When We Stop Doing The Things That Made Us Great

Last weekend, I went to one of Detroit’s most celebrated Italian restaurants. I’d been years ago and anticipated the same exquisite experience. Known for their impeccable service and inspired dishes, I was expecting them to nail every detail like they had in the past.

Yet the very things that made them successful had obviously been significantly diluted. It took 35 minutes for the first splash of wine to reach our glasses. Our server was curt, frazzled, and disorganized. The portions had shru...