photo credit: foodnetwork.com

Depending on who you ask, Robert Irvine is either a good guy or a bad guy. He’s been described as harsh, cold, overbearing, and rude. Those are the nice descriptions.

However, there is more to the man behind “Restaurant Impossible” than you may think.

I’m a big fan of the show. Recently a friend asked me why I liked it so much. Besides the fact that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and love to see businesses saved, Robert teaches me about leadership. I don’t know whether or not he is a Christian. I hope so. Whether or not he is or isn’t, there is a lot to learn from the man behind one of the Food Network’s top rated shows.

The truth is hard.

After evaluating the staff, the food, the customer service, etc., Robert stands in front of the owners and firmly speaks his mind. He tells them why they’re failing, how they can fix it, and he doesn’t make his words sound pretty.

Leaders need to speak the truth, even when it hurts. Perhaps he could wind himself down a little bit, but Irvine gets the point across. He doesn’t allow excuses, and he expects everyone to take responsibility.

If you let people stay where they are, you’re hurting them, not helping them.

Be willing to get dirty.

Leaders don’t stand on the sidelines and simply give orders. They have to be willing to do the hard things.

Robert has cleaned the grime off dirty ovens that aren’t in his kitchen. He’s prepped food to serve to customers that aren’t his. He’s painted, torn down walls, swept floors, and stacked dishes.

He works. He sweats. He bosses. He leads. When the job needs done, he’s not afraid to get on his hands and knees and make it happen.

Leading others isn’t about sitting behind a desk and giving orders. It’s about being on the frontlines with those you are leading. It involves making sacrifices, walking in humility, and getting down and dirty when it’s necessary.

Passion is necessary.

Robert Irvine doesn’t travel across the country saving failing restaurants simply because he gets paid a nice chunk of change from The Food Network, though that’s certainly a plus. He does it because he cares. He’s passionate about helping others rebuild their businesses, as well as their relationships.

If you haven’t watched an episode yet, give it a shot. Many partners are failing simply because they don’t communicate. He doesn’t just talk about the business issues, he gets to the root of why the business if failing, and that usually has something to do with personal issues.

If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, it will eventually catch up with you. What passions should you be pursuing right now?

There is no room for fear.

He walks into a restaurant with broken people, broken floors, outdated wallpaper, and rotten food hidden behind grills that haven’t been cleaned. He’s given two days and $10,000 to make it successful. Oh, and he has to do that while the world watches it on television.

There’s something scary about that, isn’t there? People are watching. Failure lurks around every corner. Time decides whether failure happens or not. But he does it afraid.

When in doubt, do it afraid. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from following something you’re passionate about.

Confidence is key.

While you’re doing it afraid, do it confidently. Believe in your ability to do something and do it with all you’ve got.

Robert doesn’t walk into a restaurant and say, “I think I can make this happen in two days.” Instead, he lets them know he came to help that he isn’t there to fail and if they follow his direction and guidance, their business will be successful.

He doesn’t do this in a conceited way. He’s confident because he’s worked hard, learned from his failures, continues to grow, and strives to do what he says he will do. He’s confident because he knows he can do it.

Are you confident? Confident that you can tackle that new, scary career change? Convinced that you can write that new book? Secure in the fact that you can lose those 50 lbs. you need to lose?

Don’t be afraid to hear the truth, or give it to others. Find your passion and chase it. Do it afraid. Believe you have the ability to do it.

This is it – your one chance at life to make things happen.

What step can you take today to make things happen? Leave a comment below…