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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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