OK. So here’s a question for you; is your ego getting into the way of your restaurants success? Are you directly causing your restaurants failure?
Let’s face it, restaurant owners do have ego issues. Even soft-spoken, seemingly unassuming owners have to have something inside to lead them to believe they can succeed in a business where so many other restaurants failed. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. If you don’t think you have what it takes you should find another way to spend your money.
Where an ego can become a problem is when you are so set on being right in every area that you begin to grind down the people around you, and when you fail to admit mistakes, even when those mistakes are costing you your business.
If you have ever watched the show “Kitchen Nightnmares” you have seen how egos have gotten into the way of a restaurants success. Every episode Chef Ramsey is forced to confront an owner who refuses to change the way they are doing business even when they are obviously failing with the way the are operating. The majority of the time it isn’t just menu or service problems, it extends to the way the owner is treating the staff.
One of the greatest assets an owner has is the restaurants staff. A good staff, when properly lead can not only make sure your food is properly prepared, they are the ones in front of the customer, putting a face on your business. when an owners ego prevents that staff from feeling like they are making a contribution, or worse yet, that their contribution isn’t appreciated, you are on the road to disaster.
Keep your ego in check. It may be your business, but chances are great that you are counting on a lot of other people to make it succeed.
