1: In 2006, renowned New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer offered twenty-seven-year-old Will Guidara a career-changing opportunity.  

Will was to become the General Manager of Eleven Madison Park (also known as EMP), a New York City fine-dining restaurant.

Will and Chef Daniel Humm were charged with reinventing the restaurant.

Eleven years later, the pair achieved the highest honor in dining when Eleven Madison Park. was named No. 1 in The … continue reading

1: The thing about Laura?

“She never complains.” Will Guidara writes in his terrific book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.

Will was about to assume the General Manager role at Eleven Madison Park (also known as EMP). This New York City fine-dining restaurant was part of legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer‘s Union Square Hospitality Group. 

One “should never waste an opportunity … continue reading

1: “The first time my boss saw one of those spoons, she narrowed her eyes and asked me what they had cost,” Will Guidara writes in his amazing book Unreasonable Hospitality.

When Will told her the price, her eyes got even narrower: “We’ll talk about this later,” she said.

The year was 2004.  The Museum of Modern Art in New York City was reopening after a two-year-long, $450-million renovation … continue reading

1: A couple was celebrating their anniversary at one of the legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer’s restaurants in New York City.

“Midway through their meal, they remember they’ve left a bottle of champagne in the freezer,” Will Guidara writes in his terrific book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.

“They call the sommelier over to ask if it’s likely to explode before they get … continue reading

1: Dr. Mike noticed something was changing with his patients. As a pediatrician, he had a busy, demanding schedule.  

“I have noticed,” he emailed Dr. Daniel Friedland, “I am seeing patients who are much more tolerant of me being late. Also, they are happier with the advice I give.”  

The kicker? “Patients seem more likely to follow the advice given,” he wrote.

What’s going on here? What is causing this … continue reading

1: Imagine a brand new manager. Someone has just been promoted and is now someone else’s boss.

The person may look the same, but the universe has shifted. Three things have magically happened, writes acclaimed New York City restauranteur Danny Meyer in Setting the Table.

First: “An imaginary megaphone has been stitched to their lips, so that everything they say can now be heard by twenty times more people … continue reading

1: Danny Meyer is a raving fan of servant leadership. He believes it is a crucial ingredient for tapping into the resourcefulness and imagination of his team to solve problems and make decisions.  

So, how can we activate servant leadership in our organizations?

It begins with the development and training of managers, Danny writes in Setting the Table. “It’s delusional to think that the day-to-day performance of your … continue reading

1: “Opening this new restaurant might be the worst mistake I’ve ever made,” Danny Meyer confessed to Stanley Marcus, the legendary long-time leader of Neiman Marcus, the high-end retailer known for extraordinary service.

The year was 1994. Danny was in Dallas on a book tour. At dinner, he had been seated next to Stanley. Today, Danny owns 18 uber-successful restaurants in New York. But at that moment, he was … continue reading

1: Danny Meyer was struggling. 

Twenty-seven years old, he had just opened his first restaurant in New York City. He sensed he was making the biggest mistake a manager can make: neglecting to set high standards and hold others accountable. Most of his waiters and managers were older than he was. They were testing him and pushing his buttons. 

“This was driving me crazy,” he recalls in his book … continue reading

1: Today’s the day.

The new hire we are all excited about starts today. We’ve used our high standards to hire what renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer calls a “51 percenter” someone who has both the technical skills (49%) and the emotional skills (51%) to succeed in their new role.

Now what? How do we ensure we’ve hired the right person, and how do we best onboard them onto their new … continue reading