Tag Archives: management

The Mother Sauces You Need For Business

Friday again, so let’s talk about food.  I was doing just that with a friend if mine the other day about Mother Sauces.  In classical French cooking, these are the basic sauces upon which all other sauces are built.

Velouté sauce with Calocybe gambosa (mushroom)

Image via Wikipedia

Yes, he’s a trained chef and we were discussing the menu for the restaurant he is opening.  I was telling him the acronym I use to remember them – it’s “Bring Elvis His TV” – Bechamel, Espagnole, Hollandaise, Tomato, and Veloute.   Interesting, I know, but why is this appropriate in a space where we talk about business?  Because it got me thinking about what the Mother “sauces” are for business folks – what are the basic  traits one needs to posses and upon which all other skills are built?

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A Hockey Player Here To Play Golf

If you’ve seen Happy Gilmore you understand the notion of someone who is skilled at one thing transferring those skills to something else.  In the film’s case, Happy’s ability to smash a slap shot was a perfect antecedent to his long drive skills in golf.  As an aside, it’s not all fictitious:  I”ve played golf with many hockey players from the NHL level on down and almost without exception they play golf quite well.

Happy Gilmore

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This got me thinking about if the same is true in business – someone who is successful in one industry can transfer those skills to another.  Here’s my thinking and I’d like to get yours: Continue reading

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The Easy Way Out

I read something this week that fits our Foodie Friday theme and ends the week with a stimulating thought. There is an ongoing flame war between Mark Bittman, a well-known food author, and Josh Ozersky, who is an award-winning food writer as well. The battlefield is Time Magazine and the subject is “industrial food.” If you’re interested in the blow-by-blow, you can read the articles here, but their conversation about our food system makes a broader business point in my mind. Continue reading

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