Emulate Chefs

This nugget comes from Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, writing in their book "Rework".

You've probably heard of Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Rachel Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, Jacque Pepin, or Julia Child. They're great chefs, but there are a lot of great chefs out there. So why do you know these few better than others?

Because they share everything they know.

They put their recipes in cookbooks and show their techniques on cooking shows. They want you to take what they have developed and make it your own.

Great organizations should share everything they know, too. Don't be paranoid and secretive, but be open and generous.

A recipe is much easier to copy than a business idea. Shouldn't that scare someone like Mario Batali? Why would he go on TV and show you how he does what he does? Why would he put all his recipes in cookbooks where anyone can buy and replicate them?

Because he knows those recipes and techniques aren't enough to beat him at his own game. No one's going to buy his cookbook, open a restaurant next door, and put him out of business. It doesn't work like that, but many organizations think that's what will happen if others learn how they do things.

Emulate famous chefs. They cook, so they write cookbooks. What do you do? What are your "recipes"? What's your "cookbook"? What can you tell the world about how you operate that's informative, educational, and promotional?


What's cooking in your kitchen that you should share?