What’s Cooking?

My mom’s kitchen has always been a special place. As a youngster it was home to an amazing array of shapes and colors that sometimes made their way onto the floor as impromptu toys. The aroma of fresh baked bread, fried chicken, or the latest vegetable from the garden would fill the house on a summer day. Family banter around the table was a regular occurrence when I was growing up, unlike the rare occasions most of us now find ourselves gathering for a meal. The kitchen was also a teaching environment where I learned basic cooking skills and shared chores with my siblings.

Perhaps leaders could learn a few lessons from the culinary arts. Whether an amateur cook or a professional chef, there is a discipline and rhythm required to running an efficient kitchen or preparing a meal. Recipes serve as the foundation. They guide the cook in selecting ingredients, measuring quantities, mixing in sequence, and applying the proper time and temperature. While my mom cooks mostly from memory these days, her early success depended on having a reliable set of instructions.

Effective leadership also depends on discipline and processes. Too often leaders fail to plan for the organization’s growth. There is no recipe or vision to guide the way. Poor screening and interview techniques may result in hiring the wrong persons to fill important roles. Without an essential mix of talent and skill, and with little or no orientation and training, is it any wonder the results we hope to achieve go unrealized or turn out badly?

The best cooks intuitively sense when an ingredient is suspect or a required flavor is missing. My mom has honed her skills through hours of practice and plenty of failed outcomes. Leaders who only depend on a rigorous adherence to the prescribed course of action will fail to notice when an employee is hurting, a resource is missing, or the timeframe is unrealistic. It’s fine to follow the plan, but ill-advised to ignore ones intuition along the way.

In spite of observing my mother’s prowess in the kitchen for nearly 20 years I failed to learn much about the art of cooking, although I do fry a pretty mean egg. Perhaps it is because I spent more of my time working on the farm rather than in front of the stove. It could be the result of my lack of interest in the subject matter. Instead of aspiring to be the next Chef Tell, I had set my sights on becoming the next Frank Lloyd Wright. (That didn’t happen either.)

Becoming a competent leader, like being a talented cook, is more than raw talent and training. There is a need to trust ones intuition and rely on past experiences. You must know how to select the best people, find the right resources, and combine them effectively to accomplish your vision. Your reward will be as appetizing as a gourmet meal...without needing to wash the dishes. Bon appétit!