In a stellar restaurant the separation from good to great is primarily created through the ability to cultivate a team of intellectually invested people who have a common goal. A goal to provide hospitality in a way that delights their guests. This goal applies to all hospitality businesses, it can apply to a small mom and pop hamburger shop and to a five star restaurant, to a Surfer Hostel and a Luxury Resort. The principles are the core, the facilities are the tools to deliver.

When an establishment has a clear set of goals, what it wants to deliver, what is the specialty, what the public will understand it to be, and how the team can stay within these parameters, finding the right people to take part will be easier. Once they are part of the team and allowed to create and deliver, there may be coaching moments to keep them on the path to deliver the goals, but they will more often push the project further than need coaching.

Its a win win.

This is not a trick, it is a plan. One that delivers the autonomy and patience to the team members to pursue an area of interest to them for profit and enjoyment. This is the idea. Creating the opportunity for someone to join the team who is doing what they love as their occupation.

This is a job for someone who has vision, belief, and the ability to take a well intentioned leap of faith. We are not cherry picking ripe figs from the branches of a tree that grew in our backyard without any care. We are cultivating, watering, pruning, and enabling these team members to blossom and grow into their potential. When they do, they will benefit, our guests will benefit, and the business will benefit. Without all three, how successful are we?

The architecture of your team, is your responsibility, it is the most challenging and most rewarding part of building these unique establishments. To my teams, I look forward to the big steps in front of us as we all grow, and deliver experiences that delight our guests along the way.