Take the heat
You may have to answer for employees’ shortcomings while you work to correct them. Yes, you have to explain to shareholders why the company didn’t meet its goals.
“When things don’t go well and you miss plan, it’s your job to stand up and take the bullet,” Sanders says. “Don’t blame your employees. … I see senior executives all the time blaming everybody but themselves. Maybe it’s not really their fault, but their job is to accept responsibility. Don’t deflect it to the employees or the guests or the government. Accept the responsibility and try to correct it.”
Without passing blame, you can establish that you are aware of the problem and that you are working to make the necessary changes.
“If the board of directors says, ‘Hey, we don’t think that so-and-so’s going right in marketing,’ say, ‘I’ve not been diligent in getting that change made, and I’ll work harder on it.’ Don’t throw anybody in the marketing department under the bus,” Sanders says.
Then, of course, you need to follow through and work with the marketing department to implement the change. Tell them you’re getting questions about their lack of progress and it’s time to step up the effort.
“There are days that you have to pull rank and say, ‘Look, we don’t have the luxury of time here. Let’s just do what we’ve got to do the way I say to do it. And we’ll continue to work on collegiality, but right now, we don’t have the luxury,’” says Sanders, who reserves this approach as a last resort when he’s up against a deadline or budget and employees are dragging.
But if you choose the right employees, communicate your expectations and keep an eye on their progress, those speeches should be rare. And instead, you’ll enjoy the fruits — or burgers and malts — of a consistent culture.
How to reach: The Johnny Rockets Group Inc., (888) 856-4669 or www.johnnyrockets.com
