Constant, Gentle Pressure

Danny Meyer gives a great example of how he learned a management style that keeps managing business and people in perspective.

You know the feeling ... when folks on your staff push the limits and push your buttons ... it gets you all frustrated and upset. However, when getting upset about it, you are missing the boat. Danny's friend Pat Cutta uses the salt shaker example...

Pat cleared everything off a set table in the resturant where they were meeting. The only thing left in the center of the table was a salt shaker. Once Danny had done that Pat asked him where the shaker was? Danny replied in the center, Pat then asked if it was exactly centered where he wanted it? Danny moved it an inch to get it exactly centered where he wanted it. As Danny moved his hand from the shaker Pat reached over and pushed it three inches off center. Then asked Danny to put it back where he wanted it. After Danny put it back to center, Pat moved it six inches off center. Then asked Danny again where he wanted it. Danny slid it back to center and Pat explained his point.

Pat explained, your staff and customers are always moving your saltshaker off center. It's their job. It's what they do. It's the job of life. The law of entropy! Until you understand that you'll constantly get upset every time someone moves your shaker off center. Your job is to move the shaker back each time and let them know what you stand for. Let them know what excellence looks like. If we are ever willing to let your staff or customers decide where 'the center' is then we might as well hand them the keys to the business.

What I find interesting here is that when staff and customers try to move me off center it is a fact of life. I shouldn't waste my energy resisting it. But rather recognize that the center of the table is the core of excellence for my business.

Danny goes on to explain in his article that from this lesson with Pat he designed his management style called Constant, Gentle Pressure.

Constatnt - moving back to center each time it gets moved.
Gentle - Never recenter the shaker in a way that denies dignity to the one who moved it off center.
Pressure - Pushing back on every shaker that is moved because excellent performance is paramount.

A great management style that I've already begun to put into practice. For a complete article please visit the link below.

The Inc. Magazine article was adapted from Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer (copyright 2006).