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KevinKruseContributor

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LEADERSHIP 12/08/2015@8:42 9,374views

HowChickfilACreatedACulture
ThatLasts

APPhoto/MarkLennihan

InDeeAnnTurnersnewbook,ItsMyPleasure:
TheImpactofExtraordinaryTalentand
CompellingCulture,shesharesthesecretsauce
ofChickfilAshighlyeffectivebusinessmodel
thatbeganover60yearsagobyfounderTruett
Cathy.Truettcreatedsomethingincredibly
specialatChickfilA,butTurneralsonotesthat
hehadthewisdomandhumilitytocreate
somethingbiggerthanhimself:anenduring
culturethatvaluespeopleaboveeverythingelse.

ChickfilAhasachievedtremendoussuccessby
anybusinessstandard.Theyveexperienceda
morethan10%salesincreasealmosteveryyear
sincelaunchingin1946.Franchiseesretention
ratehasbeen96%fornearly50years,whilethe
corporatestaffretentionratehashoveredat95
97%overthesametimeperiod.

However,Turnerexplainstherealvictoryforthe
fastfoodindustryiconisthegrowthofaculture
thathasnurturedandimpactedsomanypeople.
AsTurnerwrites,Cultureisthesoulofan
organization.Andeverycompanyhasaculture,
whetherleadersconsciouslymolditornot.
ItsMyPleasureexplainsthatcreatingan
intentional,compellingculturebeginswith
understandingthecompanyspurpose.Whydoes
thecompanyexist?Whatmotivatesit?Fromthe
start,TruettCathybasedhiscompanyonBiblical
principles,andoperatedinaservantleadership
stylelongbeforeitwascalledthat.Thereligious
influenceisexplicitinthecompanyspurpose,
ToglorifyGodbybeingafaithfulstewardofall
thatisentrustedtousandtohaveapositive
influenceonallwhocomeintocontactwith
ChickfilA.

Conceptualpillarssuchaspurpose,missionand
valueswillmapthewaytoacompellingculture,
butTurnerpointsoutitspeoplewhowilllivethe
cultureout.AtChickfilA,Turnerandothers
enrollpeopleinitscultureinthreekeyways.

1.RecruitForCulture

Turnerrecruitspeoplewhoidentifypersonally
withChickfilAsculture.Findingpeoplewhofit
isoneofthemostimportantcomponentsof
creatingacompellingculturethatlastsandits
alsooneofthemostdifficulttogetright.

ChickfilAsproventalentselectionprocess
focusesonthreeCs:character,competency,and
chemistry.Thesequalitiesarehardertogauge
thantraditionalfactors,butsheclaimsitis
possibleifyoucommittodeeperobservation.For
example,Turnerobservesthewaycandidates
treatotheremployeeslikereceptionistswhoare
nottraditionallyseenashavinganyswayin
hiringdecisions.AsTurnernotes,anindividual
withcharacterwilltreateveryonetheycome
acrosswithrespectandkindness,nomattertheir
position.

2.NurtureTalentByTellingTheTruth

Turnerwritesthatnurturingbothemergingand
seasonedtalentiskey.Investinginthepeople
alreadyonyourteamisavitalpieceofcultivating
strongculture.Offeringopportunitiesis
important,butstewardingemployeesstartswith
onetransformativepractice:Tellthetruth.Inthe
midstofaworldthatsgrowntiredofcorporate
doublespeak,conveyingthetruthinarespectful
waywhenitcomestoperformance,expectations,
andmoreisrevolutionary.Itsalsothekindest
thingyoucandoforanemployee,andcreatesa
cultureoftrustthatprizesindividualsand
relationships.

Turnersuggests,whenwestartbytellingthe
truth,otherkeystrategiesforstewardingtalent,
suchasfosteringanabundancementalityand
understandingloyaltyasatwowaystreet,fall
morenaturallyintoplace.

3.EngageGuestsInYourCulture

ChickfilAscultureisntjustfeltandlivedby
ChickfilAemployees.ChickfilAguestsalso
experiencethecompanyscompellingculture.Its
understoodthateverysinglepersonwhowalks
throughthedoorsofaChickfilArestaurant
anywhereinthecountrycanexpecttobetreated
withhonor,dignity,andrespect.ChickfilA
employeeshavehelpedChickfilAbecomejust
asknownforitsSecondMileServiceand
deliveringthesignatureresponseofItsmy
pleasureasitisfordeliciouschicken.

Everytimeanexecutivechoosestobelastinline,
orarestaurantstaffmemberrunsoutintherain
toescortamotherandherchildreninsideunder
anumbrella,ChickfilAfounderTruetts
exampleofservantleadershipliveson.
Ultimately,Turnerandotherskeepculturealive
throughinclusionandintention.Inthespiritof
Truett,ItsMyPleasureurgesreaderstothink
biggerthanbusiness,andtostrivetobuild
culturethatreachesfarbeyondcorporatewallsto
improvethelivesofeveryoneittouches.

KevinistheauthorofEmployeeEngagement
2.0:HowToMotivateYourTeamForHigh
Performance.

AlsoonForbes:

TheTop25CompaniesForCultureAndValues

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