The Importance of Going The Extra Mile
Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of itself. – Andrew Carnegie
When I was younger, I was told by my parents to always do good in everything that I do. My mom assured me that I will be great someday (I’m still waiting for that time to come) and (she) made sure to instill in me the mindset of nothing is impossible. I took the statement to heart and carried it like an armor, protecting myself from people who try to change my mindset. Now, years passed and the mantra did very well for me, not just in cooking, but in serving others. The keyword is, that you HAVE to do good in every endeavor you come across in life, to go beyond what others expect out of you.
How I wish all the kids would have parents like mine who are very supportive and sound. But in reality, not everyone gets that same support from their parents, if we all did, then there would not be a single person in the world who will be lost in life. Instead, I always hear these statements from our generation to the next:
“Oh, it’s not my job”
“My Job description does not entail that”
“They don’t pay me enough to do that” or,
“I will do it once they pay me what I’m asking for”
As someone who is just starting his/her career (and even veterans of their field), one must avoid these statements and this kind of mindset. It pollutes and strangles you, hindering you from becoming the best version of yourself. The greatest of men who come across our world have devoted their lives and sacrificed countless times in order to get to where they are right now. Who are we to say no to a single task that’s not in our job description? Just because the S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure) did not specify that a server also needs to run food and serve at the same time, doesn’t mean that he/she can’t do it. For example, the typical answer from a typical server would be, “Because that’s a food runner’s job and by me doing it, means that I am helping them out while they make almost the same as I do.” What kind of mindset does America have? It upsets me to have a mindset that is against the grain or against the flow of what people are accustomed to. The worst part about it is that despite having this rusty mindset, they expect more compensation out of their labor, “the company should be paying me more.” But HOW and WHY will somebody pay you more if you do not show the signs or deliver above expectations for you to deserve such a raise? Soaring prices for daily necessities is somewhat a reason for you to demand a raise, but, if the labor or your work ethic remain inferior, then chances are that a company might just hire somebody else who does better than you.
As a young kid and when I was still religious, I took heed of a very potent bible verse that I still “consume” even now as an adult:
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. “ 1 Timothy 4:12
By all means and like I said in my previous posts, I have stopped being religious. But this verse in the Bible clearly was my inspiration do prove everybody wrong. That as a young kid, you can set yourself as an example of what hard work and perseverance can bring. When I was starting my career, I did what I could in order to become better. I did things that my chefs don’t even have to tell me. In return, I was able to learn fast and build my character. I was able to get promotions that I didn’t even see coming. The money? Oh, I didn’t even think about it. I budgeted whatever I earned, saved and along the way, life became generous to me. So, how can you help yourself instill a mindset of “Go beyond what is expected"? Let’s tackle the main points to get to where you should be one by one:
1) DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS, IF YOU HAVE TO, TURN THEM TO INSPIRATIONS
This is the biggest pitfall of people. They always look at the other colleague(s) and compare themselves. These people who compare do not see the reality that maybe they themselves are the problem. To them, it is always somebody who gets the fault to what they are feeling internally. Once you do it, then you will feel envy, thus opening Pandora’s Box. This is where bad thoughts start like, “Why would I help him/her? He’s already the favorite of the GM". Or, “Sarah doesn’t need help, she’s too good already, me helping her would only make her even more of a rockstar."
STOP entertaining these thoughts. Rather, make them into a CHALLENGE. Challenge yourself to find out how Luis can effortlessly reach the highest sales, learn from him. Find out how Marlon has the best knowledge in wines, learn from him. Find ways to become like the people who you compare to and not hate on them. Because chances are that these people have been studying while you party the night away with friends. It is true that it’s so difficult to not feel envy when somebody gets recognized for something. I’ve been there, and even if you justify your reasons for a thousand times, people only see what they see. It is very difficult to convince somebody otherwise. So, what you need to do is to find ways to turn those negative thoughts into inspirations that will change you for the better.
Once you find yourself learning the tricks to selling and getting to know the different types of wines for example, then you will find yourself amongst the people you inspire to be, or even become better. This, in turn, will then enable you to provide more value and meaningful services to your clients. Your clients will start to see that you are doing more than what you are supposed to do in order for them to have a good experience. At the end of the day, you get tipped out more than usual and help out the rest of the team.
Let me tell you a secret. As a manager myself, I know the people who work diligently and do whatever it takes to make things happen and those who just twiddle their thumbs while on duty. It sucks, especially if someone who you like (as an employee) is the one who is throwing pebbles on water. Do not let yourself or your performance get affected by the latter type of people. These people’s lives are done, meaning, they are helpless. Not unless they reflect on themselves and do something about it, they will not succeed. On the other hand, you acknowledge their shortcomings and find a way to take advantage of those situations without stepping on anybody (of course). Be the guy who knows all the departments because you finished your prep early and wanted to help out others. Be the guy who took the time to study all the allergies of every item because you took time to read other stations’ recipe books. Be the guy who, in times of the rush, will jump in to help other stations execute their orders, and you will see opportunities unfold in front of your very own eyes. There are no shortcuts in becoming good, but you can expedite the process by going the extra mile. By doing things that your job doesn’t entail.
2) FOCUS ON YOURSELF
Similar to the first point, one must focus on one’s self. Channel all the energy that’s coming out of you back to your core. You are your number one focus. What are your capabilities that separate you from the rest? Should you further develop a skill or learn a new one? Do not waste your energy on others’ businesses but instead, find ways to make a better version of yourself. The best way to do this is to learn something new. I’m going to give you a concrete example.
There are chefs who are well versed in cooking but lack the ability to run numbers. You make them cost how much an egg is and they say that it’s too difficult for them. And, there are chefs who are better at being pencil-pushers rather than cooking. By no means am I saying that they don’t know how to cook, but, their food doesn’t bring value to the customers. And then, there are chefs who are successful in both, somebody who can create flare and excitement while having a sound judgement that benefits the company financially. Now, who do you think will be paid more? Of course, the one who knows both fields. As a chef, you need to be able to provide the restaurant exciting and tasty dishes. If you are able to follow the season and adjust your dishes to what’s best at that time, then that’s an added bonus. Also, from an owner’s perspective, you have to make sound decisions for the company that will provide maximum ROI. This is where inventory management, labor cost management and food cost management come in. Learning how to negotiate prices with your purveyors is a step by step process that takes time to happen. First, you have to create a solid relationship with your sales rep even before you can start asking for a better price on something.
A chef who doesn’t understand these mathematical concepts is considered a cook, for he or she doesn’t provide the management mindset in order to run a business perpetually.
So, let me ask you right now, do you, as a chef, have a grasp of these concepts? Well then, if not, then there’s a long road ahead of you that you need to focus on. As you learn and progress in the kitchen, you need to continually excel and elevate yourself to a higher platform. You need to reach the end of the cliff so that you can see everything with an eagle’s eye. Focus on yourself and stop wasting your time on worrying other people’s achievements. Go the extra mile on investing in yourself.
3) HAVE A MINDSET OF AN IMMIGRANT , THAT YOU ARE AFRAID TO LOSE YOUR JOB ANY DAY
This is by far my most favorite point. It might be highly controversial but I am just stating the obvious.
I thought that as an immigrant, who had all the predetermined disadvantages of starting a new life, I would fail and have a hard time paving my way to the top. But instead, I was surprised by how easy it was to prey on the shortcomings of kids and adults-alike, who were born in this country. Yes, you read it right, and I want them to pay attention. An immigrant, upon stepping foot in America, has only one thing in mind: To make their live better. Now, these people know what poverty is, these people know how it feels like to live a difficult life. They come here to avoid those experiences to happen again. Some succeed and some don’t. But in general, America has slowly become a country where immigrants are the ones who run some, if not the most, successful businesses. Ever heard of Dunkin Donuts’ slogan, “America Runs on Dunkin”? I think America is being ran by Immigrants.
People who always go the extra mile and do good in everything will prey on your mindset. It won’t take too long for somebody who is better than you to take over your job and get paid more because of how your work ethic is. It may sound harsh but this is reality. The world right now is highly competitive, it is really a survival of the fittest-scenario out there. You have to have something to offer on the table and set yourself apart from the rest of the herd. And with how kids nowadays easily give up on something and lack the persistence to stay on course, it is so easy to achieve the impossible.
Have the mindset of an immigrant who will do whatever it takes to make his/her predicament better and strive for a better life. If you have the fear that you might lose your job today or tomorrow, then you will do everything to make things right, you will do whatever it takes to say “I’m thankful that I have a job, that I can provide for my family because of this.” On my end, I had the thought of “I cannot fail or else, I’ve got nowhere to come back to.” Despite the fact that I’m exaggerating and I can just go back home if I failed, I never considered going back to my family as a possible option. I dragged myself everyday to do what is right and to succeed.
What I notice presently is that, my cooks, they’re not even scared to lose their jobs anymore. They will have that entitled attitude saying that I can find another job the next day. And guess what, they don’t even last long. I will find out that they got fired or left after three months or less. They carry the same mindset and impede their growth. Hear me out, for a company to even consider that you worked in a place, you must stay there for at least a year. I’ve been rejecting hundreds of resumes from thousands of candidates because of this. You need to show that you have persistence and commitment to last a year. You must whether out the four seasons before you can start looking for another place to work at. It doesn’t help yourself entering as much as you can on your resume with only 2-6 months of tenure. That’s nothing. You have to endure what it feels like to run service on Art Basel Week, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. On top of that, you need to experience what it feels like running a very slow summer and then Mother’s Day Brunch.
Running a very slow summer, as a chef, is by far the most challenging and rewarding season to experience. Why, you may ask. In summer, your ability to trim down “fat” will be challenged, tremendously. This is where cutbacks across the board will happen. Can you muster the strength to tell somebody that you’re laying them off, even if they didn’t do anything wrong? Can you find reasonable decisions on how to manage your labor? How about inventory, how well can you order just enough to survive and not stock up way too much? How lean are you during the summer season? In a time where there’s only 30 covers for dinner, how do you maintain to keep everything fresh and anticipate a busy 150 cover lunch tomorrow? If you think that you are the “Rockstar” during high season, well think again. The real challenge unfolds during the slow season. This is where you cook and chef capabilities come into play.
Take Jean Georges, for example. Jean Georges was born in France yet he dominates the dining scene in America. Before any famous American chefs were getting the recognition, Jean Georges and Wolfgang Puck were already carving their names on stone tablets, creating the commandments that would eventually be the path to success of cooks who take the risk. Please correct me if I’m wrong on this one. I’ve heard of Jean Georges’ name first even before I found out about Thomas Keller. I do love an immigrant success story.
The Importance
Why then, do we have to go the extra mile?
We go the extra mile because we are a service-oriented industry. We go the extra mile because we want to make people feel satisfied. This is at the very core of our jobs, providing excellent products and services that delight guests regardless of the situation.
With a world that runs on one-to-one exchanges, meaning, you buy this and I give you this, that’s all you get- transactions, people seek for something that feels more selfless, more genuine. People go to restaurants to pay for the food and drinks, plus pay eighteen to twenty percent tip for service while expecting that they will be treated wonderfully. By giving them a wonderful time, you’re actually doing yourself a favor and not them. They only pay what is due and what they find to be worth it.
By providing the best experience, by cooking the best risotto and by concocting the best drink that came out of love, then we harness the power within to make ourselves better. When we continue to develop on a daily basis, then we become more valuable to somebody, your worth increases and this is where the path to success starts. So, the next time you wait a table or cook something, there’s got to be a way to go the extra mile, something that you can put in along with the service that you provide or that main course dish that you just sent out that will make people smile and say, “Yes, this is where I needed to be.”