Chinese Food, Teams and a Sense of Urgency

The day after Christmas, my tech guy, Dean, and I were eating at a Chinese restaurant—which looked like the cafeteria of a large college at noontime. Every college student, who was home on holiday break, had descended on the restaurant because it’s good and reasonably priced. I watched the waitresses, the hostesses, and the busboys, who moved like gazelles to get everyone service. One dropped off the food, another poured water, and another cleared the checks.

I have long been interested in restaurants, having run one before. And whether it’s fast food or not, restaurants always run more efficiently when they’re busy, as teams pull together. Put a sense of urgency on top of any organization and if it’s healthy, the team pulls together. If you want proof of the reverse, go into any restaurant that’s empty and order. I wager, more often than not, the service will be abysmal. Far smarter to come back when things are booming and teams are working together. Remember the old maxim…if you want something done, give it to a busy person.
Happy New Year