Ramsay's Cheffing Experience

Well, now that Gordon has allegedly fallen out with his business brain father-in-law, he’s earning his corn from plenty of American telly time.

Although I must admit that I am a fan of his Kitchen Nightmares show, which aims to aid ailing restaurants, and you cannot be immune to the tears when seeing American Masterchef’s first blind contestant (youtube the amazing Christine Ha when you’re feeling strong), he swears too much and isn’t quite the genius he makes himself out to be.

Yet I did hear one line I really liked. Mainly because at the time I was preparing a coaching programme for people brand new to Sales Management. Expletives removed, it goes;

just because you can cook doesn’t mean you can run a kitchen

Think… “just ‘cos you can sell doesn’t mean you can run a sales team”… does this also follow?

Well, yes. But then it’s surely not that startling is it. In just about every walk of business, you can construct a similar saying, can’t you. Just because you can do, never assume you can manage others who do that doing.

And for the salesperson who aspires to be a chief exec, this is a good tip, isn’t it?

Now, how you actually become that wonderful manager is a whole different story. One upon which fortunes are made. And can be made payable to me please! Let’s simply say for now, that “micromanagement” and being the “king closer” on every deal is absolutely not the way to success, and are two of the biggest traps fallen into.