You Aren't Sherlock Holmes

In addition to helping American businesses run better - at Sagan we are trying to change the lives of global talent. But don’t take my word for it… meet Feleecia! We’d love to help you too.

You've seen it before.

You're at a busy restaurant.

Your group of six is seated, menus are passed around, and drinks are ordered.

Then comes the moment of truth.

The waiter approaches, notepad conspicuously absent.

With a smile, they begin:

"What can I get for you folks tonight?"

You watch as your friend rattles off their order:

"I'll have the pan-seared salmon, medium rare, with the garlic mashed potatoes instead of rice. Can I get the vegetables steamed, not sautéed? Oh, and no cilantro on anything, please."

The waiter nods, their eyes never leaving your friend's face.

No scribbling. No tapping on a tablet. Just... listening.

You begin to feel anxious.

Your other friends chime in.

"Make mine the ribeye, medium. Loaded baked potato on the side."

"I'll do the vegetarian pasta, but can you add grilled chicken to that?"

"House salad for me, dressing on the side. And can I get a side of those sweet potato fries?"

With each order, your nerves start to ratchet up a notch.

You're last, and by now, you're convinced this whole charade is going to come crashing down.

But you play along, placing your own order with forced nonchalance.

The waiter smiles, thanks you all, and glides away to the kitchen.

You turn to your companions, eyebrows raised. "Well…F Me…this should be interesting."

Now, one of two things is about to happen:

1. The waiter is a savant, blessed with a photographic memory that would make Sherlock Holmes jealous. Your meals will arrive in perfect order, every substitution and special request honored.

2. Chaos

Here's the thing: this scenario isn't limited to restaurants.

It plays out in meeting rooms, Zoom calls, and team meetings every single day.

Picture this: You're the manager, leading a Zoom.

Ideas are flowing, tasks are being assigned, deadlines discussed.

You're in the zone, rapid-fire delegating.

"Sarah, I need you to reach out to the Johnson account and set up a meeting for next week.

Tom, can you pull together a report on Q1 sales figures?

And Jessica, let's get a draft of that new marketing campaign by Friday.

Oh, and everyone remember we've got that all-hands meeting on Thursday at 2 PM Eastern."

Sound familiar?

You're the waiter now, and your team members are the diners.

They're nodding along, maybe even contributing ideas of their own.

But here's the million-dollar question:

Who's writing this down?

If the answer is "no one," congratulations!

You've just created a corporate version of the terrifying restaurant scenario.

Sure, you might have a Sarah or a Tom with an exceptional memory.

But across an entire team?

You're setting yourself up for missed deadlines, forgotten tasks, and the professional equivalent of "I'm pretty sure I ordered the salmon, not the chicken."

The solution isn't complex, but it does require intention and a willingness to slow down (just a bit) to ultimately speed up.

In a restaurant, this might look like a waiter with a notepad, or tablets at each table for direct ordering.

In your business, it could take many forms - these being my favorite:

1. The Manager's Method: As the leader, take responsibility for documenting action items, assignments, and deadlines during the meeting. Send a follow-up email or update a project management tool immediately after.

2. The Scribe: Assign a team member to take detailed notes during each meeting, rotating the role to share the responsibility.

3. The Pause: After assigning tasks, pause the meeting flow. Give everyone a minute to jot down their assignments and ask clarifying questions.

The key is to create a system that works for your team.

It might feel clunky at first, especially if you're used to the rapid-fire, "I've got this all in my head" style of management.

But the payoff in clarity, accountability, and actually getting things done will be immense.

So the next time you're tempted to play the role of the crazed waiter, whether in a restaurant or a Zoom room, ask yourself: Am I setting my team up for success?

Yallah Habibi,

Jon

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