• by Max Kalehoff , June 12, 2012

“If you work in [enter four-letter dirty word that rhymes with spit], you tend to produce [enter four-letter dirty word that rhymes with spit].”

That’s a quote I overheard from a renowned chef at one of New York’s top French restaurants, where I once worked. To be sure, the quote included the actual four-letter word.

Of course, this chef was referring to the organization, preparation, cleanliness and technique of his cooks and overall kitchen operations.

Great gastronomical outcomes don’t occur if these fundamentals aren’t executed in full.

Ever notice that even the floors in great restaurants are so clean that you can eat off of them?

I really like the quote because it’s direct and packed with meaning.

It’s tactical, but also aspirational.

And it extends far beyond the kitchen to any endeavor — including our digital marketing world. It’s a desirable leadership behavior that can become contagious.

Consider your team meetings. Your marketing plans. Your design. Your office. Your software code. Your reporting and analysis.

The success of all of these things things tends to directly correlate to how well you organize, drive efficiency and apply technique.  

If you work in slop, then you tend to produce slop.