Channel your staff’s passion into greatness that serves your mission
Dennis Rodman wasn’t supposed to fit in with the greatest basketball team of all time.
By the time he left the San Antonio Spurs (dumped via trade, more accurately) most of the league saw him as too much trouble, too unpredictable, too volatile, too “out there.” But Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson didn’t see a problem. They didn’t see his crazy hair or tattoos as an issue during an era when only sailors and drug addicts had them. Instead, they saw a solution.
They saw a player who, once their energy was channeled in the right direction, could be lethal. They weren’t trying to fix him; they knew he needed structure and purpose – along with their trust. With those pillars in place, the next thing that happened was the most productive team in NBA history.
How This Relates to a Restaurant
Over the past 21 years, I’ve employed a lot of Rodmans – players other restaurants couldn’t make work, but who were perfect for mine. This is not because I like problem cases, I truly don’t. It’s because their tenacity was never appropriately channeled. They were cast aside or written off way too early.
Jordan and Jackson saw a guy who just needed a mission and a team to align with. They didn’t ask him to be anyone else. They didn’t try to fix him. They gave him structure, purpose and trust. Dennis Rodman took that respect and ran hard with it via loyalty and hustle.
So, who is your current Rodman? Or, better yet, if a Rodman applied today, would you have the clarity to direct them to greatness?
From Misfit to MVP
We all have that one employee who consistently pushes the line. They’re too erratic, they show up five minutes late, and they drive your managers up a wall. But that same person might be the one who connects best with guests, moves at double speed in a rush or can work any station without missing a beat. That’s because they’re not broken. They just haven’t been given a lane that fits their skill set and energy level – and that’s where the operator who leans on ingenuity wins.
In Rodman’s case, his chaos had to be balanced by a team culture that embraced obsession and competitiveness. Jordan didn’t need everyone to be like him. He needed people who shared the same core value: Win by being relentless. Rodman’s way of winning was rebounds and defense. He didn’t score, and he didn’t need to. He just had to be great at getting the ball off the backboard, no matter what.
Complement the Team
That’s how it should work in your restaurant. You can’t expect everyone to share the same personality, but they should all align on the same core purpose. The best teams don’t erase differences; we use them. One person’s intensity complements another’s calm. One person’s creativity balances another’s discipline. When that mix is tied to shared values, the quirks stop being problems and start becoming assets.
I’ve seen other restaurants’ dishwashers become our team leads. Burnout servers who become managers. Cooks who got discarded for a minor infraction become the steady hands we rely on. The shift happens when you stop trying to make everyone fit a mold and instead focus on building a culture that rewards the right kind of relentless effort.
So, look at your team. You probably already have a Rodman on your line. Someone who frustrates you but might also be your missing piece. Instead of writing them off, think about how you can guide that energy toward your restaurant’s mission.
Of course, that also means YOU MUST HAVE A MISSION.
Because sometimes the people who seem the hardest to manage are the ones who can change everything, if you have the leadership to let them WIN.
Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch
