Information is free and streaming into our lives at a rate not dreamt of 10 years ago.

The answers to our questions are now just a few key strokes away. Yet so many still seem unhappy and “stuck.”

For years I know that I confused information with wisdom. It was not until I slowed down a little and started to listen to people who have been the places I wish to go that I began to connect the dots.

This link is to a TED talk with the late, great John Wooden, where he describes “True Success.”

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did,

PS: Sean will be speaking at Cheers New Orleans on Jan 24th & 25th. Click the banner at right to learn more!

It’s December, so I assume that many of you are reading this email on your mobile device with your hair on fire!

This is peak time for many restaurants, which leaves little time with our own friends and families.

Many hold the 24/7 work ethic up as a badge of honor. I did for years. While this may earn points with my colleagues, I know it does not impress my family.

With so little “quantity time,” how do we improve the quality? You owe it to your family to TRULY CONNECT and BE PRESENT over the holidays, even if only for a short period of time.

A few ideas:

1. Close the loop on “loose ends” (you know, those things that are on fire!).
2. Set up an auto responder on your email CLEARLY outlining your days off
   (ditto with your voicemail).
3. Turn your phone off when you are with your family. If you need to be contactable by the restaurant, give them your HOME number (it makes people think twice about calling).
4. Cover for each other – figure out how to help each other get the time you need to be present with the ones you love.

It is a terrible myth that we cannot be both industry pros AND dedicated family members.

Connected and present,

I have many teachers and mentors in my life. This blog has been a good opportunity to introduce you to people that make my career possible.

This week I bring you Cameron Herold, author of Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less. Cameron also has a blog at BackPocket COO where you can find a wealth of information from this inspiring business coach.

Cameron’s contribution will cause you to think about some of the BIG things in your business that we can all agree that should be done, but we never find time to.

Spend a few minutes with him and you might change your perspective. Follow his advice and you will change your outcomes.

Cheers,

PS: Sean will be speaking at Cheers New Orleans on Jan 24th & 25th. Click the banner at right to learn more!

I attended two Christmas functions last week, and I couldn’t help but notice that the mood of the attendees was OPPOSITE to most of those working the event.

Many staff seemed stressed, tense and unhappy (fake smiles aside). When I asked one server if she
was “OK,” her only complaint was that “It’s just too busy this time of year.”

“Too busy?” I thought. Function centers and restaurants are BUILT FOR BUSY.

In a world where we expect a top surgeon to have a “good bedside manner,” shouldn’t we expect that our hospitality staff deliver hospitality?

That being said, I can’t help but feel that the staff were set up for failure by their leaders.

When running restaurants, I had staff who were INCREDIBLE during off peak shifts, but TERRIBLE when placed under the stress of a Friday night. So, I didn’t put them on during peak shifts.

Nothing in business (or life) is neutral. Your staff either enhance the guest experience or take away from it.

One of my early mentors once said, “I refuse to charge full price and provide half-assed service!”

Have a look at your business today: How many of your people are delivering on your brand promise versus just going through the motions (or worse)?

Now what are YOU going to do about it?

Locked, loaded and fully engaged!