I worked at Pizza Hut at age 15.
My role was mostly at the front counter, taking and cashing out pick up orders by phone and in person. I talked my way into waiting tables every now and then, and slicing pizzas and breadsticks as they came out of the oven. And the occasional dishwashing duty.
The restaurant was usually pretty slow in the daytime, so one random summer weekday, I was part of a two-person crew with my manager, Terrell.
Though there weren’t many customers, Terrell was doing every job — making pizzas, cutting and boxing them, running the dishwasher, waiting tables — as I manned the front counter.
Pizza Hut had a weekday lunch buffet. I asked Terrell what I could do to help prepare, as he was making the buffet pizzas already.
He told me I could prepare the salad.
I had eaten plenty of salad in my life, but I had never actually made one.
So, while holding the big empty salad bowl and on my way to the walk-in refrigerator, I asked Terrell what went in the salad.
Halfway distracted as he prepared a pepperoni pizza for baking, Terrell replied, “Ah, man, you know what goes in a salad. Put some carrots, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and croutons on top.”
I entered the walk-in fridge and did exactly as Terrell had instructed.
I came back to him — he was still working the pizza assembly line — and showed him the now-completed salad bowl for his approval.
He looked at it, looked back at me, and a big smile came across his face.
He kept looking at me as the smile got bigger. He had yet to say anything, and I was waiting for him to tell me that the salad was good to be placed on the buffet bar.
Then, Terrell started laughing.
He kept laughing. Terrell was a big guy, probably 300 pounds, so his whole body was jiggling as he laughed.
I was still standing there with the bowl, waiting for him to either tell me that the salad was good to go, or what the joke was.
By this point, Terrell was laughing so hard that he was crying. I still didn’t know what the hell was so funny.
Finally, he spoke.
“Man,” he said between laughs. “Where’s the lettuce?”
“You didn’t say anything about lettuce,” I replied. “You said carrots, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and croutons on top. I did exactly what you told me.”
Sensing that I was serious and not joking, Terrell laughed even harder.
“Who makes a salad with no lettuce?”
***
Here’s the point: Do not assume that people know things.
Do not assume that people know ANYTHING.
When you hire people, do not assume that they know how to do certain things; especially that they will do things the way that you want them done.
When you bring customers and clients into your world, do not assume that they understand your processes, your terminology, or your framework. Explain it to them as if it is their first time hearing it.
Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi would start training camp with his teams by standing in the locker room and announcing to his players, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
Hall of Fame basketball coach Phil Jackson would drill his NBA players on how to throw proper bounce passes and how to set screens. If you watch the NBA today, you’d notice how many $10-million-dollar-per-year players lack these tools.
Famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, who recruited the best high school players in the country to play for him, would teach his players how to put on their socks and tie their sneakers to avoid blisters on their feet.
Do not assume that people know the fundamentals. Especially in today’s world, where everything is easy and quick and “shortcuts and hacks” are all the craze. Today, mastery of the fundamentals is the exception, not the rule.
Even when people do know the fundamentals — as I’m sure Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant did when coached by Phil Jackson — you still must reinforce and reteach them, to make sure everyone stays sharp.
Fundamentals are the foundation of every successful venture.
So then, why don't you hear about them much?
Why are the headlines all about the new gadget / app / artificial intelligence / hack, and not about the fundamentals?
Because the fundamentals are boring.
Monotonous.
The same stuff, the same way, every time.
Fundamentals are not sexy.
But, fundamentals win championships.
If you're not into sports, google those 3 coaches I mentioned and see how many championships THEY won. It’s not a coincidence.
In Work On Your Game University, you will not only learn the fundamentals of Mindset, Strategy, Systems & Accountability – you will apply them to your specific business and situation from Day One.
Join here: http://www.WorkOnYourGameUniversity.com
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