The Restaurant Coach Podcast · 2026-07-13 · 17 min
What if your staffing problem isn't actually a staffing problem? Every restaurant owner has experienced it. You interview someone who seems perfect. They say all the right things. They start strong. You begin imagining how much easier life is about to become. Then, a few weeks later… They lose their urgency. They create drama. They damage your culture. Or they disappear without warning. The natural reaction is to blame today's labor market. But what if the real issue isn't the people you're hiring? What if it's the standards you're leading with? In Episode 183 of The Restaurant Coach Podcast , Donald Burns challenges one of the biggest myths in the restaurant industry: most owners don't have a staffing problem - they have a leadership problem. This episode dives deep into the psychology behind why restaurant owners often repeat the same hiring mistakes over and over again, uncovering the hidden patterns that quietly shape every team they build. In this episode you'll discover: Why the same hiring mistakes keep repeating themselves. The psychological concept of repetition compulsion and how it influences who you hire.
Episode 184 - Your Menu Is Programming Your Guests74 / 100Episode 181 - Leadership Is a System with Jarred Patterson52 / 100Episode 182 - The Prison You CreatedEpisode 180 - Why Systems Beat Passion Every Time with Nick MattiaEpisode 179 - From Surviving to Thriving with Madison Bree