Harvest America CUES BLOG

I frequently remember a typical manager’s quote that tends to start my blood boiling a bit: “the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary”. This, of course, is suppose to act as a harsh motivator, but it rarely meets that expectation. What is lacking in this simple formula is the word “fun”. Let’s face it, we (those in the restaurant industry) spend approximately 120,000 hours of our lives working. That is a little less than 1/3 of our time between the ages of 20 and 65! Shouldn’t this time be somewhat enjoyable?

Fun and hard work do not have to be mutually exclusive. It is possible to actually get up in the morning looking forward to your time on the job. The magic that allows this to happen comes from effective team building and great chemistry among the players within your operation.

There is no task more important in a manager’s day than seeking, finding, training and supporting a team comprised of individuals with common goals, supportive attitudes, a service mentality and a love of people.

Whenever I have had a chance to work in an operation that strives to support this type of staff, the results are always incredible. Success comes from dedication, passion, skills and an occasional laugh.

Work hard, but set the stage to enjoy the company of your co-workers. Life is way too short to spend 120,000 hours trying to succeed without a smile on your face.