican food). Think about what goes into making those refried beans: #1- It takes time- lots of time if they are done right. And they simmer- a lot of simmering time- it’s not like throwing some beef into a tortilla and calling it a meal. Time means effort- if not- you’ll know it when you bite in -they will still have a crunch. Undercooked- bad food. #2 Beans need fat to make them taste good: Lard, bacon grease; those are the good ones. You can taste it in the flavor- if those beans taste bland- no-go. (Hello Taco Bell). You want that good flavor- a hint of garlic is even better.?#3- Consistency. No runny beans here- I don’t want my burrito oozing all over my shirt. That is another way to tell did they let them cook long enough? Or did they throw in some water (gasp!) to loosen up the consistency.?Finally- beans can be served as a side dish, which means they should taste good solo- if they don’t- time to leave. Tacos- they usually have something in them- salsa, onions, cilantro to enhance the flavor. Beans- you are on your own. If they can’t stand the taste test alone- again time to leave.

Now I shared at the start that this would not be a?blog about anything related to business. If you’ve come this far- you either, like me, really like Mexican food- or are just curious on how this will end.?My friends- the reality is- you can make comparisons to something as basic as a bean and cheese burrito to the best of anything in this world: If an organization can’t get the basics right- then how are they going to handle the complicated stuff? If they don’t take the time and effort to focus on the smaller items, how much time and effort will they spend on the complex areas? Do they care about something simple or are they just throwing stuff together and "calling" it a masterpiece?

And that my friends, is what this is all about. Begin the end in mind ( Thank you Stephen Covey) in everything that you do- no matter how basic or mundane the task might be. Greatness can be accomplished in everything that you do- so long as you don’t lose sight of the basics.

Now back to my continual quest to sample all of the bean and cheese burritos around. Ping me with your best picks!