'Twelve Days Inn', Two Years Late

Here's a missive I tapped out two years ago that got left behind in the drafts folder. Wow, this 'sabbatical' is into its third year. Best decision ever and still not tempted back.

12 days in, here's what I think:

Don't give up the booze because...

... you want to lose weight. Although you will.

... you want to save money. Although you will.
... you want to 'turn over a new leaf'. What's wrong with old one?
... alcohol is 'evil'. It isn't.
... it's the 'right thing to do'. According to whom?
... your 'partner or spouse has given it up'. Make your own mind up.

These are just short-sighted goals that you can push against as you cave in to that temptation.

But DO give up the booze (or reach out for help) if...
... it is a negative impact on you.
... it is a negative impact on your friends and relationships.
... it is making you ill.
... it is tempting you into criminal behaviour.
... It is putting people in danger.
... It is putting your livelihood in danger.
... it is badly effect personality or decision making.

If you answer 'Yes', an truly honest Yes, to any ONE of these, then you need to seriously consider your position.

But if your answer is 'No' to ALL of these (which is a good thing), it begs the question:
Is there a truly long-term positive reason for you to give up the booze?
Yes there is and it is profoundly simple: to tap into all the energy, creativity and positivity that floods BACK into your life which alcohol has been draining out of you all along.

You can't swim upriver forever.

That's why I am enjoying my sabbatical for the time being.

A Leader who knows his Onions

A colleague of mine recently had to give a short presentation which involved describing a leader that inspired her, but using food as the analogy to describe that leadership inspiration. Her challenge caught my imagination and we had an interesting discussion about it. As we are in the catering sector, the humble onion is one ingredient that gets overlooked in our business and yet underpins so much of what we produce from our kitchen. With that in mind, here is a leadership analogy that might just work for you.

An onion packs lots of character despite its size. 

And like a true leader, this appearance belies an unflinching willpower that’s fueled by passion. (Be careful of the smaller ones, they tend to have more bite!)

If you cut an onion open during a meeting, it’s aroma will definitely stand out.

… and this ability to ‘stand out from the crowd’  and leaving that memorable impression is what turns a good leader into a great one. 

However, the same onion has a harmonizing effect when cut within a kitchen.

Skilled leaders create harmony and team spirit by motivating the people around them.

Sometimes the humble onion leads from the front - just look at French Onion Soup. 

- true leaders don’t shy away from situations that others might find very challenging.

And in other recipes the onion leads from behind by bringing out the best in other flavours.

Through empathy, influence and skillful maneuvering, a smart leader can energise the team to raise their game. 

Onions add bite & texture when thrown in a salad, but cooked down in a sauce they add sweetness. 

Different challenges have diverse paths to a solution requiring the canny leader to think outside the box and encourage the team to explore those paths.

Cutting across an onion reveals a number of rings - symbols of both strength and continuity. 

Like great leadership, these represent new experiences or challenges, with one bigger than the last.

And as any search on leadership will tell you, an onion - just like our proverbial leader - is made up of many layers. 

For me, each layer represents a chapter in our experience that moulds us into the type of leader we are today.

As for stripping them away, you might think there will be nothing left. But paradoxically, I believe we are left with ‘everything else’. Put simpIy, the leaders who shaped our early behaviours, continue to influence our decisions today. So it is vital to seek out - and offer - great leadership!

If nurtured under the right conditions, an onion can be cultivated to produce a future crop. 

This can also be said of true leadership skill. Be that manager, mentor or coach.

One final point about the humble onion: 

like any great leader, they also have the potential to move you to tears.

Long Time No See

During a very difficult service on a cold January evening years ago, we found ourselves very short of dining tables in the warmth and cosiness of our Dining Room. The next morning I set about rearranging the tables to create more space. Through trial and error, we managed to accommodate 72 covers where only 56 could sit previously. As I stood back to admire the row of romantic looking tables-for-two along the window (overlooking the waterfall), I recounted to the waiters a situation I was reminded of during a Lunch at The Savoy Hotel’s iconic River Room...

.... On arrival, my host shook hands with the Manager on reception and passed him a rather substantial tip while politely requesting a table by one of the main windows. Gracefully accepting the generous incentive, the Manager glanced at his diary and loudly announced as if to an old friend “Aahh Mr. Cooper; long time no see.” This was quite amusing as he had never been before.  Swiftly we were lead into the famous dining room where the ritual was repeated with our Head Waiter. Graciously he promptly offered a chair at one of the highly-coveted window tables and proclaimed; “Mr. Cooper... your usual table!”

Later that evening as I stood surveying our readiness for service, I watched two very tall Australian tourists who had obviously wandered in for the first time out of curiosity and couldn’t decide whether to stay or move on. Immediately they were greeted enthusiastically by one of my smallest waiters; “Namaste Gentlemen... Long time no see!”

Humoured by his remark they browsed the menu and ventured in further to have a look around. With seating for 300 covers available, the wily waiter urged them to just enjoy a beer at any table of their choosing... in the garden... in the bar... in the dining room.... or perhaps on the terrace. Eventually they relented and chose - quite randomly - a table outside on the terrace.

“Aahh,” he said pulling out a chair for them, “your usual table.”

(And over the next three nights of their vacation, it was.)