Leadership Book Club: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, Part Two

In the second part of their deep dive into Will Guidara's Unreasonable Hospitality, Mike and Kristen explore the leadership lessons that transformed Eleven Madison Park into the world's best restaurant. From breaking traditional fine dining rules to creating moments of surprise and delight for guests, Guidara's approach proves that true hospitality extends beyond simply serving excellent food. His philosophy challenges leaders to build strong teams, empower staff through trust, and create authentic connections with those they serve. Whether you lead a team of two or two hundred, this episode reveals how small, thoughtful gestures—what Guidara calls "grace notes"—can turn ordinary service into extraordinary experiences that leave lasting impressions.

Highlights: 

• Breaking traditions: Prioritizing authentic guest connections over rigid fine dining rules
• Hiring for the "why": Finding people who genuinely care about hospitality over experience
• Team choreography: Using subtle hand signals for seamless service coordination
• The Miles Davis approach: Identifying 11 guiding principles after a critic's feedback
• The "important to me" card: Building partnership through respecting what matters deeply to others
• Empowering staff: Giving team members control of specialized programs before they're fully ready
• The Dreamweaver role: Creating a position dedicated to personalizing guest experiences
• Grace notes: Small gestures that create lasting impressions, like plating a NYC hot dog for tourists
• Balancing excellence and warmth: Finding harmony between perfect service and authenticity
• Scaling culture: Maintaining core values while growing and trusting others to lead

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
• Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

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