Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places sometimes. I have currently been inspired in my leadership journey by a show on the Food Network called "Restaurant: Impossible."
The premise of the show is a world-renown chef named Robert Irvine finds a restaurant that is about to go under and totally revamps it in two days with only $10,000. The whole 2-day/$10k thing is just to add drama to a one-hour show. But it's what this guy does in those two days with the people involved that inspires me so much. This guy knows how to empower people.
A major part of good leadership is the ability to look a problematic situation, figure out what's out of place, and put all the pieces where they need to be. Irvine takes a quick look at the failing restaurant's issues and makes changes--not just in the layout of the kitchen and dining room, but in the layout of the actual staff. He is able to identify people's strengths (or lack thereof) in a very short period of time and move them into the positions in which they, and the restaurant, will succeed.
Irvine does come in a bit like a caffeinated T-Rex at first and delivers some hard truths in a not-so-tactful way. In just about every episode, someone is crying from the way he's delivered the necessary information. But instead of telling them to get over it, he pulls them aside and listens. He sympathizes with how they're feeling, reaffirms them, and lets them know he's doing this for their benefit. He really is trying to save these families and their failing restaurants by giving them a fighting chance. Sometimes the process is painful, but the result is a real shot at success.
I don't condone the way he talks to people sometimes, certainly, but his ability to assess a situation and find "diamonds in the rough" is extraordinary. In one episode, he identified a woman who was actually gifted to be the head of the kitchen, but she had been working as one of the cooks for years. He affirmed her abilities and empowered her to do what she was gifted to do, and by the end of the episode, she was already blossoming in the role for which she was clearly best fit. It's the same in almost every episode, too. Irvine leaves the restaurant staff and owners feeling legitimately hopeful and optimistic about the future, when things had been so bleak two days before.
I love this show because I get to see principles of good leadership in action: assessment, delivering hard truths without fear, loving on people, and true empowerment.
Let's apply it this assessment thing. Are you in leadership? Are you frustrated because something is just not working, either with your role or with someone in your flow? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify the kinks. Be willing to delegate. Be willing to find that diamond in the rough. You may be the very person to empower someone else and help usher them into the role for which God has prepared them. This guy Irvine is doing it every week...imagine if we kept our eyes open the same way in our spheres of influence!
So, TV isn't ALL bad...
(And no, I'm not getting royalties from Food Network for promoting this show. I really do like the show this much. :) )
The premise of the show is a world-renown chef named Robert Irvine finds a restaurant that is about to go under and totally revamps it in two days with only $10,000. The whole 2-day/$10k thing is just to add drama to a one-hour show. But it's what this guy does in those two days with the people involved that inspires me so much. This guy knows how to empower people.
A major part of good leadership is the ability to look a problematic situation, figure out what's out of place, and put all the pieces where they need to be. Irvine takes a quick look at the failing restaurant's issues and makes changes--not just in the layout of the kitchen and dining room, but in the layout of the actual staff. He is able to identify people's strengths (or lack thereof) in a very short period of time and move them into the positions in which they, and the restaurant, will succeed.
Irvine does come in a bit like a caffeinated T-Rex at first and delivers some hard truths in a not-so-tactful way. In just about every episode, someone is crying from the way he's delivered the necessary information. But instead of telling them to get over it, he pulls them aside and listens. He sympathizes with how they're feeling, reaffirms them, and lets them know he's doing this for their benefit. He really is trying to save these families and their failing restaurants by giving them a fighting chance. Sometimes the process is painful, but the result is a real shot at success.
I don't condone the way he talks to people sometimes, certainly, but his ability to assess a situation and find "diamonds in the rough" is extraordinary. In one episode, he identified a woman who was actually gifted to be the head of the kitchen, but she had been working as one of the cooks for years. He affirmed her abilities and empowered her to do what she was gifted to do, and by the end of the episode, she was already blossoming in the role for which she was clearly best fit. It's the same in almost every episode, too. Irvine leaves the restaurant staff and owners feeling legitimately hopeful and optimistic about the future, when things had been so bleak two days before.
I love this show because I get to see principles of good leadership in action: assessment, delivering hard truths without fear, loving on people, and true empowerment.
Let's apply it this assessment thing. Are you in leadership? Are you frustrated because something is just not working, either with your role or with someone in your flow? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify the kinks. Be willing to delegate. Be willing to find that diamond in the rough. You may be the very person to empower someone else and help usher them into the role for which God has prepared them. This guy Irvine is doing it every week...imagine if we kept our eyes open the same way in our spheres of influence!
So, TV isn't ALL bad...
(And no, I'm not getting royalties from Food Network for promoting this show. I really do like the show this much. :) )
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