Shut Up and Listen!: Hard Business Truths that Will Help You Succeed

by Tilman Fertitta

• Keep meetings short. Short meetings h...

• Don’t assume anything.

As we like to say around here to people interviewing for positions, if you want a script for every day, we don’t have it. Every day is so new that any script would be pointless.

Great work should be recognized and rewarded, but remember, doing your job well is something to be expected, not constantly applauded. That comes back to culture.

Your culture should mandate top performance. If employees do their jobs well, that’s great, but that’s also to be expected, not recognized as something special or out of the ordinary.

If the general manager is taking the time to show me how to do my job well, then this job is important to the success of the entire business.

• A great leader is also a great teacher. Take every opportunity to teach those around you.

• Great leaders are always learning.

It all comes down to putting the right people in place, one of the greatest challenges that any leader faces.

hire people who are stronger than you, and don’t be intimidated by them.

Things have a way of working out on their own, and it’s valuable for business owners and entrepreneurs to recognize that and give the situation ample time to develop.

I want to wrap up this book with a breakout strategy that may be simple to understand but challenging to live by: never, ever give up.

Keep going. No matter what. You never know—the other guy might go down before you do.

Don’t quit, unless there’s absolutely no other choice. Keep punching.

And always remember, the best asset you have is your own instinct.