Why Thinking Like an Owner is Bad

Hey, if you're a restaurant owner or manager. Ugh, I do not like the word manager, but bear with me. You've probably either spoken these words or heard them said to you. You need to think like an owner. Now, I have an issue with that statement and approach to management. Stick around. Let me tell you why. Welcome to the Restaurant Coach Podcast. It is the cure for the common restaurant. I'm Donald Burns, the restaurant coach, author of the youe Restaurant Sucks trilogy, Savage Restaurant Success, and the creator of the TRC Method. Okay, here's why. Brace yourself. Many managers don't want to be owners. I know. Crazy, right? Like a lot of things in life, we assume others want what we want. Sorry to burst your bubble, but most people don't want to be an owner. Or actually, most people don't want to be a manager. Now, if you're highly driven, you're likely having a hard time understanding why other people are not driven to want what you want. Here's a revelation for you. Everyone has different wants and desires. I know that's not groundbreaking news, yet we tend to generalize and group people via the way that we see the world. Have you ever promoted someone thinking that they wanted the new position and responsibilities, only to find out later that they never really wanted it? They most likely took the promotion because they didn't want to disappoint you. And as a leader, not a manager, people will follow your suggestions. That's why being a true leader is so powerful. You must leverage that responsibility ecologically. What does ecological leadership really mean? It means leading with concern for the relationships of your team and the environment in which they work in. So to obtain this kind of symbiotic balance using ecological leadership, the decision you must make must fit all three of these following criteria. Number one, it must be good for you. Number two, it must be good for the other person. And three, it must be good for the guest or the community. Many owners and others in a position of authority and power are only concerned with, number one, themselves. Many managers manage a shift and never get past what's in it for them. A true leader looks for what's best for the guest, the team, and finally, finally themselves. That's one of the main reasons true leadership is so rare to find in our industry. We are hardwired for self preservation, but flipping that mode on its head is what facilitates that manager to leader transformation. So most have never been an owner, so they can't comprehend the appeal and frankly, don't really care about it. I mean, being an owner is not the big party you think it is. As a restaurant owner in my past, I can tell you that if you want to be at the top of your market, it must become a 247 obsession. Even when you're not at your restaurant, you're obsessing over it. When you go to other restaurants, your mind is working, comparing it to your own. I'm telling you, obsession is required if you truly want to thrive, not just survive. Most restaurants operate in the realm of average, also known as mediocrity, mainly because they're not 100% obsessed with improving. And that kind of brings me to another topic, a side topic. 110%, please. You cannot give more than 100%. So please, for the love of all that is sacred, stop using this tired cliche. If most people would or even could just give 80%, they would be fucking astonished by the results. You only have 100%. Aim for that. And if you do, you're on the right track. All right, let's get back on topic. So saying think like an owner, particularly if an individual never has been one, is kind of like me saying to you, I want you to think like a fish. Have you ever been a fish? What do fish think about? I mean, how does a fish act? Now, if you have a puzzled look on your face right now, you understand the same look your staff gives you when you tell them, think like an owner. See, owners have had experiences that a few can only truly understand. Number one, working more hours than you ever imagined or cared because you see and need to reach your goal. Worrying if you're going to be able to cover payroll or a check to a vendor. How about wondering what those three new restaurants opening a few miles down the road are going to do to your business? How about working months, maybe even years, without a steady or normal paycheck? I mean, the list goes on and on. Here's the thing. You're the owner. You signed up for all this, the good and the bad. Whether you knew it or not at the time you signed the loan papers and lease agreement. If things go bad, the creditors are looking for you, not for your team. So it's very hard for them to think like an owner when they don't have the same level of personal investment, responsibility or context that you have. How about this? Instead, let's focus on taking personal accountability to. Now, everyone can take personal accountability for three things. One, what they focus on, Two, what they say, and three, what they do. Focus. I'm telling you, at any given moment, you have a couple million Bits of information flooding your five standard senses. Once that information filters through your brain, everything that happens next is on you. Some take that information and infer that the world is a cruel, evil place and that people suck. This is called being a victim. I mean, the world is working against you and everyone seems to have it out for you. I'm telling you, this is a bunch of bs, AKA belief systems at work. Alright, maybe it's a little bit of bullshit too. What you expect or focus on, you tend to get, much like a self fulfilling prophecy. Focus on the perception that your staff is working against you and you're probably gonna be proven right. It's funny how people rarely tend to exceed our expectations. I asked an owner one time during our very first phone call, I said, how many people do you have working with you? And his reply, about 25%. Yikes. I mean, all I was trying to get out of him was how many people he had working in his restaurant. I learned a lesson that day about framing questions and that people harbor and actually make their own self fulfilling perceptions. Let's talk about the things you can focus on. Words. Words are so powerful. I spend much of my time coaching clients to help them understand the power of words that they say not only to themselves, but to others as well. Here's the thing. Words inspire. Words heal. Words can cause damage too. A massive leap towards becoming a true leader is acutely being aware of the words you use. So before you speak, run your words through three gates. Developed by 13th century poet Rumi. Number one, is it true? Number two, is it necessary? And number three, is it kind? Now, did your words pass all three gates? You must answer all three positively before you respond with your chosen words. And then finally, you are responsible for your actions. You are responsible for what you do, what actions you take. Personal accountability at its core is about taking action and doing exactly what you said you were going to do when you said you were going to do it. I mean, hypocrisy runs rampant in the world right alongside its cousin called mediocrity. Those two travel together running amok, laying siege to all the best intentions and all the best plans. You must back up your words with solid action. Your words tell me what you want. Your actions show me what you're willing to do to get it. I mean, what are you doing right now? Okay, I know you're listening to this, watching this video. I mean, right after this, are you going to share what you've learned to get some motivation? Why don't you get up and take some action that will change you and your restaurant. Sign up for maybe a webinar. Learn something new. Register for a food show that has some educational sessions, not just free food samples. Do something today that your future self will be grateful for. Restaurants truly change when you stop talking, stop overthinking, and you start doing. Hey. Make sure to hit that like and subscribe button before you leave. And please share this video with someone that you feel could really use the message now. For those that really want to get on the fast path to making more profits and getting their life back from their restaurant, then grab a seat at my free 2 hour T or C Method Masterclass. It is a live training so no replays. Just head over to restaurantcoachmasterclass.com right now and save your seat.