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Those three systems are very easy to use. Basically, one is just in place, I can promise you that some of your best employees will go
keeping track of your invoices and your purchases, and the others away because the good life is over. You’re actually asking them to do
are two clipboard systems. And I’ll guarantee you, without the more.
heavy lifting, the recipe costing cards take 40 to 60 man hours to
create. Without creating an inventory system and going shelf to So when it comes to holding people accountable and training
sheet, that takes 20 to 30 man hours, and when it’s not set up right, people to use systems, you can follow basically five very simple
takes hours to do. Without those in place, which are literally critical steps. Number one is to be specific and clear about what you want
systems, with these three systems, you can reduce your food costs done. When you ask them to do something, be specific and clear.
three points or more, overnight. Two, define what success looks like. What does it look like when
it’s completed? Three, let it go. It means don’t micromanage, like
Nick: give me that and I’ll do that for you. It doesn’t mean abdicate: give
So these are three simple systems, once you understand them, that it away and hope and pray it gets done. You have to follow up. You
pretty much can run automatically for you once you train the right need to set milestones and make sure that that manager is getting
people how to do this. But for the owner, they don’t have to do all this those things done. If they need more support and training or they
work. Everyone else is doing this work. The owner is just looking at don’t understand it, we can help coach them. We need to have
the numbers and seeing where continued communication. There’s a
they’re at and what they’re phrase that I always say, “Everybody
losing, right? from this point forward, when it
comes to accountability, it’s from
David: the state of Missouri.” Why? It’s
Right. The job of the owner is to the show-me state. “Hey, did you
put a system in place, train their get this done?” “Yeah, I got it done.”
people, and inspect what they “Great, show me.” There’s no conflict
expect. Make sure that they’re involved, and I can discover if things
being used. Trust and verify. All are getting done right or they need
these clichés are true. I don’t help or I’m getting BSed. Last but
want them doing the work, but not least, number five is I really want
they need to put the system in to make sure that we recognize and
place so that others can do it. reward somebody, whether it’s a pat
And they need to understand it on the back or a bonus, it doesn’t
so they can follow-up and hold matter. The fact is I have to show
people accountable to those them that I appreciate that they got
systems, because here’s the it done.
deal. I don’t care how good the
systems are. If you don’t follow So the key is training. Be clear
up on them, they will go away. and specific in what you’ve got,
train them how to do it, tell them
Nick: what that success looks like, help them get it done – meaning be
My question for you is – and I have my ways of doing this in both over their shoulder – and keep checking in on them until they’re
of my bars, but I want your opinion for someone who is reading this successful. Because ultimately, your job as an owner or even a
article – how do you best go about training this owner to hold people general manager is to never let your managers fail. If they do, it’s
accountable with these three steps, with these three systems? What’s your fault. You’ve not given them the training and support necessary
your advice to them to say, “Here’s how you do this, and here’s how to be successful. You’ve just said, “Get this done.” If you don’t give
you, the owner who is very busy, won’t forget about you holding them them the skill sets, how do you expect them to get it done?
accountable?” Because I’ve seen this with other clients of mine for
different things we’ve done with marketing and promotions, where Nick:
they have forgotten, because they’re so busy, to hold these other That makes perfect sense. I’ve got another question for you, and this
people accountable for the systems we’re trying to implement. comes from a past client. He said that he had a piece of software
where he had multiple different vendors where he bought his food
David: from. And he had this piece of software where it was either – I
Right. Accountability is kind of one of those scary things, because could see the vendors doing this or maybe it was one of his staff,
often as owners, we don’t hold our people accountable. We let the but putting in those numbers of everything he orders, and it would
tail wag the dog, if you will, because we don’t know what we’re calculate where the best buy is that week or that month for what
going to do if they don’t show up. If I hold them accountable, will I they were purchasing. Have you heard of something like that? Maybe
lose that employee? Quite honestly, when you put the right systems I misunderstood them.
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