Setting the Table, The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

Danny Meyer has been called “America’s Most Innovative Restaurateur” and that’s the tagline his publisher has grabbed for his book cover. Whether he likes it or not, today he is more CEO than restaurateur, yet Meyer lives up to this billing within the pages of his book, as he shares his stories on why and how he successfully did innovate with each of the restaurants he’s opened. As he says about Shake Shack, “the burger, hot dog, and frozen custard stand we created in 2004 for Madison Square Park,”

“As always with our new ventures, the idea was to draw on the best elements of the classic, make it authentic for its present context, and then try to execute it with excellence.”
—Setting the Table, page 131

That one sentence says a lot about this book; within it Meyer explains what “the classic” is in his view, what authenticity means both historically and in terms of his next innovation for restaurants, and then most importantly about how “to execute it with excellence” means understanding the difference between service and “the transforming hospitality in business.”

Even as an ex-restaurant person myself, reading through Meyer’s writing about ‘the classic’ was the least interesting part of the book for me. I can see where he may have felt it necessary to establish his credibility outside of his New York renown with scoops of his life-shaping industry knowledge. It may also have been that he was sensitive to giving those who influenced him credit where credit was due, but it bordered on tedious name-dropping and insider’s foodie talk which dished up the sections of the book I was more apt to skim through.

However persist through this less than compelling first impression, and the rest of Setting the Table  (i.e. the greater majority of its 320 pages, from chapters 4 through 13) is truly terrific reading, and a very satisfying meal for a management and leadership coach like me. The book was initially attractive to me for the promise of explaining Meyer’s well-known philosophy on service versus hospitality, and to that end, he delivered, covering his Virtuous Cycle of Enlightened Hospitality, and adding an extra ingredient he calls the “charitable assumption.” (pg 206) Then there are abundant bonuses: The management and leadership lessons he shares were like starting with extra desserts before having to eat the meal.

Meyer is a big believer in emotional intelligence. He lives by it and looks to surround himself with it in the partnerships he selects, eagerly collecting mentors and savoring their wisdom— yet another way in which their classics become his innovation. Self-awareness and integrity are often mentioned as traits he values; they are the common threads running through his “five core emotional skills” sought in the hiring of a staff he refers to as his “51 percenters” (skills divided 51-49 between emotional hospitality and technical excellence) and through a list of nine specific traits he believes define the mind-set and character of his critically important managers.

Photo from a Fast Company interview, September 2006

Meyer describes himself as a “high touch leader” and a “bottom-up manager who subscribes to the concept of servant leadership” and he says, “I believe that leadership is not measured just by what you’ve accomplished, but rather by how other people you depend on feel in the process of accomplishing things.” (pg 217)

The management philosophy Meyer speaks of is a kinesthetic buffet of terms like “constant, gentle pressure” (he explicitly describes the gravity of each of those words) and he is a master of the metaphor. Several are sprinkled through his book, giving it a stickiness this reader is sure to remember. In particular I loved his explanation of why those new to management have to understand the instant appearance of megaphones, binoculars, and fire. In explaining fire, Meyer masterfully illustrates that a high touch, servant leader who understands that ultimately, all employees “are volunteers,” is no wishy-washy softie.

“With each year I’ve spent as a leader, I’ve grown more and more convinced that my team – any team – thirsts for someone with authority, and power, to tell them consistently where they’re going, how they’re doing, and how they could do their job even better. And all the team asks is that the same rules apply to everyone.”
—Danny Meyer in Setting the Table, page 198

Danny Meyer may be one of the most humble yet savvy businessmen around; he tells his story in an almost self-depreciating way, and is extremely open about his fumbles – one terrific chapter is called, The Road to Success is Paved with Mistakes Well Handled, and it could’ve easily been another tagline for his book. Yet don’t let the word “humble” mislead you. In my view, Meyer is one smart cookie. A chapter he calls Broadcasting the Message, Tuning in the Feedback on how he’s handled and learned from the press is exceptional, a glimpse that this is not a man to underestimate. “My only choice then, is to hop on the back of the shark and ride with exceptional care and skill, or I’m lunch.”

Judge for yourself. If you are in business, a manager and a leader, I’d recommend you consider Danny Meyer as one of the mentors you collect, for there is great advice generously given within the pages of his book. On bookshelves full of the newest business books written by academics, journalists and theorists, look for Meyer’s Setting the Table in the company of stories from the trenches. From those trenches have emerged his very successful world class team, and you can read how it happens.

Click on the book jacket to take you to Amazon.com and more reviews.

Related posts: These were written on Talking Story in preparation for this review;

• Service is Monologue; Hospitality, Dialogue
• Ho‘ohana: Love Your Work (about those five core emotional skills Meyer hires for)

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Post Author:
Rosa Say is the author of Managing with Aloha, Bringing Hawaii’s Universal Values to the Art of Business. She fervently believes that work can inspire, and that great managers and leaders can change our lives for the better. You can also visit her on www.managingwithaloha.com.  Writing on What Great Managers Do is one of her favorite topics.

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Rosa, I had read previously that Danny was going to be one of the speakers at GEL 2007 (http://www.goodexperience.com/blog/archives/001220.php). Now with your review I have another incentive to read the book before I go to NYC. This is also another excuse to find one (or more of his restaurants) while I am in the city.

Thanks for sharing, my 'to read' book list is growing.

[Rosa Say]

My goodness Steve, you are becoming the conference commando! You live in the perfect place for a lot of these events, don't you.

I get the impression that Danny Meyer gets a lot of opportunities to speak, both as the CEO who regularly does seminars for his staff and within his industry, and more recently as the author of this book, so I imagine you'll enjoy listening to him. I'll be looking forward to hearing about it!

[tim]

Excellent book review, Rosa. It appears that you've digested well much of what Danny Meyer serves up in his book, not only here, but in your other blogs as well.

I like how Meyer seems to have a handle on balancing the "soft skills" with intensity and get-it-done flair. Both styles are necessary and to find someone who can balance both in healthy ways is a beneficial resource.

Looks like the bar has been set high for the remainder of the month. I'm ready to linger in this "love affair" for the days ahead.

[Rosa Say]

Good one Tim... the foodie puns are fun aren't they!

What's very relatable-to-endearing about Meyer's book is how transparent he is in very openly explaining where he tripped up before finally arriving at that balance you speak of.

We're living in a time where the "soft skills" are getting increasingly important in the face of generational differences in the work-force, however I do agree with Meyer that great leadership - whether you call it firm mentorship or something else - is still needed, and still desired, even though many on staff may not come right out and say so.

As for my review, brevity is not my talent I'm afraid - you're much better at it!

[Blaine Collins]

Rosa - thank you so much for sharing this. I'm simply blown away by Meyer's idea of "fire".

In explaining fire, Meyer masterfully illustrates that a high touch, servant leader who understands that ultimately, all employees “are volunteers,” is no wishy-washy softie.

The world's view of what it takes to be a success has changed dramatically in recent years. I think this derives from many smart people, like Meyer... and yourself, being determined to live their lives and lead their organizations outside of the command and control model, instead with emotional intelligence and servant leadership.

[Rosa Say]

Ah Blaine, knowing that I was going to review this book for ALAWB, I thought of you often as I read it, because Danny Meyer really seems to be your Stronger Teams kinda guy! Here’s another quote just for you, in a section where he talks about hiring;

“We make it clear to our employees that we’re going to give them a great troupe of positive, helpful colleagues to work with, with whom they can feel mutual respect and trust, and with whom they will be asked to achieve lofty goals. We are not a constellation of individual ‘star’ employees: that idea would work against my core belief that hospitality is a team sport.”
--- page 154

[Blaine Collins]

You know me well Rosa. I'm off to Amazon to add this one to my shopping cart!

Isn't it refreshing when leaders recognize that their next hire is not a decision made in isolation; that the organization has a responsibility to make hiring decisions that positively affect the existing team.

[dave]

In describing this book Rosa, it seems as if most of us here can relate to Meyer's message. Another one to add to the list :-)