Andy Swingley's Blog (81)

Status Quo is a State of Mind

I have heard these a lot lately……how about you?

This recession is killing us…..

Some people just complain to get a free meal….

People are spending a lot less…..

I am in a tough labor pool and it’s hard to find good people…..

This generation doesn’t have a strong work ethic…..

I have had to cut back in…

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Added by Andy Swingley on September 6, 2010 at 7:12pm — 3 Comments

A Tribute To My Team

How many times have you heard that recognition is a part of successful

leadership?

How many times have you heard that you have to deposit in your team’s

emotional bank account 5 times positively before you can take one withdrawal?

How many times have you been told you get more bees with honey?

I thought this week I would write about the obvious positive impact of recognition

to your team’s success, your long-term goals, and improving your… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on August 9, 2010 at 7:26pm — 7 Comments

Leadership from the Deep End of the Pool

In the FOHcus last Friday, the first paragraph simply and eloquently states:…

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Added by Andy Swingley on July 26, 2010 at 7:54pm — 1 Comment

$6 Million Dollar Man

Disclaimer: I so wanted to make the title non-gender specific but it sounded stupid as person,…

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Added by Andy Swingley on June 28, 2010 at 7:41pm — 1 Comment

How did you get so damn smart?

One of those leadership road hazards that most of us hit head-on at times is thinking that we have it all figured out and know all the answers. We spring to conclusions, discount ideas, and generally don’t listen either intentionally or not. Now, I don’t know about you but I can’t remember the last time I actually had an original thought. Don’t take that last remark as bad as I feel after typing it. What I mean is, think about it! Where do you get the ideas you implement every day? Here are the… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on June 8, 2010 at 4:10am — 1 Comment

Inspiration 101

Two ways to do it…..

Do it because I pay you.

Do it because I inspired you.

Both work.

One gets amazing results.

One gets short-term results.

One takes a lot of work, one not so much.

Inspiration takes a lot of work and some folks just aren’t willing to give what it takes to lead from this very important value.

What does it take you… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on May 17, 2010 at 6:59pm — 1 Comment

You Can't Buy the Wag of a Tail

“Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won’t buy the wag

of its tail” –Josh Billings

I don’t know Josh, but his quote applied to more than just dogs, it applies to people too! If you know me, you know I grew up training dogs in obedience trials and many of the things I learned there apply to what I know about helping people to win. Training dogs is a struggle because they can’t tell you…

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Added by Andy Swingley on May 4, 2010 at 5:50am — 3 Comments

Block and Tackle

Every day in the restaurant we are surrounded by chances to throw the long ball….change something about our menu, our service, our décor or ambiance, something that will make an overwhelming impact on the future of our business. Call it a magic pill that will solve our most overwhelming problems or struggles in…

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Added by Andy Swingley on April 19, 2010 at 7:05pm — 2 Comments

Fear of loss vs Potential for Gain

So many questions recently from folks telling me about their struggles in shifting from a “command and control” leadership style to a more acceptable “grow, learn, and develop” style. They all include the same thing, speed and accountability. Here are just a few.

“It seems to take so long to gain ground.”

"My boss needs results faster from me and I am going to have to just make my people do it soon.”

“My team doesn’t always take… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on April 5, 2010 at 6:10pm — 3 Comments

Lifecycle of a New Manager

I have seen two approaches to placing a new manager into a restaurant. The first angle is train them fast, throw them in the deep end of the pool and they either drown or they tread water long enough to find the edge of the pool and get out safely, learning never to be allowed to be thrown in the pool again, but it takes a lot of time and money to get them out of the pool. Some drown and don’t make it. The second approach is train them effectively, put them in a learning environment, and foster… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on March 15, 2010 at 8:03pm — 9 Comments

Undercover Bull*&%^

I am so disenchanted!!! Now I have worked for many CEOs….actually only two…one pretty crazy the other one not. So I have been watching the new TV show “Undercover Boss” and after four weeks of one hour segments on the CEOs of Waste Management, Hooters, 7-Eleven, and now White Castle, I have four hours lost in my life I can never get back.

Brilliant revelations from some of the leaders of their industry listed below.

Large Organizations have employees that love their… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on March 1, 2010 at 7:25pm — 5 Comments

The Checklist

Now before you make fun of me and call me names like “Anal Retentive”, “Dork”, or “Old School”, let me tell you, I very rarely forget anything and some would call me the nicest a****** they know. Why, because, my strength lies in two things, I think? They are my communication skills with people and my follow up skills. When coaching, folks ask me many times, how do you remember that stuff or I can’t believe you keep talking to me about that. Why, it’s simple, I am a checklist fanatic. Yep, I… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on February 15, 2010 at 7:12pm — 7 Comments

"I" before "You"

Most of us own, operate, or assist other businesses in being successful and evaluation of the effectiveness of the business is the culminating point to our individual success. When evaluating my own operating situations some of the things I hear from my team are:

“I have some folks on my team I am going to replace with an upgrade”

“My manager or employee just doesn’t get it.”

“Right bus wrong seat.”

“The work ethic of today’s generation…so much… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on February 1, 2010 at 3:54pm — 1 Comment

Please Keep Me!

As the new year rolls by, already mid January, we all reflect on what we can do better whether it be personal, professional, diet, more family time, etc., it is always a time for me to reflect on how do I keep more people in the boat rowing together with me. I want to lose less people than last year, increase the capacity of the people I do have, and improve my team by adding top-level performers. In this week’s blog I want to focus on keeping more people on my team. Now if you are reading… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on January 18, 2010 at 7:54pm — 16 Comments

The Leadership Mindset!

Traditional leadership in business is founded on hierarchy.

Boss

Employee

Objective

The Boss tells you how to do it and when it has to be done

The Boss holds the key to the knowledge to accomplish the objective and they can chose to share that or not……

Your compensation is dependant on your success.

How is that working for you?

Is everyone doing what you tell him or her to do?

Are they exceeding your expectations with their… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on October 7, 2009 at 6:43pm — 3 Comments

Which came first?

How or Why?

I don’t know about you but in my day-to-day dealings in business, restaurant, and with people I feel like I can quickly deduce the problem anyone is experiencing and my thinking automatically turns to the solution. I mean I have been in the business a couple of days now so solving operational or execution issues is like walking, it just happens. Does this sound like you also?

Now… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on September 9, 2009 at 5:20pm — 9 Comments

It doesn’t have to be work!

We all have to have a career…how we define our career is what sets us apart and makes us either happy or, well, not so happy.

A career is needed to provide an income

A career is needed and frankly it is healthy, provides direction and organization

A career is one of the places where we meet others and expand our network

A career doesn’t have to be bad and it doesn’t have to be defined by someone else, it can be defined by you.

You need an Ultimate… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on August 26, 2009 at 7:17pm — 5 Comments

Everything I learned about people, my dog taught me….

Before my restaurant career started my hobby was showing dogs in the obedience ring. It, I believe, is what gives me clarity in my views on people development and training. Here’s what I know.

To teach a dog to sit here are the steps:

1. Get down on one knee, say “Sit”, and then place your arm under the dog’s two front legs and lift them forward, while pushing down on the hindquarters and guide the dog into the sitting position.

2.… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on August 12, 2009 at 10:51pm — 10 Comments

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

As we all know communication is the cornerstone of all things…business, relationships, results, you name it and it comes down to communication. Maybe I am the only one in a long-term relationship that has heard, “Well you obviously just misunderstood what I said”, right?

The other day I went to pick up my wife from getting her hair done and I was talking with her long term stylist and, as I often do, I made some sarcastic comment about the fact that I thought the directions on the… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on July 29, 2009 at 8:34pm — 5 Comments

Don't shoot me, General Patton!

I want to take this week to introduce all of you to an up and coming blogger I met on Talent Revolution by the name of Don Hart. He just "gets" leadership and training. His message below is indicative of one of the Leadership roadblocks I see often in the workplace. You can find him on Talent Revolution and on Twitter as @voiceofWUBU. Not only is he talented in Leadership training but… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on July 1, 2009 at 8:53pm — 5 Comments