I talk a lot about excellence at the classroom. Our job is to create an excellent experience for ALL guests. Chef Ted has probably heard me say "we don't have uhappy guests" at least 348 times since he came aboard full time. I can tell he takes that seriously because the 5 star reviews keep flooding in.
But what happens when we fail...We do fail sometimes and I don't like admitting it, not because of pride, but because it can weaken our future outcomes. I think if we give in to the notion that we are going to fail, that it's inevitable, we can easily allow failing and the excuse of "well we all fail" as a crutch not to work towards excellence. From my perspective I see two different mindsets.
Mindset #1. On my way to excellence I may fail a few times. It's natural but not the acceptable norm.
Mindset #2. I use failure as an excuse not to pursue excellence.
Which one are you?
With that said...I hope all of you know that I'm striving for excellence daily. It's a tough yet gratifying road. I will continue climbing up that road all the days of my life. Recently on that road, I tripped and fell face first into a pile of rocks and came out bloodied and bruised. I had two guests, at separate times, comment to me that I made them uncomfortable in the classroom because I singled them out in banter. In my efforts to have fun and joke around with others as a way of creating connection...I did the opposite. I greatly apologized and was instantly humbled by their comments. I felt terrible.
I could have easily used this feedback as an excuse to stop pursuing excellence, to stop trying new ways to connect with guests and make our classroom amazing. If I were to allow messing up to minimize our pursuits, we would wither and the classroom would cease to be the special place that it is.
On my way to excellence I will be looking for signs of success and not make excuses for my failures. Instead, I desire to own my failures and continue to press ahead. I can hear the tough stuff and honest feedback...frankly I don't like hearing it, as most people don't, but I decided many years ago...that the tough stuff is necessary to get to the good stuff. The journey to excellence is not a smooth path but it's worth the trip.
I hope you are blessed today!
Chef Jeff
Sweet and Savory Classroom offers hands-on cooking classes, team-building events, kids' cooking camps, and family culinary experiences for all skill levels. Our interactive classes help participants build confidence in the kitchen while creating memorable experiences together. Gift certificates are available for cooking classes, camps, and private events.