The cycle of reactionary management has left business owners and management constantly busy but never getting to the priorities that would move their businesses forward. If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. The pace of business and life has never been faster. COVID-19, followed by significant shifts in customer traffic, has forced restaurant leaders into an ongoing state of agility—constant pivots, new systems and rapid decision-making. While this adaptability helped us survive, many owners and operators have become constantly stuck in “firefighting-mode.”
While we all learned how to pivot quickly, the cycle of reactionary management has created a critical challenge: restaurant owners and operators are overwhelmed, making it difficult to decide what is an urgent fire to fight versus what is truly important to move their business or restaurant forward.
Making it more complex, our brains love the dopamine hit (the neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward) we get from addressing urgent tasks compared to proactive, strategic work, where the rewards are further in the future.
Restaurant owners and operators are not alone in falling into firefighting mode. Research from Accenture Strategy shows that executives and leaders spend an estimated 54 percent of their time on low-value, reactive tasks versus just 10 percent on strategy and innovation (as cited in the Harvard Business Review).
The answer is not more time management techniques; it’s a shift to priority management.
Move from Time Management to Priority Management
Time management focuses on scheduling, efficiency and productivity. While these are valuable skills, they do not address the deeper issue that highlights what priorities owners and managers should spend their time on to move their business forward?
In working with leaders on strategic and annual planning, a common mistake is attempting to tackle too many priorities simultaneously. Beyond managing cognitive overload, the need to prioritize arises from the reality that resources like money, time, and human capital are limited. As Goethe said: “Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.”
How many priorities should you or your team have? Geno Wickman, the author of Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business, coined “rocks” as the three to seven most important things that must be done in the next 90 days. This gives yourself and your team members a set number of priorities to work on, so they can continue focusing on the big picture while navigating fires.
Your rocks should solve for the most significant challenges or opportunities in your restaurant business over the next 90 days. For example: improve speed of service by 15 percent, increase loyalty program membership by 10 percent, or develop a bench of three ready-to-promote managers.
Four Steps Define & Execute Your Priorities
Defining and executing your top priorities can be a challenging process. Follow these steps to set yourself, your team and your business up to win:
- Focus on high-impact activities. Begin by brainstorming all potential tasks, then identify and prioritize the core activities that will significantly advance your goals. Recognize that addressing one root cause can often resolve multiple related issues.
- Be SMART about each priority. Transform your priorities into S.M.A.R.T. objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to ensure everyone understands what “done” means and foster alignment.
- Break down priorities into actionable tasks. Divide large priorities into smaller, manageable tasks with precise deadlines and assign these tasks to specific team members for efficient execution.
- Establish accountability and track progress. Assign ownership of each S.M.A.R.T. goal to specific individuals, consistently measure progress, celebrate achievements, and avoid shifting focus before a priority is completed, unless necessary, as frequent changes disrupt momentum.
From Clarity to Results
In a world filled with noise, data, stress, and distractions, shifting from time management to strategic priority management is not only beneficial but essential to delivering high-impact results. By understanding the draw of urgent tasks and the cognitive burden they create, you can reclaim control, lower stress, and drive meaningful progress for your business.
True success lies in focusing on the fewest priorities completed in the most realistic timeframe for the work to succeed. Failure often loiters behind chasing too many priorities, silver bullets, and the dopamine hits from immediate reactions.
Embrace the power of S.M.A.R.T. goals, break down those goals into management tasks, and hold yourself and your team accountable. By setting shorter, structured deadlines and focusing on quarterly cycles—or even weekly priorities in high-pressure moments—you’ll transform from a reactive firefighter to a proactive leader.
Ultimately, priority management is about more than just getting things done; it’s about building a sustainable, thriving business and team by consistently focusing on what truly matters. So step back, prioritize ruthlessly, and watch your business grow!
Jamie Griffin is the Founder & Principal of Consult to Grow. He has 20+ years of experience in restaurants, working in multiple facets of high-growth restaurant chains. He is the founder and principal at Consult to Grow. He and his firm specialize in helping owners improve, scale, and grow their businesses through better strategies, people, systems, and processes.
