Dean Lindsay delivers Fast Casual Summit keynote

Dean Lindsay delivers Fast Casual Summit keynote
Tags: Customer Service / Experience, Fast Casual Executive Summit, Fast Casual Executive Summit, Operations Management
September 13, 2009 - Valerie Killifer

The Fast Casual Executive Summit got its official start today at the Hotel Palomar in Dallas. The Summit, being held Sept. 14-15, launched with a luncheon keynote by Dean Lindsay, author of "The Progress Challenge," delivered to a room of approximately 150 restaurant-industry executives.

Lindsay challenged operators to position every action as progress.

"It is natural to resist what we view as change and it is natural to embrace what is viewed as progress," he said. "It's all about how things are sized up in the other person's mind. The progress challenge is to be progress."

Lindsay also said all actions must be positioned as progress in the minds of those restaurant operators wish to propel into action.

"Strive to become progress agents. It's vital," he said. "Nobody's moving toward change, we've got to be seen as catalysts for people's progress."

Lindsay spoke of the six "P's" of progress: peace of mind, pleasure, profit, prestige, pain avoidance and power. The more operators can "stack the decks" with emotions, the more people will be motivated to move toward progressive action, he said.

The Summit will continue today with two collaborative sessions: Learning the New Financial Business Model for the Restaurant Industry, and Brand Builders, an inside look at how start-ups should build or control their growth.

Meanwhile, day two of the Summit will begin with a breakfast keynote by Sue Morelli, CEO of Au Bon Pain. Michael Kaufman, chairman of the National Restaurant Association, also will address the audience at 1 p.m.

Day-two sessions also include a fast casual "Brain Exchange" and the collaborative session, Internet Marketing Real-time and the Power of Social Media.