The Icedream Surprise

There’s a surprise about the icedream at Chick-fil-A. A perfect summer treat, the icedream is a fan favorite. But what a lot of fans don’t know…

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The Art of Listening: Part 3

In the last few posts we’ve simplified the art of listening with two easy questions. We’ve talked about the example Sam Walton and Bernie Marcus set when it comes to “walking the stores” of our own lives. And today we’re going to flip things one more time.

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The Art of Listening: Part 2

I love telling the story I am about to tell you. I have told it before and I will tell it again. It’s one of those simple tales that contains so much wisdom in it that you find something new every time you look at it.

Read More »

The Art of Listening: Part 1

I’ve found that you can break listening down to two very easy questions. Here they are:

1. Who are you listening to?
2. Who is listening to you?

Read More »

Aug 28 3 Comments

The Icedream Surprise

There’s a surprise about the icedream at Chick-fil-A. A perfect summer treat, the icedream is a fan favorite. But what a lot of fans don’t know, what a lot of moms and dads haven’t ever heard, is what you can do when you order a Kid’s Meal.

If your child would rather have an icedream, you can trade the toy from their meal and get one. That’s right, if you’d rather have a sweet treat than the toy, your icedream is only a trade away.

A lot of folks might not know that and that’s OK. Every business needs a few surprises. Every menu needs a few backdoors to specials that aren’t advertised 100 different places. When you’re in on the secret, when you know how the surprise works, you feel like you’re part of the club. You feel “in the know,” and “in the loop.” That’s a great feeling.

The question then becomes, “How do I incorporate a few surprises into my own job?” How do you weave in a few unexpected delights in whatever it is your business does? There are a million ways.

At Zappos.com, the online shoe giant purchased by Amazon, they put a dog biscuit in the order if you call in and they can hear you’ve got a pooch barking in the background. They also make a point of getting your order to you overnight. Even if you choose a longer shipping option, they still try to surprise you with shoes on your doorstep the very next day.

Surprises are what makes life fun.

Surprises are what keep customers happy.

Surprises are what grow businesses.

Next time you’re in Chick-fil-A, feel free to trade your toy in. We’d love to surprise you with an icedream.

Aug 23 2 Comments

The Gardens of Chick-fil-A

Grand piano? Check. Antique car collection? Check. Batmobile? Check. With a single visit to the Chick-fil-A corporate offices, you can tell that our lobby is a little different from most other companies.

It’s always been that way and it always will. In fact soon, our corporate facility is going to have an even wilder addition, so to speak. I’m in the process of helping design an arboretum that will be installed at our offices. Why?

Because people are bigger than just work.

I’ve always believed that we can’t keep things in “boxes.” We’re not designed to compartmentalize our lives. On the contrary, the way we live at work impacts the way we live at home. When we’re happy at home, we’re much more likely to be happy at the office. The idea of “leaving your work at the office” is a myth of sorts. You can certainly shut your iPhone off and unplug from the stress, but ultimately the different parts of our day tend to flow into each other.

So when I had the opportunity to bring a little bit of the outdoors, inside, I took it. I’ve had a passion for gardening for years. I regularly lead seminars in my gardens at home and can’t spend enough time working the land. It only made sense that if I was going to spout my beliefs about being holistic in my approach to work and life that I actually got my hands dirty with a garden at Chick-fil-A. I started cultivating plant species. I started planning different flowers and vegetation to add. Bit by bit I begin building out the arboretum.

Ultimately, it’s a small thing. A home for plants might not change the entire culture of the company, but it can hopefully change the way we look at work. It will hopefully create a bright green space where Chick-fil-A employees can spend their lunch hour. It will hopefully show everyone that walks through those doors that at Chick-fil-A, we care about the whole person.

That’s why we’ll soon have fresh flowers blooming in more than just vases and a bit of a jungle not too far away from the Batmobile!

Aug 16 4 Comments

Why the End Matters at the Beginning

“What’s the end?” is a question I constantly ask the people I work with and for. At the start of projects I am regularly poking and prodding the plans to figure out what the ultimate end of all our efforts is going to be. And sometimes that feels a little surprising.

When a project is new and fresh, it’s easy to think the end is a long way off. That the completion, the culmination of all our efforts is months, maybe even decades away. There are more important, more immediate needs to address in the here and the now. But what if the end mattered at the beginning?

I think it does. In both my personal life and my professional life I’ve seen countless ways that knowing the end was the best way to start the beginning.

And author Stephen Covey summed it up best when he coined the phrase, “Begin with the end in mind.”

What does that mean? It means that no journey should start without a clear destination in mind. No adventure should begin without a tangible definition of what the point is. You need to know your true north before you even take your first step.

That’s how we recently approached the launch of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Anyone can add a new recipe to a menu. Restaurants do that all the time. The beginning of the project was easy, it’s the end that matters most. We didn’t want to launch something temporary and small. We wanted to add a family member to a menu full of family favorites. We wanted fans of spicy food and people who’ve never made a spicy food choice to fall in love with the sandwich.

That was our end. Not the launch. Not the photography or finding space on the menu. Those were critical conversations, but ultimately, what pushed us forward, what kept us on track as hundreds of Chick-fil-A employees contributed to the effort, was our awareness of the end.

So if you’re about to begin something new, if you’re in the middle of a project or an adventure, ask yourself and your team that simple question.

What’s the end?

And if you’ve asked that question and want a tangible example of how I teach people to focus on the end, check out my post, “Leadership on Location.”

Aug 13 0 Comments

The Art of Listening: Part 3

It’s been a blast getting rid of some of our “stinkin’ thinkin’,” when it comes to listening. In the last few posts we’ve simplified the art of listening with two easy questions. We’ve talked about the example Sam Walton and Bernie Marcus set when it comes to “walking the stores” of our own lives. And today we’re going to flip things one more time.

One of the keys to listening, to really hearing what people are saying is empathy. Without empathy, you might hear someone’s words, but that’s just what they say, just words. The emotion, the hopes, the fears that you can pick up on when you really listen to someone are often lost unless we can actually empathize with the people in our lives.

I was taught a lesson about that by Joe Rogers Jr., the CEO of Waffle House. Long famed in the south as a fixture of southern hospitality, you can’t drive five miles below the Mason Dixon line without running into one of their yellow and black lettered restaurants. Golden waffles, hot coffee, and waitresses that bring both quickly, Waffle House is a mainstay of Americana for me.

I’ve spent countless hours with my knees pressed under that counter, enjoying their perfectly simple meals. But Joe Rogers Jr. gave me a chance to go behind the counter for a tour. It wasn’t a long tour. The average Waffle House is roughly the size of a generous apartment in New York City. But traveling those two feet from one side of the counter to the other really taught me a lot.

Your perspective changes. When you step next to the grill and step into the line of fire of incredibly busy waitresses, your vision changes. When you try to learn the myriad of ways hash browns can be served, your understanding changes. Perhaps most important, your ability to listen changes.

You can now empathize with the waitresses and the cooks. You can now empathize with the truck drivers who need a hot coffee to keep going. You can now empathize with the hungry families who want a pork chop meal. You see everything differently and you’re able to listen, really listen to the sounds of Waffle House.

All I did was step behind the counter, something I do almost everyday at Chick-fil-A. But learning to empathize changed my ability to listen. And it can change yours too.

You might not have a physical counter to step behind, but we’ve all got the chance to switch spots in our daily lives. We can all learn to see things from someone else’s perspective. We can walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

We can all learn to listen.

This simple action can have profound impacts. And I wish you the best as you explore it and the art of listening.

Aug 11 4 Comments

The Art of Listening: Part 2

I love telling the story I am about to tell you. I have told it before and I will tell it again. It’s one of those simple tales that contains so much wisdom in it that you find something new every time you look at it. And today I want to look at it through the filter of listening.

Although we’re used to the concept of big retail stores now, years ago, that wasn’t the case. Small stores, strip malls, mid-sized retail outlets, those are what dominated the shopping landscape for decades. But then Bernie Marcus and Sam Walton came along.

If you’re from Atlanta like me, you’re familiar with the name Bernie Marcus. Along with his partner Arthur Blank, he reshaped this city and the world of home improvement with the invention of The Home Depot. And Sam Walton? Is there another name more associated with retail success than Sam Walton? The founder of Wal-Mart, he virtually reinvented shopping as we know it.

But what a lot of people don’t know is that Sam and Bernie made a practice of listening to each other. Recognizing that few people could relate to the challenges and opportunities of growing such a large chain of stores, Bernie and Sam sought each other out. More than just big brand lore, Bernie told me countless stories of his visits with Sam. Every now and then, Sam would walk through a Wal-Mart with Bernie.

With the eye of an expert Sam would point out innovations and updates they had made to Wal-Mart. And Bernie would listen. He’d soak it all in to understand ways he might incorporate some of the same lessons at The Home Depot. Then, they’d flip the tables and Bernie would ask questions in Sam’s store. They would challenge assumptions. They’d look for new improvements. Above all they would listen.

Then they’d head to The Home Depot and the process would switch.

They didn’t have to do this. Each man was brilliant in their own way and could have run the company without this unique type of input. But what they gained from each other was invaluable. What they gained from listening was extraordinary. It was like an MBA in retailing. And the difference it made was immeasurable.

Which brings us back to the primary questions we ask about listening:
1. Who are you listening to?
2. Who is listening to you?

Better put, who is the Sam Walton in your life? Who is wise and generous and actively speaking into your day? Who are you being Bernie Marcus for? Whose life are you investing in with questions and encouragement? Whose stores are you walking?

Don’t let the size of the names in this story fool you. You don’t have to be a titan of industry to benefit from this powerful listening exercise.

Aug 9 4 Comments

The Art of Listening: Part 1

There’s not a marriage book on the planet that doesn’t talk about the importance of listening. Business books the world over focus on the critical skill of listening as well. With friends and family, business partners and spouses, listening is one of those rare things that applies in every situation. But what does it really mean to listen?

In the thousands of books available, it gets easy for the simple art of listening to get lost. But in my life, I’ve found that you can break listening down to two very easy questions. Here they are:

1. Who are you listening to?
2. Who is listening to you?

The first question centers on the act of listening to other people. Since influence often shapes our actions, whose influence are you giving weight to? As you walk through the day, whose words are you counting on and reacting to? Who is giving you input on your dreams and your decisions? Who are you listening to?

The second question flips the scenario around. Who in your world finds what you do and how you do it worth listening to? Who are you mentoring? Who are you leading? What are you doing that inspires others to listen? Who has asked for your influence? Who is listening to you?

Those are simple questions, but they sum up the art of listening. It’s a two way street. We listen to others and others listen to us. And if you’ve never thought about either list, today might be a good time to start.

If you made a short list of the people you are listening to, who would be on it? A boss, a spouse, a neighbor? If you made a similar list of people who listen to you, who would we find? Employees, family, your kids?

The lists are easy, the answers they provide are sometimes not. In our next post we’ll look at a great example of listening that spans two of the greatest enterprises in the last 50 years.

Aug 6 2 Comments

What’s A New Idea?

The iPad is truly something to behold. With millions sold in only a few months and print publications quickly creating “iPad” versions, it’s taken consumers by surprise. Even with the pre-release hype and the blogs and reviews, when you first hold one in your hands, it’s hard not to smile a little. The touch technology, the resolution, the apps, the whole thing is a stunning package.

But when I hold one in my hands, I am struck by the reminder that ultimately, the pieces and parts that make up the iPad have been around forever. The minerals, the materials, the raw guts of the whole thing have been in existence for centuries. The DNA for the whole thing has been with us for decades and decades. It really is a perfect example of the Bible’s belief that there is nothing new under the sun.

So then why is the iPad revolutionary? Why does it scream “brand new” and “first generation?” Why is it poised to redefine the computer industry if at its heart, it’s built from “old materials?”

Well, in some very real ways, the iPad is a new idea. Apple and Steve Jobs have found the best way to build something new in a world that has already seen everything. They combined existing technologies and have dominated a new context.

That to me is the trick to creating something “new.” You take pre-existing building blocks, foundational pieces that may already exist and you find a new way to combine them. Better yet, you find a way to introduce something into a new context.

For instance, the My Coke Rewards program has been a smash success for Coca-Cola. This simple point collection system found on most containers of the Atlanta beverage has been a great way for fans to get prizes just for doing something they already love doing. Did Coca-Cola invent that? Nope, airlines have had frequent flyer programs for years. But Coca-Cola had the brilliant insight to try that system in a new context in a new way.

I’m not sure what your team is brainstorming right now. Maybe you’re stuck on trying to create something “new.” My advice is to remember those two words that start with C, “Combine” and “Context.” Find a way to combine a few things to create something new. And then look for a new context to explore it in.

Although they feel impossible sometimes, I promise you, fresh thinking and fresh solutions are just around the corner.

The iPad is truly something to behold. With millions sold in only a few months and print publications quickly creating “iPad” versions, it’s taken consumers by surprise

Aug 3 3 Comments

Circle the Wagons

I don’t know the exact statistics on how many hours each of us spends each week in meetings, but sometimes it feels like 40. The calendar fills up quickly. The workload gets heavy. And everyone retreats to their own small groups in conference rooms or offices.

Is it any wonder, given that approach to work, that people sometimes feel out of the loop?

Messages get dropped, communications get layered, red tape multiplies as we each work on our own little islands. Bit by bit, the common purpose of a company gets whittled away by the individual needs of an individual day. The marketing department and accounting department might share a core mission statement framed on a company wall, but when push comes to shove, they each rightfully so try to get their department’s needs met.

What can you do in a situation like this?

Reset.

You have to reset the vision of the company. You have to reset the values of the company. You have to reset the future of the company. Not rewrite it, but reset it. Your core purpose has not changed. But given the pace of the average day, it’s easy for it to get lost in the shuffle and from time to time, you need to circle the wagons and refocus on it.

How do we do it at Chick-fil-A?

Two ways: Staff Summit and the Operator’s Seminar.

In both events, we bring together thousands of employees. In Atlanta, we hold a summit for every single corporate employee. We talk about our roots. We speak honestly and openly about our recent challenges. We come together as a family to hear from the leaders of our growing organization.

At Seminar, we do the same thing, only the focus is on our Operators. Held over a series of days, we bring in speakers from around the country to motivate our Operators. We give them new tools they can use. We realign ourselves on our corporate values. We celebrate our successes.

We could save a lot of money by cancelling these events, especially in a down economy. But we believe in our employees and we believe in talking with them and learning from them. And that takes doing something extraordinary in the middle of an otherwise ordinary week.

Perhaps the Beatles said it best all those years ago when they encouraged us all to, “Come together.”

It’s that simple.

Want a strong, healthy team?

Come together.

Jul 30 3 Comments

When Little Things Add Up.

Although I’m not sure anyone can really “own” a bee, I do keep them in my yard. For years, thousands of these natural wonders have made their home in hives on my property. Like a living garden, they grow and change and to me, reveal God’s handiwork. And sometimes, they even teach me a little about teamwork.

Lots of people love honey. Housed in little squeezable bears or golden-colored jars that seem to capture everything that’s bright and perfect about the summer, honey is a wonderful treat. But, have you ever thought about what it takes to make honey? Have you ever heard the bee math behind a single pound of it? I assure you, it’s astonishing.

To make a single pound of honey, it takes two million flowers. To make a single pound of honey, the bees in my hives will touch and tap two million different flowers. I haven’t done an official count of the flowers in my yard or neighborhood, but I have to imagine we’ve got less than a couple of million. So how far do the bees go to reach those flowers?

They will travel up to 50,000 miles to make a pound of honey.

They will touch two million flowers.

They will each add their own tiny, tiny bit to the miracle of honey until there is a pound.

Have you ever felt like a worker bee? Have you ever felt that maybe you’re just one more employee in one more cubicle at one more business? Sometimes, it’s easy to forget how important each of us is. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that the little things you do, can have a big impact. Sometimes, it’s easy to lose sight of the honey.

We all get lost in the crowd from time to time, but the reality is that the work you do is important. As an employee or a parent or a friend, you play a critical role to your team, your family and your friends.

Keep going to those flowers.

Keep traveling the miles, even if it’s just in a traffic-jammed commute.

We need you. The world needs you. And honey doesn’t happen without lots of teamwork!

Jul 28 8 Comments

What’s in a Digital Footprint?

Twenty years ago, the question, “What’s in a digital footprint?” wouldn’t have made sense. There was no Facebook. Twitter didn’t exist. People didn’t even have email addresses. A VCR was still a common part of an entertainment system and the idea of a pocket-sized car phone was the stuff of movies like, “Back to the Future.”

But, boy oh boy, have times changed.

Now in addition to all the advances in technology that tend to start with lowercase i’s (iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc.) there’s something else we need to think about…our digital footprint.

What’s the term mean?

Put simply, it’s the impact you personally make to the online environment. If the Internet is beach sand and your online presence is a foot, it’s the indent you make online. And now, more than ever before, you need to be deliberate about your particular digital footprint.

As a leader, an employee, a mom or a student, there are some common questions you have to ask when it comes to your digital footprint. Think about the following:

1. Do I want to maintain a resume and profile on Linkedin?
2. Do I need to be active on Twitter?
3. Do I need a presence on Facebook?
4. Do I want to restrict the things people can see about my life on Facebook?
5. Do I want to build a blog?
6. Do I want a public blog everyone sees or a private one for friends and family?
7. Do I feel OK about putting photos from my life on public sites like Flickr?
8. Do I want people online to know when I am out of town or would that make my spouse feel uncomfortable?

Those are just a few of the questions you should ask because more than just managing email, you need to think about how you and your family will interact with social media sites. As a member of the Chick-fil-A corporate leadership team, I think about these types of issues all the time from a company perspective. But lately, I find myself focusing on what the particulars of my personal digital footprint will be.

Here’s my current digital footprint:

Twitter = http://www.twitter.com/dancathy

Facebook = http://www.facebook.com/dantcathy

Blog = http://www.dantcathy.com/feed/

Although there are countless other ways to share who you are online, those three work for me. (And I’d love to connect with you via any of those options. Feel free to follow, friend, etc.)

What about you? Are you on Twitter or Facebook? Have you gotten “Linkedin?”

What does your digital footprint look like?