8 comments

• 

  John Windsor

  1 year ago

  Awesome post, Frank! It's a pleasure to read your writing.
  reply
• 

  Frank Roche

  1 year ago

  John, thanks so much...it was an enjoyable experience this morning and top of mind as I wrote this post. funny how it works, isn't it? Sometimes better writing comes out quickly rather than with a lot of thought
  reply
• 

  rick

  1 year ago

  You have a lot of intriguing and thought provoking ideas. Clearly in 25 years working in various professional service firms, it is the motivated and caring employees that are the best. I agree that we rarely hire on that basis and virtually never as a primary criteria with the idea of training on the technical competencies.
  
  While you cannot teach people to care about their work, the work environment can destroy an employee's motivation.
  reply
• 

  Frank Roche

  1 year ago

  Rick, I'm going to do a follow up article about this tomorrow...I still have some to say about the topic. I agree that we rarely hire for that trait. You can't teach coachability and desire...maybe there's a business scouting model out there...wanna start a new business?
  reply
• 

  albert

  1 year ago

  oh man do i love being a regular and having the people at places i frequent often know me. down in DC, where i went to school and drank many a drink, i was a regular at a bar on M Street and when i walked in, the bartender would start pulling a Guinness without a word. it was the best.
  reply
• 

  Frank Roche

  1 year ago

  Albert, it's part of being in the club...it's a great feeling, whether at a pub or at Cosi. It makes me loyal to the place, which is what all the "engagement" mumbo-jumbo is supposed to result in -- business success. I can imagine that it would be easy to blow me off, instead that one guy does it right...and it matters to me.
  reply
• 

  Chuck

  1 year ago

  i just want to thank you for the nice comments you said about the cosi rittenhouse squad. i have been commuting five days a week from new jersey for over a year now just to be a part of our great team, and it's nice to know it doesn't go unnoticed. i also agree with your logic pertaining to the "i gotcha" attitude compared to the resume. Someday, when i own my own restaurant, there is no doubt that i will be hiring a bunch of "i gotchas"
  reply
• 

  Frank Roche

  1 year ago

  Chuck, that's great leadership too, that you've got going. It's hiring right and showing the way. There's definitely something going right with your shop, and I can notice it even when new people come on (the reality in retail). Good leadership combined with good hiring and some expectations sprinkled in and you get it. I'm a happy customer of Cosi Rittenhouse, and it's more than the very good food. It's about the people. Congrats on that.
  reply