ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - October 1, 2004

Every so often, I need to empty out the mail bag and pass along comments and suggestions I have received in response to a particular ranting of mine in this weekly rag. This is one of those weeks.

Whether you agree or disagree with me ... or just want to amplify a point I have made ... I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all of you who take the time to share your thoughts. It is really nice to know that somebody is actually reading this!

Excuses
A few weeks ago, I was beating you up about excuses ... which prompted this note from long time friend Ed Dougherty:

Here's a story for you. When I was a young restaurant manager in Boston, more than 30 years ago, I had a first year law student working for me, had to be 21-22 years old. I evidently had made a mistake with his hours on payroll so his check wasn't correct.

As we were talking about it -- and he wasn't very happy I might add -- he said to me: "Excuses are only for beginners and losers, which category do you fit into?" I never forgot that and have used it many, many times since. Thank you Carlton Knox, wherever you are.

Some Thoughts on Tea
My piece about iced tea brought this note from Janet Casey. She wrote, Your article about iced tea was Right On! To take it a step further, some of us tea drinkers have thoughts about how hot tea is served in some restaurants:

1. Make sure your servers do not roll their eyes (or show any other disapproving body language) when a guest asks for hot tea as they are pouring fresh coffee into cups around the table. It makes a tea drinker feel like s/he is being discriminated against!

2. Speaking of fresh, tea does not brew well in a pot of water that was poured ten minutes before the tea is put into it. And, please, do not ask if the tea drinker would like some more hot water for their tea. A twice-used teabag? Blaugh!!

3. Tea is tastier if brewed in a ceramic pot. In fact, if more than one guest at the table is drinking tea, why not bring a pretty ceramic pot of tea, with milk, never cream or non-dairy stuff, to the table? Save some work and delightfully surprise your tea-drinking guests.

4.  The idea that the tea will be over-brewed if teabags are left too long in the water, is pretty much a myth. It will be consumed before that happens. Some tea drinkers like it strong and, if not, they can remove the teabag when it is brewed to their liking.

5.Tea drinkers are not necessarily herbal tea lovers. If you serve a selection, please include some "basic black" teas.

The worst cup of tea I was ever served was at a doughnut chain famous for its coffee. As I watched in horror, the server took a paper cup, poured cream into it, plopped a teabag on top and added hot water. I told her to throw it out and taught her how to
make a cup of tea.

More on Sick Call
I always like to hear from my colleague, Robert Kausen. Health issues kept him from being part of the faculty for this year's Super Summit, but at Super Summit 2005 in New Orleans next March, Robert and I are going to show you how to create what we call The Effortless Organization. Here is his take on a recent note of mine about why people call in sick.

Bill, I think your response to the "call in sick" problem is right on the money. There is one other aspect I want to explore. I have found over the years that the overall climate of an organization starts at the top and influences every employee ... and of course the guests. In other words, the climate is a shadow of the leader.

When the leader notices a pattern of undesirable behaviors, it is a perfect time to step back, reflect, and ask some probing questions such as "What is it about my attitude or actions that might result in these behaviors?" "What is the message that my vision and motivation is sending to my employees?" The purpose of the introspection is not to heap guilt on or blame yourself. It is an opportunity to see a deeper pattern and possibly to learn something about your thinking, beliefs, predispositions, and judgments.

For example, if the real overriding motivation for you to be in this business is to make money, this could result in certain employees believing they simply toil for your benefit but don't really enjoy the work or the working conditions In their minds, they deserve to "get off" when they just don't feel like working. Were that the case, the remedy might be to find within yourself a more inspiring mission and vision-such as extraordinary patron satisfaction.

In a climate of excellence and service (generated from the top), you tend to attract the service-oriented personnel who want to bring the customer a memorable experience and who love coming to work. Others will rise to the occasion or move on. We could talk about this for hours, but I'm sure you get the gist of this systemic approach to the challenge.

Carry On ...
Finally ... for today at least ... my comments on tray-carrying prompted this note from new subscriber Sandy Pauly:

Many years ago, I was taught the proper way to carry a large tray loaded with food. You are right that it should be carried with one hand above the shoulder, but what always gets me is that I see it done incorrectly all the time. I was taught that it should be up on all five fingertips of one hand, not sitting flat on your palm.

The fingertip method is much more stable and allows you to move the tray any way you want. It takes practice, but works much better than on the palm of the hand. Strange as it sounds, you can actually carry more weight using the fingertips. We had to practice with three gallon jugs of water on the tray.

The Perpetual Question
What did you learn from your staff today?

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