Sunday, March 4th, 2001

Yesterday I was at the restaurant that I normally frequent of a Saturday morning.  Just before lunch I often go down and order a coffee.  Almost every time I have been there, I am intrigued at the way the staff work.  Remember this is a country town, and the business is therefore owned by a local family.  The food at this place is great, but it is the process that I was interested in.

I watched the waitress clean the tables after each patron had finished and left.  I watched as she juggled between this and getting the meals to the tables that had ordered.  I watched as she hurried up to the till whenever patrons wanted to pay.  I watched as she ran to take new orders and get them to the kitchen.  Now where was that cleaning towel, ah yes.  Half way through a table, take these dishes to the kitchen.  New people just sat down, get the order.  People at the counter waiting to pay.  The bell.  New meals to be taken to the table.  That cleaning towel, where was I?  Oops, did I take the order to the kitchen?  What was that?  Your coffee?  Oh yes, sorry!

I waited some more.

Meals to tables...pay...new order...clean table...bell...not hot enough, I'll take it back...more guests to seat...pay...what was that?  Your coffee?  Oh yes... I am sorry, it will be right out.   On the way to the machine, child spills drink, where was that cleaning towel?  Pay... meals to table...

Process!  I couldn't help but think that a good process would have helped her out.  But then, the more I began to think about it, the more I realised that it is not only about process.  It is about both the tasks to be completed, in the process to be followed, and the priority each task is assigned.  Each task should be weighted against every other task.  Each takes its place in the overall process, but at any given time needs to be evaluated against the time taken before completing the next step in that instance of the process...

Take the customer to a table.  Get the order.  Take the order to the kitchen.  Get the cooked meal.  Take the meal to the customer.  Check drinks are OK.  Take payment. Smile and say good-bye.  Now, where do we fit in the cleaning of the table?  Where do we fit in the taking away of dirty dishes?  When the relative priorities of those other tasks fall below these maintenance tasks.  Unless a customer has finished eating and is waiting for the next course.  Then cleaning is important even if another customer is waiting to pay...or should we get the customer who wants to pay finished and then take the dishes away?  Where was that cleaning towel?

What.  Your coffee?   I'm really sorry...

The lesson in this entry? 
I realised that the same thing happens in our every day.  Without a goal to work towards, we really are not going to get anywhere at all.  So setting goals is important.  However, driving headlong toward your goals, with no room for flexibility can be equally detrimental.  Putting a priority on those things you value most is important.  Aligning your goals to those Values is important.  Going after your goals, while allowing other priorities their space, will make for a balanced life.

It is not only the end goal that matters.  It is in the process we follow in order to achieve our goal that matters most.  For it is in the journey, not the destination, that we spend or lives.

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