Many of you know I’m a huge fan of the show, Restaurant Impossible. Robert Irvine knows what he’s doing and his leadership skills are impressive.
During a recent episode, a restaurant owner was just months away from her restaurant being closed, which she purchased from the family. Every time Robert would ask her a question, she would start crying. She seemed genuinely desperate for help.
Then Robert started digging and the truth came out.
The restaurant was failing, yes. But Robert was about to get to the why behind the what?
Watch the video to hear exactly why this restaurant was failing and how we can learn to take responsibility together.
Here were a few reasons why the restaurant owner wasn’t taking responsibility for her failing restaurant.
She was lonely and felt abandoned by her family
Because of that, she didn’t think she could trust anyone, which caused her to micromanage
She was trying to hold everyhing together and be in control, because that was safe for her
She was trying to be great at everything and wasn’t good at anything
But why was her temper tantrum good? Because it got to the why. They could now deal with the real issue at hand as to why the restaurant was failing.
After a mini counseling session, she finally took responsibility, realizing she was in an unhealthy position. Was she cured overnight? Doubtful, but she got to the why behind the what, and that will allow her to continue taking the next right step.
So, I ask you today, what do you need to take responsibility for? What’s keeping you from taking the next right step? Where are you stuck? What fear is holding you back?
It’s not until we know the truth, friends, that we can move forward. (Tweet This)
I’m a huge Robert Irvine fan. He’s a great chef and if you watch him enough times, you’ll realize he truly is a great leader.
When I found this Portobello salad recipe I knew I wanted to try it, so I invited my friend Jammie over for dinner to be the guinea pig. I passed the test with flying colors. She loved it.
We used it as a meal and she came up with the idea to toss some sesame sticks on the top, but you could even use it as a side dish.
If you’re avoiding gluten, I used a natural soy sauce alternative, thanks to my friend Dawn, and it was delicious.
Enjoy.
Depending on who you ask, Robert Irvine is either a good guy or a bad guy. He’s been described as harsh, cold, overbearing, and rude. Those are the nice descriptions.
I’m a big fan of the show. Recently a friend asked me why I liked it so much. Besides the fact that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and love to see businesses saved, Robert teaches me about leadership. I don’t know whether or not he is a Christian. I hope so. Whether or not he is or isn’t, there is a lot to learn from the man behind one of the Food Network’s top rated shows.
The truth is hard.
After evaluating the staff, the food, the customer service, etc., Robert stands in front of the owners and firmly speaks his mind. He tells them why they’re failing, how they can fix it, and he doesn’t make his words sound pretty.
Leaders need to speak the truth, even when it hurts. Perhaps he could wind himself down a little bit, but Irvine gets the point across. He doesn’t allow excuses, and he expects everyone to take responsibility.
If you let people stay where they are, you’re hurting them, not helping them.
Be willing to get dirty.
Leaders don’t stand on the sidelines and simply give orders. They have to be willing to do the hard things.
Robert has cleaned the grime off dirty ovens that aren’t in his kitchen. He’s prepped food to serve to customers that aren’t his. He’s painted, torn down walls, swept floors, and stacked dishes.
He works. He sweats. He bosses. He leads. When the job needs done, he’s not afraid to get on his hands and knees and make it happen.
Leading others isn’t about sitting behind a desk and giving orders. It’s about being on the frontlines with those you are leading. It involves making sacrifices, walking in humility, and getting down and dirty when it’s necessary.
Passion is necessary.
Robert Irvine doesn’t travel across the country saving failing restaurants simply because he gets paid a nice chunk of change from The Food Network, though that’s certainly a plus. He does it because he cares. He’s passionate about helping others rebuild their businesses, as well as their relationships.
If you haven’t watched an episode yet, give it a shot. Many partners are failing simply because they don’t communicate. He doesn’t just talk about the business issues, he gets to the root of why the business if failing, and that usually has something to do with personal issues.
If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, it will eventually catch up with you. What passions should you be pursuing right now?
There is no room for fear.
He walks into a restaurant with broken people, broken floors, outdated wallpaper, and rotten food hidden behind grills that haven’t been cleaned. He’s given two days and $10,000 to make it successful. Oh, and he has to do that while the world watches it on television.
There’s something scary about that, isn’t there? People are watching. Failure lurks around every corner. Time decides whether failure happens or not. But he does it afraid.
When in doubt, do it afraid. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from following something you’re passionate about.
Confidence is key.
While you’re doing it afraid, do it confidently. Believe in your ability to do something and do it with all you’ve got.
Robert doesn’t walk into a restaurant and say, “I think I can make this happen in two days.” Instead, he lets them know he came to help that he isn’t there to fail and if they follow his direction and guidance, their business will be successful.
He doesn’t do this in a conceited way. He’s confident because he’s worked hard, learned from his failures, continues to grow, and strives to do what he says he will do. He’s confident because he knows he can do it.
Are you confident? Confident that you can tackle that new, scary career change? Convinced that you can write that new book? Secure in the fact that you can lose those 50 lbs. you need to lose?
Don’t be afraid to hear the truth, or give it to others. Find your passion and chase it. Do it afraid. Believe you have the ability to do it.
This is it – your one chance at life to make things happen.
What step can you take today to make things happen? Leave a comment below…
