‘Hi Matthew, Alice. It’s been quite a while. We’ve got lots to catch up on.’

My wife and I were meeting our friends in a rather cool Turkish restaurant. 

A waitress presented herself at the table with a welcoming smile.

‘Have you dined with us before? We have a small plates/sharing concept. We suggest you choose three dishes each and then see how it goes from there. They’ll arrive as they’re prepared by the kitchen.’

I’m conscious that I can no longer expect to enjoy my own preference of pie, potatoes and gravy at every dining establishment. The world has moved on. And indeed I’m aware that the Young People like the sociability and tasting opportunities afforded by small plates. 

And so I was happy to roll with it. 

‘That’s great. Excellent. Fire away!’

Of course, before we could hear about Matthew and Alice’s recent adventures, we would first have to embark on the rather lengthy process of dish selection.

‘How about some grilled mackerel with bulgur?’

‘Yes, and sourdough pide.’

‘Does anyone have any food sensitivities?’

‘We’ve got to try the house sucuk. It’s made with fermented green tomatoes.’

‘I don’t think we really need twelve dishes. We can always order more later.'

‘What’s cultured kaymak butter?’

There was a good deal of polite debate and discussion. Eventually the order was submitted and I could finally hear what Matthew and Alice had been up to…

But soon the small bowls started arriving. They continued to turn up sporadically every couple of minutes. And with each delivery came another interruption, in the form of a precise description of the particular dish before us.

‘Here’s the aubergine sogurme with almonds and a chicken and mushroom broth. Enjoy!’

In fact the food held centre stage for much of the evening, allowing very little time for other topics.

‘So Matthew, Alice, have you managed a holiday this year?’

‘Hold on a moment. I’ll just cut this mutton loin neatly into four.’

‘And how’s the building work?’

‘We only seem to have three of this dish. I’d be happy to skip it if everyone wants some.’

Of course, the meal was exceptional. And we ended up having a splendid time.

But I was struck by the fact that process can sometimes get in the way.

This can also be the case at work. 

Very often businesses embrace sophisticated systems for managing a task. There are timing plans, Gantt charts and sign-offs; kick-off meetings, briefs and briefings; reviews, catch-ups and check-ins. All designed to smooth a project’s path towards its destination. But sometimes the process can actually dampen enthusiasm, reduce spontaneity, increase expense and generally slow things down.

'Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.'
Confucius

Consequently some creative businesses renounce all operational discipline, claiming that invention and innovation cannot be harnessed and constrained. For them the best ideas emerge from a magical chaos.

I worked for many years at the ad agency BBH. It had a formidable creative reputation, but nonetheless saw an important role for process. It believed that structured procedures and orderly timelines could, in moderation and with expert application, provide the space to focus minds and the freedom for genuine inspiration. The company espoused ‘processes that liberate.’

Perhaps we should all review our day-to-day operational practices. Are they accelerating us in the right direction, or impeding our advance? Do they liberate or constrain? Do we have too much or too little process? 

My experience at the Turkish restaurant reminded me of an early ‘70s ad for Buitoni tinned ravioli. A big chap eats his pasta in silence for most of the commercial. At the end he looks up, and in a high-pitched voice proclaims: ‘Don’t talk. Eat!’

It amused us immensely as kids. 

Sometimes nowadays I’m inclined to articulate the opposite expression: ‘Don’t eat. Talk!’

 
'Nighthawks at the diner of Emma's Forty-Niner.
There's a rendezvous of strangers around the coffee urn tonight.
All the gypsy hacks and the insomniacs.
Now the paper's been read, now the waitress said:

'Eggs and sausage and a side of toast,
Coffee and a roll, hash browns over easy,
Chile in a bowl with burgers and fries,
What kind of pie?''

Tom Waits, ‘Eggs and Sausage'

No 433