This past Tuesday afternoon, I walked into my local McDonalds for a Diet Coke. There was my friend Austin furiously working the front line trying to clear a bunch of orders. As usual, he was wearing his dress shirt and tie, but this time had on his jacket as well.
“You might want to dump the coat,” I joked when he greeted me.
“Didn’t have time,” he said. “I walked in just before you and the kitchen was buried.”
Rather than taking time to get organized at the beginning of the shift, Austin sprung into action, immediately accomplishing two things: 1) He got the kitchen unstuck; 2) He set an example for those around him that hustle pays off. I doubt that he took time to think about this, it was just instinct.
Some of you reading this might thinking, “Boy, I wish I had an Austin or two.” The reality is you can. It just takes requires a little change in methodology. Here are a few steps for doing so:
1) Look for hustle from the minute an applicant arrives. It’s easy to focus on qualifications and how well the person demonstrates required skills. Personally, I’d rather hire the hustler and train the skills than the other way around. How do you detect it? It’s in their eyes, the stories they tell and most importantly in the way they approach the work they’re given. You do put them to work during the selection process, don’t you?
2) Set the example. Supervisors supervise. Great supervisors dive in when needed for the same reasons as Austin. That doesn’t mean you should be the first to the counter, the first to pick up the phone, or to the first one to answer questions during the normal course of business. Make it clear that those responsible for certain tasks take the initiative. If you don’t, they will be happy to let you do their work.
3) Deal with the “hustle-less.” Those who are going through the motions even when it’s scurry time need to be informed that their contribution is essential. At first, specific instructions will be in order. Over time, expect them to “get it.” If they don’t, they’ll probably leave anyway knowing they don’t fit in. And when they leave, refer to step one.