The Power of Why

As always, we attended and thoroughly enjoyed Pizza Expo in Las Vegas a few months ago. I always find it rewarding to greet and chat with so many of our restaurateur customers!

One of the things that differentiates the Pizza Expo from a “food show” is that it offers extraordinary resources for Independent operators seeking peer-to-peer education, including dozens of restaurant-specific seminars taught by experienced fellow Independents on everything from management to marketing.

This year, I had the chance to hear a Keynote Speech given by Matt and Hengam Stanfield, founders of Mattenga’s Pizza in San Antonio, Texas. I admire how they have successfully expanded their business to multiple locations by encouraging their team to feel “ownership” over the business.

Motivating employees to think like owners is not easy. The Stanfields shared that, early on, they had established checklist “processes” to help employees dependably complete tasks (like regularly ordering enough ingredients to fill orders). This method was good at teaching HOW to execute tasks, but the operation was still far from running smoothly.

Therefore, they began to teach their employees WHY each step of the checklists made a difference to the end result. Once their employees understood that the proper execution of a task actually has a positive impact on pizza quality and their customers’ experience, they became more engaged, self-motivated, and productive.

Their training method was so simple, yet successful, that I wrote it down so I could share it with you here (with their permission).

• Step 1: I Do, You Watch. The process begins with the manager showing the trainee, step by step, exactly how to execute a given task. Along the way, the trainer explains why performing each step in a specific manner matters in achieving a positive outcome. For example, while conducting a physical inventory of cheese in the cooler, the manager would explain that, beyond counting packages of cheese, achieving proper rotation (older in front) for immediate use is critical to freshness and, ultimately, to the quality and consistency of their pizza.

• Step 2: I Do, You Help. After performing Step 1 a few times, trainees begin to actively assist in completing the task, as well as explaining the purpose of each step to the trainer.

• Step 3: You Do, I Help. During the third step, trainees take a lead role in both initiating the task and explaining to the trainer how to properly execute each step, as well as why the task is important.

• Step 4: You Do, I Watch. The final step in this training process, the trainer silently observes the trainee executing the task without assistance. Once the trainee demonstrates that they “get” their new responsibilities, their mastery is congratulated, and they are empowered to manage this task on their own.

In my experience, it can be valuable to add a fifth step over time that I would call “You Do, I Learn.”

That is, as motivated employees gain experience and confidence, you may occasionally observe them deviating from established processes.

When the timing is right, it is productive to discuss their unique approach. You just might learn something valuable in the process. Besides, nothing kills employee initiative faster than “because I said so.”

If the why behind their new methods is directionally consistent with your end goals (e.g., greater consistency, enhanced quality, greater dependability, enhanced service quality, greater customer satisfaction), applaud their innovation and incorporate it into your official process!

On the other hand, if their unique approach misses the mark, hearing them out (and helping them understand why you still prefer the official method) goes a long way to encouraging the type of ownership mentality the Stanfields have achieved at Mattenga’s.

Of course, there are many other effective ways to train your team. No matter how you choose to train, I believe that helping your team understand the “why” behind what you are asking them to accomplish (and how they can add value to the business) goes a long way to helping them and your business succeed!

Until Next Time,

Tom Cortopassi, President and Co-Owner