ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - September 7, 2007

Can you feel it? Labor Day has passed and suddenly the atmosphere has shifted. My colleague, marketing guru Joel Cohen put it brilliantly in his Weekly WOW e-letter (reprinted below). I really can't make much improvement on what he said or the way he said it, so I didn't even try.

Next week I am off to Atlantic City to speak at the Northeast Pizza Show. It is always a treat to share ideas with my pizza buddies. They have a real hunger for learning. In fact, their desire to continually improve led to the creation of the Pizza Insight Program in conjunction with Big Dave Ostrander and Pizza Today magazine. If pizza is a major portion of your business, you really should check it out.

Margene and I took time out this week for a three-day field trip to San Francisco. I lived there for 12 years back in another life and it was nice to return with enough time to revisit some of my favorite places. Interesting that so many of them were restaurants.

Which reminds me: If residents of your town moved away, then came back for a short visit, would you be on their "we must eat there" list? What are you doing today to earn that honor in the future?

NO GUTS, NO GLORY
Words of Wisdom From The Doc

I got an interesting note from a long-time friend and subscriber after last week's (historic!) Issue #500 of the EHC. She said: "I should join you on the Lighten Up project, but I'm not as brave as you!!"

I replied: "It's your body -- take charge of it. I hesitated for months before opting to go public with my weight loss project ... but now I find it really helps me get successfully past those "should I or shouldn't I?" moments. Take a chance and go on the record with us -- you have nothing to lose but a few dress sizes!"

Then I got to thinking that there is a much larger lesson here than just losing weight -- part philosophical, part practical. Normally, I only share insights like this with my Gold Group* subscribers, but I think this is an important point to get so I'll expand the audience just this once. Ready or not, here it comes.

In my seminars, I often ask the audience two questions. First, "How many of you want to make your operation better than it is right now?" Dumb question, right? All the hands assertively go up.

Second, "How many of you know of something that is do-able and would definitely make your operation better if you did it ... but you still haven't done it?" This usually causes blushing, sheepish glances, lack of eye contact and a timid arm moved to a slightly elevated position.

There is no lack of good ideas out there. You probably have enough good ideas to hold you for the rest of your natural life! But all the good ideas in the world won't put a dime in your pocket. The Universe rewards action ... meaning that the money only comes when you actually implement one of those good ideas.

I really started paying attention to this dynamic when Joel Cohen and I held our Birthday Bash last year addressing the secret of finding the Silver Bullet -- that trigger that causes you to move from ideas to action.

We plan to explore this notion in more depth at the Birthday Bash in November but what I can tell you for sure at this point is that we all perform better when we do those things that we wish we were brave enough to do.

Whether it is implementing a new marketing idea, freeing up the future of a long-time employee who sucks the energy out of the group or shedding those extra pounds, you are totally responsible for the way your life is turning out.

You. Nobody else. Nothing else. Just you.

It is easy to blame external events for your situation, but that is totally bogus. Are you really content to let your income and your quality of life be determined by external events? Stuff happens, to be sure, but the measure of the man (or the woman) is how you respond to the stuff. If you abdicate your personal responsibility for what your life looks like, you will forever be a victim. Victims are usually boring ... and broke!

(Note: In the CEO Project, people learn how their thinking actually creates their reality. It is a powerful and liberating concept to truly grasp, but well beyond the scope of what I can do justice to here.)

I am reminded of a favorite quote from Paul Williams in his seminal book, Das Energi:

"At the depths of despair, nothing matters. I can't do anything, got to get out of here, walls falling in, throw me a rope. I can't move, can't stand it, nothing, throw me a rope ...

"Then one day, like any other day, finally tired of waiting for help that never comes, make a rope, tie it to a rock, throw it up, pull yourself out and walk away ..."

The message here is simple:
* It's your body -- take charge of it.
* It's your business -- take charge of it.
* It's your life -- take charge of it.

Do you think that doing the things you know need to be done is scary? That's nothing. Adrenaline is just adrenaline. Whether that looks like "Oh Boy" or "Oh @&*!" is just a matter of attitude. If you really want to be scared, think about what is sure to happen if you don't take action!

As Paul Williams put it, "Stamp out hesitation before it turns into fear!"

Have a nice life.

* You can "test drive" the Gold Group (free!) for 90 days. Just take me up on my Best Free Offer Ever.

THE LABOR DAY OPPORTUNITY
Words of Wisdom from Joel Cohen

Labor Day marks the change from summer to fall, from vacation to school. It also marks the start of the final lap -- the homestretch -- in your quest to complete a great year before hitting 2008.

It's like New Year's -- a new page and another (yes, another) chance to make a change and do all the things we said we were going to do, but never did.

Labor Day gives you and your restaurant a last chance opportunity to make a dash -- a sprint to December 31st, so you can make up for all the things you said you would accomplish last January 1st ... but just never got around to doing.

In plain English, you've got four months to be better than you are now, to be greater than you are now. Now is the time ... the best time ever to make these changes so you can pull ahead of the pack of competitors who are comfortable just being comfortable.

If you're waking up in the morning, going to your restaurant and just waiting for guests to come in, then you are settling for comfort ... and your business is not going to grow.

The Comfort Factor is the number one reason why restaurants don't increase their profits. It's not the economy, it's not the competition, it's not the war, it's not the gas prices. It's just being comfortable.

Are you ready to sprint to the 2007 finish line, or are you comfortable just sitting on the sidelines being a spectator?

Running a profitable restaurant, or working in one, in whatever position, role or capacity is NOT a spectator sport. You have to get up for the game every single day and play to win.

Subscribe to Joel's Weekly WOW.

TO TRAIN OR NOT ... AND HOW?
In July, I asked about your biggest concerns for the rest of 2007. Among the more common responses was staff training, so let's look at that a little more closely this month.

As usual, I will send copies of the survey results to everyone who participates. In the meantime, you can download copies of all past EHC surveys -- including the massive WOW Ideas collections.

Add your thoughts to this month's survey.

THE PERPETUAL QUESTION
"What did you learn from your staff today?"

During a recent server training session, one of our "Star" hires (we found him using your excellent Staff Selection System, BTW) had a memorable idea on how he gets ready for his shift.

Every day before coming to work, Brent says to himself, "It's sunny and 70 degrees" (21 C) and believes it. This way of preparing for his shift has become a habit. No matter what is happening in his personal life -- or what the weather -- when he goes to work, it's always "Sunny and 70 degrees."

When its "sunny and 70 degrees," it is always beautiful outside. Your car works well. People on the road are in a good mood. Your guests come into your place with no stress, or if they do, your presence calms and supports them. You wear your uniform comfortably. It's not too hot, not too cold. The kitchen works as poetry in motion. Perfect! Happiness reigns.

Before you write this off as wishful thinking, guess how his check average compares with fellow servers and what his tip percentage is! I learned LOT from Brent today. -- Marv Hunt, Quantum Restaurants, Spokane, WA

You don't hold some exclusive monopoly on wisdom just because you are in management. There is often an innocent brilliance in even the most junior staff member. Every person on your crew knows something you don't ... but you won't know what it is unless you shut up and start listening for it.

The same principle applies at home. Certainly you have heard the idea that your job as a parent is not as much to teach your children as to learn from them. They are still in touch with the wonder and magic of life that you lost sight of as you "grew up."

So be willing to learn from your children ... and be willing to learn from your staff. When you can do that, both groups will be more willing to learn from you ... but you have to go first. What they see is what you will get.

Never doubt that the most important (and profitable!) skill you can develop is your ability to truly listen.

What did you learn from YOUR staff today?

I will continue to collect your answers to this important question until they put me in the ground. Just click on the link above and contribute your insights for the common good ... and your own as well!

LIGHTEN UP!
The Noble Experiment Continues

Here is the weekly report on my personal project to lighten up:

Goal: -50 Last Week: -2 Total: -13

A lot of walking this week. Surely a good thing!

Several people have joined me in this audacious venture. I applaud their courage in "going public" like this. Best of all, the process is working!

Cindy Casady -- Goal: -30 Last Week: -2 Total: -7
Trice Micheals -- Goal: -50 Last Week: -1 Total -4
Mary Jo Beniger -- Goal: -25 Last Week: -2 Total: -6
Steve Ulrey -- Goal: 12 Last Week: -3 Total: -3

What do you say? Do you have the courage to put yourself on record? We all work better when there is someone or something to hold us accountable.

If you are interested in how it's going, scroll down to the bottom of the EHC each week and check out the progress. If you could care less, don't!


© 2007 Restaurant Doctor