Not a day goes by when I don't think of Michael O'Grady. I can't forget the creative ways he coached and mentored so many to new heights. In this series, “Lessons Learned from the Magnificent Manager,” I'll share my insights, breakthroughs, tools, and techniques, which honor Michael’s legacy of helping others grow and succeed.

n a sunny Saturday morning, I sat in the front row of bleachers at Legacy Elementary School, cheering on my seven-year-old son Nathan. I was so proud when he stole the ball, raced down the court, and executed his stop, drop, and pop technique to score a basket. From time to time, he’d come over in his yellow t-shirt and blue-and-gold striped shorts, look me in the eyes, and ask me to tie his shoes. After the game, we practiced at our neighbor’s backyard court. The time I spent wasn’t just about being a fan or honing skills, but about being with him—fully present in the moment.

My mentor Michael O’Grady gave that same kind of time and attention to everyone—dishwashers, line cooks, bussers, servers, hosts, and managers— to create Paolo’s, the busiest restaurant in the world in 1987. Michael died nearly five years ago, but his practices in the art of hospitality live on.

“Before Michael, the staff in most restaurants I’d worked in had a ‘Let’s get through the day, make our money, and go home’ mentality,” says former Dining Room Manager Tom Girard. “There was often a sense of dread and despair. With Michael, work was a means to improve your position in life.”

1 PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY
“Take the dishwasher Juan, who had left his native civil-war-ravaged El Salvador. He lived in a rough part of Mt. Pleasant in Washington, D.C., in an apartment with three other families, and he took two buses to get to work. Paolo’s was an emotional safety net where he not only got a regular paycheck and staff meal but was addressed by name and respected by everyone as an important part of the team. Even more important were the times Michael sat down with him to ask how we could reduce breakage and improve efficiency. Michael’s respect and encouragement set the stage for Juan to move up to kitchen prep and eventually to line cook,” Tom continues.

“Same thing with our Thai busboys who came to America for a better life. Everyone had a minimum of two or three jobs and took only a handful of days off each year. They saved religiously and sent money home. I remember Michael telling them that every night is like a stage performance with positions to take and lines to deliver. They took his cue, moving through the dining room with grace and harmony while clearing and resetting tables in 15 seconds flat. While working at Paolo’s and at our sister restaurant, the River Club, our head busser, Kit, attended Northern Virginia Community College and took more than a few insights from Michael to open his own restaurant, Urban Thai, in nearby Arlington, Virginia.”

2 EMBRACE LESSONS LEARNED
“Michael’s lessons furthered me too,” says Tom. “After moving on to become general manager at the prestigious Galileo Restaurant, I never forgot the night Michael pulled me aside and said, ‘I need you to move faster—a lot faster. Everything starts with the manager and filters down. So I need you to not only be the ship’s captain, but to lead with a sense of excitement and urgency. If you don’t start moving faster, there’ll be footprints on your back—mine. I have two words for you: double espresso!’ Michael often told the story of how people love to stand at the edge of a huge construction site and watch people work. ‘When guests see you moving with energy and passion, they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,’ was a lesson I carried with me throughout my restaurant career,” Tom says.

When I first came to Paolo’s, like a few of my fellow waiters, I was adrift. Straight out of college, I recorded a couple of albums on MGM Records and was the opening act for notables such as Richie Havens, Neil Young, James Taylor, and Emmylou Harris. I shuttled back and forth between the Chelsea Hotel in New York and my apartment on Gardner and Sunset in Hollywood, California, while recording and playing gigs. When my music career stalled, waiting tables seemed a steep drop from riding in limos and playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London—that is, until Michael got hold of me. Sure, I had some fascination with the performance aspect of waiting, but Michael took me to a new level. He was the first manager to listen and give feedback from the floor. He embraced my love of wine and food and sent me to outside classes. He recognized my passion for selling and put me to work as a trainer.

Eventually, I took my new show on the road. And, every step of the way, he was there to push and cheer me on. Slowly, I went from delivering wine sales classes for $75 at the MacArthur Café three blocks from my one-bedroom apartment to delivering keynotes and developing sales, coaching, pre-shift, in-room dining, and front-office programs for the likes of Marriott, Disney, Red Lobster, and Olive Garden.

3 BE A HOPE GIVER
Like the bussers, line cooks, and managers, Michael saw the potential in me. He instilled faith that there could be life beyond the everyday grind. For him, service was performance art. His maniacal focus on knowledge, training, tools, systems, and emotional support took us to his promised land. At the core of his brilliance was his uncanny ability to assess, teach, and coach. Most of us cherished the brash, sarcastic, and playful way he pushed and cajoled, since we knew that beneath the surface was his love of both us and the business.

I’ve spent the last four years writing about Michael’s practices and insights. In his very short life, his teachings helped many. Like countless others, I’m proud to be a part of his living legacy. Today I have the good fortune to perform, teach, and create in ways I could never have imagined. As Nathan races back down the court, I think of how, like Michael, I’m at my best as a hope giver—giving to those who reach out for inspiration, mastery, and love.

Bob Brown, president of Bob Brown Service Solutions, www.bobbrownss.com, pioneered Marriott's Service Excellence Program and has worked with clients such as Disney, Hilton, Morton's of Chicago, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster. He has appeared on the Food Network and Hospitality Television and is author of The Little Brown Book of Restaurant Success and The Big Brown Book of Managers' Success. ©Bob Brown Service Solutions 2008.