“Let’s face it: if you and I have the same capabilities, the same energy, the same staff, if the only thing that’s different between you and me is the products we can get, and if I can get a better product than you, I’m going to be a better chef.”
– Thomas Keller, legendary American chef
And so, sourcing the ingredients (“the good stuff”) becomes really, really important. Whether we’re a chef or whatever!
I’ve been to one of Keller’s restaurants (Per Se in New York) twice, but I’ve not yet been to The French Laundry in Napa. There is a six month waiting list for reservations, and we’ve never had six month’s notice before our trips. That six month wait, though, isn’t just because Thomas Keller can cook his a** off.
It’s because he understands that the better the ingredients that go in, the better the creation that comes out.
So, what is on the Difference Makers grocery list? Ideas, people, skills, experiences, talents, different-thinking, perspective, context and caring are dominant on the list.
Hiring, training, coaching, teaching and leading with that list in mind will (and does) make a difference.
Leave a Reply