It's time to change

Get on your favorite couch, make it yourself comfortable and watch 'Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares' on your new flat-screen TV. Did you see that show? If you are in management of any kind, I think you should. You will enjoy how he is able to come in and help turn around a restaurant in a very short time. Very educational. Gordon Ramsey is a true architect of

effective 'Change'. You think it would be great if you could be as effective in turning around the people in your organization (but without the profanities!). Be aware, Ramsey is using an approach that is very well established in the management world - the eight steps of transforming organizations by John Kotter's 'Leading Change'. (See our bookstore)

John Kotter's eight steps are:

Create a sense of urgency
Building a guiding coalition
Create a vision
Communicate the vision
Empowering people to act on vision
Creating short term wins
Consolidating improvements
Institutionalizing change

Before Gordon even visits the restaurant, they are in trouble. Most often there are not many customers visiting the restaurant, and the owner doesn't know what the real issues are. Gordon's first step is to get them to realize the issues, and then create a sense of urgency around resolving them. It is not always easy, and often there is a significant amount of frustration (and profanity) before he can get them to accept the problem(s). After observing the restaurant in action - recognizing the real issues - he makes those running the restaurant accept and understand the urgency and need to fix them. Chef Gordon has even had the health authorities close the kitchen! All of this is designed to get his point across and get management to understand: It is time to change - now!

His second step is to create a guiding coalition. He needs to get the management team to agree upon the fact that change is necessary. In Gordon's case, this includes the chef, the manager and often, even the waiting staff. When he gets them on board, he helps them in creating a vision (the third step). That may involve redefining the restaurant theme or perhaps refocusing on the existing theme, but it inevitably will result in some significant changes. Not everyone will be on board with the vision and may even threaten to leave. Some do, and that is part of the change process. But most get energized by the new vision.

He then communicates the vision and empowers the people involved to act on it. Gordon coaches them to change their behavior. This includes the new menu, the new theme, the improved interior or kitchen space, and improved serving practices. He will be in the kitchen, but he does not do the work for them. They have to get involved in the change themselves. Gordon is there to immediately observe and help correct any negative or resistant behavior.

Ramsey's vision and communication includes not only those in the restaurant employees, but also its customers. Usually at this point in the show, Chef Ramsay will promote the restaurant's new style and direction to draw in some customers at a reopening.

It is when the customers show up that Gordon is able to create the short term wins. When people come in and see the new style, decor, menu, improved service, experience, and best of all the new menu - that is the winning moment. All of the staff see the responses, both on the customers' faces and at the register. Often the changes include buying easier to procure and prepare ingredients to reduce costs.

Although the TV show usually ends at this point, Ramsay urges the management to stay on course, continue to do the the things that made the change successful, and to look for further improvements that are consistent with the new direction. In other words: improvement is one thing, but it's hard to keep it going.

The excitement of a turnaround in behavior (and maybe even culture) is the desired effect that everyone should be looking for. If Gordon Ramsey can do it for a restaurant. Can you do this for your organization?

Service Management Art
Bob Swan and Peter Lijnse