28 Sep Simplicity

Houston has a fun way to survive the heat of summer. The Houston Restaurant Week event is a month long philanthropic event where restaurants offer price fixed menus and a percentage of sales go to the Houston Food Bank. It is a great way to encourage lethargic Houston diners to enjoy air conditioning in new environments and bring in some business during a slower time of year. A friend and I decided to try out a new place for lunch. When I was asked my thoughts on the food, the word “contrived” is what came to mind. It isn’t that the food was bad, but I just wasn’t sure that the extra work and ingredients that went on the plate were worth the chef’s time and the resulting price. Case in point, the waiter accidentally brought the wrong food to us twice. The funny thing is that we weren’t sure that it was the wrong food. We had to do some backwards engineering to see if it matched our order. If a fish taco doesn’t look enough like a fish taco for you to be sure that’s what it is….something may be wrong. As I have recently left a corporate job for the excitement and joy of starting up a new venture, the concept around simplicity is particularly meaningful to me. Taking a deep breath, and greeting life with a smile. Taking a moment to watch the sun rise and set. Going back to the basics of business and the joy that it provides. Basically, please your customer by providing value and then get compensated for that value. It really is that simple. As I work with clients, we often start with clarifying or defining their vision and creating a mission statement. The closer teams stay to their vision and mission, the happier the teams seem to be, as well as the more successful. If your business day is feeling really hard, chances are that it doesn’t really need to be. Take a minute to pause and reflect on how close you and your team are sticking to the core mission. If the alignment isn’t there, it may be easier to stop and simplify. After all, a fish taco is a pretty tasty treat….I don’t think it needs to be a whole lot more.