he key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change By now, most people have strayed far from their New Year's Resolutions. Why? It's easier to stay the same than to change. It's uncomfortable. Instant results aren't seen. Been to the bookstore lately? There are more diet books than you can imagine. Guess what? Most of them actually work but are only short-term fixes. Are you out there looking for short-term fixes in your operation?

Just like diets, the only real solution is commitment to the basics of the business. For a dieter, it all boils down to eating less and exercising. Joining a health club doesn’t cause you to lose weight --- actually going and working hard is the key. In restaurants it’s no different. Yelling, lowering standards, talking about an issue or buying a self-help video doesn’t mean you’ll achieve long-term success. They may provide the spark or the idea, but until you change, the staff won’t.

To that end, get committed to the core standards for the reasons customers come in: great food served accurately in a timely manner by friendly people in an inviting atmosphere. Boil down the key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change

them actually work but are only short-term fixes. Are you out there looking for short-term fixes in your operation?

Just like diets, the only real solution is commitment to the basics of the business. For a dieter, it all boils down to eating less and exercising. Joining a health club doesn’t cause you to lose weight --- actually going and working hard is the key. In restaurants it’s no different. Yelling, lowering standards, talking about an issue or buying a self-help video doesn’t mean you’ll achieve long-term success. They may provide the spark or the idea, but until you change, the staff won’t.

To that end, get committed to the core standards for the reasons customers come in: great food served accurately in a timely manner by friendly people in an inviting atmosphere. Boil down the key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change

Joining a health club doesn’t cause you to lose weight --- actually going and working hard is the key. In restaurants it’s no different. Yelling, lowering standards, talking about an issue or buying a self-help video doesn’t mean you’ll achieve long-term success. They may provide the spark or the idea, but until you change, the staff won’t.

To that end, get committed to the core standards for the reasons customers come in: great food served accurately in a timely manner by friendly people in an inviting atmosphere. Boil down the key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change

may provide the spark or the idea, but until you change, the staff won’t.

To that end, get committed to the core standards for the reasons customers come in: great food served accurately in a timely manner by friendly people in an inviting atmosphere. Boil down the key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change

he key items in each of these areas and focus on them each day to make them a behavior. Reinforce and reward those who are successful in improving in these areas. As the old saying goes, what gets rewarded gets repeated. Slowly, the momentum will build and true change and improvement will take place.

The difference between pretty good and outstanding is due to the commitment and focus of the managers. Can’t get the employees to come in on time and in full uniform? Allowing sub-standard performance such as tardiness and sloppy appearance is easy, but it’s not commitment. You can change the uniforms to a hip, cool new look, but if you manage the same way, the employees will still come in late and sloppy --- it’s not the real problem.

When someone asks me after a seminar how some companies get their employees to come in on time and in full uniform, my answer is easy --- it’s the only thing they accept. They are committed to it and make it happen. Did it happen overnight? No. Was it easy? No. Did they keep reinforcing it until it happened? Yes. That’s the difference...commitment.