|
Here's the Free November 2008 Edition of the Sullivision
E-newsletter you signed up for. Check out our e-news archives, quote of the day, product catalog and free
downloads at www.sullivision.com
______________________________________________________
Rise and Shine in 2009:
Stay Out in Front of Change
By Jim Sullivan Copyright 2008 Sullivision.com
 “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to Change.” – Charles Darwin
Soon it will be a new year. And when it arrives, many in the foodservice industry will breathe a collective sigh of relief, rooted in the mistaken belief that the challenges we faced in 2008 will instantly recede with the outbound tide of the old year. This belief is both dumb and dangerous. The endemic and deep-rooted industry challenges we face are tied to governmental and global economic cycles, not calendar years. So the question is: do you have a plan—a detailed, concise and comprehensive plan—for 2009 that you’re methodically implementing now, in the waning stage of 2008? You’d better, or 2009 may find you making a proverbial ten-foot leap over a twelve-foot ditch. Here’s a few smart strategies to consider:
Choose your future, don’t let it “happen.” If you believe that flipping a calendar page on November 31 means you’re safe, sound and free from 2008’s challenges, you’re sadly mistaken. You’d better be absolutely clear right now on what specific operational changes are necessary, how you’ll implement them, and what difference those changes will measurably have on your people, performance, and profits. If you’re shell-shocked and battered by the past year’s rise in prices and drop in patronage, you’re not alone. But it’s time to dust ourselves off, and make the necessary moves and adjustments now that will position us to weather and overcome the challenges of 2009.
Get out in front of change. The first priority of any business is survival. How will continued economic and marketplace pressure affect your ability to sustain growth? Most signs indicate that 2009 will likely resemble grim 2008 more than giddy 2005. Strategically, expect and account for customers eating more at home and continued higher prices (visit my blog on the www.sullivision.com home page for the projected 2009 commodities numbers). Oil prices may be down now, but that can change in a day, so expect a return to $4 a gallon in the US and adjust for it. Re-examine menu prices and profit margins, identify potential cash bottlenecks, examine how capital is employed in your company, look at better ways to reduce costs (and communicate cost awareness), and define “musts” versus “wants.” You can’t be like the kid with a plate of brussel sprouts who knows he has to eat them eventually, but doesn’t mind waiting. Ask and answer the following questions: What are the three most important challenges our company will face in 2009? How do we know? Is our knowledge and insight based on fact, “feel,” or both? What are the three most important changes we are going to make as a company in 2009? Is our entire team clear on the tactics, goals, and reasons why? What are we going to do in November and November to be best prepared for January 1?
Develop talent scaffolds across units, crew, and managers. Your ability to create and sustain an effective “talent scaffold” across your units is the linchpin to both enrich and enable continued growth in tough times. Now’s the time to give a lot, expect a lot, and if you don’t get it…prune.
Assess linkage and replicate success. Be both interested in and inquisitive about cause-and-effect relationships at every level. Ask and assess: “Why are my strong units strong? Why are my weak units weak?” Replicate the strengths and minimize the weaknesses across the system. You should have done this two years ago, but better late than never.
Actions speak louder than words. Here’s some final advice that’s as straightforward as a left jab: if better communication and training and execution at the Shift level is not your top priority in 2009, then all of your other priorities are at risk. You don’t make or lose money by reviewing a P&L. You make or lose money by THE SHIFT. Do your managers know how to plan, lead, and execute a revenue-generating power shift with different crews and customers every day? If not, you’re standing still, and if you’re standing still, you’re walking backwards. We have just produced a brand new hour-long DVD called The Shift: How to Plan It, Lead It, Make It Pay that features over 100 best practices to build the bottom line before, during and after a revenue-generating shift.
Your 2009 “success factor” may well depend on how you answer a simple question: “Which is stronger in our company: the discipline to prepare…or our resistance to change?” And as the sign on the tip jar behind my favorite bar reads: “if you fear change, leave it here.”
Jim Sullivan is the industry’s most booked speaker, trainer and motivator. Check out his 2009 workshops at www.sullivision.com.
|
