Good Morning Friends! Here are my 5 Things to Consider this week!
Culture – We grow when we’re stretched. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how opening three places (4 if you count The Palm) in under 10 months has stretched us as a company. I liken it to grabbing a dough ball and poking a couple holes in it with a knife. You have no idea there’s holes in this doughball until you start to stretch it out. That’s what we did with our company. We stretched out our “doughball” and exposed some pretty big holes. Life is a lot like that. We don’t know where the “holes” in us are until they’re exposed by stretching ourselves beyond our comfort. Then, by taking the time to notice and work on filling those voids, we improve…and we repeat. Never be afraid of learning a new skill, having a hard conversation, being uncomfortable or reading a new book. Practically everything we do is a “muscle” that needs to be stretched or it atrophies. One of the best ways to get yourself to learn and grown is by CONSCIOUSLY putting yourself into slightly challenging or uncomfortable situations. This way you are learning to adapt to any situation that might come your way. You will build confidence in yourself so you will be less afraid of change. We have to EARN our next period of growth by working to strengthen our systems and build better processes. Our progress will be earned.
Leadership – Become comfortable with being uncomfortable. One of the hardest parts of leadership is speaking up when we see something that isn’t right or need corrected. Whether it’s standing up to an insensitive joke or correcting someone making a drink or pizza the wrong way, being comfortable with saying something is just plain hard. It takes most of us WAY out of our comfort zone to tell someone they’re doing something the wrong way. Nobody wants to be a naggy micromanager of course, but sometimes things need to be corrected and you, as the leader, need to be the one to correct it. When I see someone making a pizza incorrectly or inefficiently, I simply ask, “Hey, can I show you something?” I first tell them something awesome about what they’re doing, (your sauce job looks amazing!), then proceed to show them “how I do it,” and the behavior is corrected in a non-threatening way and the person on the receiving end isn’t feeling scolded or offended. The more you do this, the easier it gets. Try to do something uncomfortable 3 times today. Tomorrow, try 5 times. Make it a habit. You’ll never regret being more comfortable with being more assertive.
History – Our Clintonville Shop (Ledo’s) Very much like our Woodland’s Tavern location, our Ledo’s, or Clintonville location came to us in very much the same way. Somebody knew of a pizza shop that was closed and they let us know. We gave the place a little facelift and opened the 4th LNS in March of 2011. We’ve become a neighborhood staple throughout the years and people rely on us to feed them after a rowdy night at Club 20 or a rocking show at Space Bar. The neighborhood as grown and evolved in the last 8 or so years and I look forward to see what the next phase of our little shop will be. Nothing is planned, but we’re always looking for a killer opportunity up there!
Motivation – “Life is scary. Get used to it. There are no magical fixes; it’s all up to you. So get off your keister and start doing the work. Nothing in this world that’s worth having comes easy. – Dr. Kelso from Scrubs
What I’m Reading or Watching – I’m either starting or finishing a number of shows or books currently and don’t have too much to report. I am about to start a company book club pretty soon though. If you are interested in attending, reply to this and I’ll give you the details.
Baby Update – Sweet, sweet, little William is almost ready to hatch. Our due date is next Wednesday, the 25th and my gentle and patient wife is ready to get “this fucking little monster” out of her. The struggle is real, Kids. We’re about to embark on a thankless and sleep-deprived couple of months. The first bit of discomfort in my young, privileged life. I pray that I do not break a sweat.
Thanks for reading! Like or hate any part of this? Let me know! I really value your feedback.
Have a great week!
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