My latest reality TV addiction, Masterchef, has contestants thrust into a reality bubble where they are required to learn culinary skills, prepare mouth-watering food and step up to a challenge or be sent packing.
The highs and lows, comebacks, group challenges, team comradery, and declarations of the ‘best dish of the season so far’ make for compelling viewing.
Tensions rise and boil over, outstanding dishes shine through, and contestants crumble at the mere thought of going back to their ordinary lives. The determination to make their food dream a reality is heart-warming.
But what’s taken me by surprise most of all is what I’ve learnt from Masterchef that doesn’t involve plating to perfection or creating a winning dish.
I realised one night while watching the contestants fumble over ingredients and battle it out in a pressure test that just like in Masterchef, successful work performance requires effective organisation, planning, process, delivery and evaluation.
These 7 steps stood out as ways to improve performance:
- Read the recipe – follow processes and procedures you know work in order to reach goals.
- Reinvention is a good thing – implementing new ideas might help to improve the end result.
- Plan and multiskill – be familiar with all tasks, prioritise and work on more than one at a time to improve efficiency.
- Never serve raw chicken – no one likes an under-baked idea, plan properly and come to the table prepared.
- Taste, taste and taste again – get the balance right, test proposals with others and modify accordingly.
- Embrace the pressure test – don’t be shy of a challenge, tackle problems head on and work through them.
- Keep it simple – Don’t overcomplicate a goal and create unnecessary work. Stick to what you know best.
