I heard from the grapevine that, a few years before, a guy called Christopher Russell had made a impression on his team with his first speech as GM at Union Square Cafe. (I wasn’t there, so I’m paraphrasing.) He said: “I am so excited to be here; I believe in it and love this restaurant with all my heart. I’m also clear about what my job is, which is to do what’s best for the restaurant, not to do what’s best for any of you. More often than not, what’s best for the restaurant will include doing what’s best for you. but the only way I can take care of all of you as individuals is by always putting the restaurant first. Will Guidara, Unreasonable Hospitality

Operational Management

• Create rhythm
• Give a long leash with appropriate check-ins.
• Think across time horizons: one week, one month, one quarter, and one year.
• The job is “done” after you have evaluated multiple scenarios and explores each equally hard.
• If you aren’t throwing away 80% of your work, you aren’t doing enough work.

Conflict Management

• Multiple, contradicting truths can coexist.
• Disagree and commit.
• What got you here, won’t get you there.

People Management

• How someone does anything is how they do everything.
• Mercenaries are optimizing for their next job. Missionaries see this one as their only calling.
• There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, and those who cannot see.
• Double down on the winners.
• Manage through the work.
  • You are not someone’s therapist.
  • Hard on issues, not on people.
• Firm but fair.
• High support, high standards.
• Pressure is a privilege.