How to Over-Spend Your Effort in Hospitality
I found a lesson-filled story about Jerry Seinfeld (the comedian) this week, and I wanted to share how it might apply to your work.
First, some stats about his absolutely prolific creative output:
Seinfeld's finale, which aired on May 14, 1998, was watched by an estimated 76.3 million people, making it one of the most-watched television events of the decade
The show ran for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998, totaling 180 episodes
The show won 10 Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes
Its syndication success is remarkable, with estimates suggesting it has generated several billion dollars in revenue, making it one of the most profitable shows in television history
If you're trying to accomplish something similar, whether it's an award of recognition, a revenue goal in your business or a size-of-audience target, you might empathize with the story that comes next 👇
In a more recent HBR interview, they asked Jerry about his process and how he was able to achieve excellence with his other creative collaborators.
This exchange had me laughing:
HBR: You and Larry David wrote Seinfeld together, without a traditional writers’ room, and burnout was one reason you stopped. Was there a more sustainable way to do it? Could McKinsey or someone have helped you find a better model?
Seinfeld: Who’s McKinsey?
HBR: It’s a consulting firm.
Seinfeld: Are they funny?
HBR: No.
Seinfeld: Then I don’t need them. If you’re efficient, you’re doing it the wrong way. The right way is the hard way. The show was successful because I micromanaged it—every word, every line, every take, every edit, every casting. That’s my way of life.
Now, am I suggesting you head into work tomorrow and implement a breathing-down-people’s-necks routine?
No.
But in my experience, he's right.
Going above and beyond, when mapped out on paper, ISN'T the most efficient way.
I remember spending the extra time to wrap the wet paper towel around the bundle of chives so that I could get uniformly round, thin and consistent chives for my station.
I used to stand over the rondeau of pork bones with tweezer-tongs, turning my aromatics at just the right time so that no burned flavors would make their way into my sauces.
I found myself picking through my crab meat one extra time just to make sure no shell fragments made their way into the final plate up.
It doesn't make sense to do these extra actions...
...until they're experienced by someone that appreciates them.
Greatness and excellence is on the other side of paying attention to the right details and being able to execute them consistently.
It's going to be hard, that's how you know you're doing it right.
And before this transforms into some "just push harder" motivational piece that burns people out, I'm here to remind you that there's a needle that can be threaded.
Practically speaking, this could actually be a more productive step to build into your process. And yes, I'm going to build on previous newsletters here:
Work to eliminate or mitigate "Multiplying by Zero" moments in your execution
Identify what actually makes sense to over-spend on to achieve the quality you're going for. In Seinfeld's case, it was being funny.
Ruthlessly cut, streamline or develop a system around everything else.
Said another way: Seinfeld had his list of the ~5 things that mattered most (the lines, the flow, the re-takes, the edit, the casting), and they all needed to ooze excellence.
Did he spend time changing out the font used in the credits of the show?
The costumes and outfits that the actors wore?
The color of the paint of the walls on-set?
...maybe? I'm no Seinfeld expert.
But my gut tells me that his success can directly be linked to this type of process.
So this week, I want you to consider these questions for yourself:
What do I want to unapologetically spend time on? Can I do it guilt-free because I've made it the most important thing?
What have guests/customers really expressed an appreciation of in the past that I can put more emphasis on?
What's gotten "watered down" over the past few months that really shouldn't have?
What needs to "give" in order for us to make these changes?
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