"Never get angry. Never make a threat. Reason with people.” Wise words from The Godfather Trilogies. Any fan of the trilogies can agree on one thing: they're not just any old gangster movies. The films follow stories of power, family, and respect. Don Vito and Michael Corleone have been described as cold and ruthless; taking leadership tips from a fictional gangster film may seem questionable, but the Dons' led with integrity. They led by example. They were relentless in their pursuits, always looked at the bigger picture, found the right tools, and they knew the line between business and personal - characteristics that restaurant owner's should manifest. Here are five leadership tips from the Dons for every restaurant owner's workforce management:
A prominent theme in the Godfather Trilogy, is drawing a line between business and personal. Don’t let personal feelings affect business decisions. Acting instinctively on your emotions has the potential to have detrimental consequence; its key to make decisions that are best for your business. Always remember “it’s not personal, its business,” keep your feelings out of business decisions.
Don’t make promises that you cannot keep."Your word is your bond," don't supply empty promises. It ruins the integrity of your business, and has the potential to tarnish your reputation. You are accountable for the promises that you give. Never offer something you cannot fulfill; it’s okay to say no.
You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends, or in a business sense, your team. Much like the role of Tom Hagen as the Corleone family’s consigliere, your team is there to help your business. Surround yourself with people who have strengths that you lack. Your team will be well rounded, you’ll have different perspectives, and share one common goal.
“Great Men are Not Born Great; They Grow Great.”
Find your passion, chase it relentlessly and lead by example. Set your goals high; you won’t get where you want to be without a constant pursuit of success. There is always room for improvement, for both yourself and your business. Invest in the right workforce management tools to aid in the growth of your business. It's crucial to The power is in your hands to make your business great.
Plan ahead, and never make rash decisions. Look for things that others wouldn’t necessarily notice, and carefully plan your moves. Billionaire Restauranteur Tilman Fertitta follows this exact mind set when visiting his businesses.
In the wise words of Don Vito Corleone “I spent my life trying not to be careless -- women and children can be careless, but not men.” Ladies, I feel you on the word choice, but he makes a point of being careful. Seeing small details, and being cautious allows you to analyze your business at face value.
“In the labor numbers, we were reporting about a $300 to $400 difference than what we were getting through Push!”
-Tara Hardie, ZZA Hospitality Group, 16 locations
