Career Advancement Newsletter

Lead with silence??

???? Yes ... he did!?

???????? How could he do that??

Truett Cathy didn’t solve problems for me, but …?

???? even when he had no idea how I would do it.?

????? ???He gave me his unwavering support.?

That support was not always given as I expected!?

At the end of 1973, we had 21 Chick-fil-A mall restaurants scattered over 6 states.?

Our plan for 1974 was to add 13 more, a 61% increase!?

Most of them were in new malls and it was extremely important to open on the Grand Opening Day of the new mall.? Mall openings were timed for the highest volume selling seasons, August for Back to School and October for Christmas.?

By the first of July, we had only 2 of the 13 open and ...?

??? I knew we were in ... serious trouble.??

Our inexperience and the number of other merchants also trying to meet the mall Grand Opening dates was overwhelming us.? It looked impossible to meet the opening dates of all the restaurants planned.?

Always ... I kept Truett up to date on the status of the business.??

???? He did not like written reports.?

I entered his office with a list of our restaurants under construction with the opening dates.? He took the list and picked up his pencil to make notes.?

My opening was, “Truett, we are so far behind in preparing to open the next 11 stores it looks like we will not make some of the Grand Opening dates.??

We can shift our focus to a few but ...?

???? I doubt that we can make them all.”?

As I went down the list, reviewing each situation, Truett checked off each one.?

“Paramus Park open, sales are great!”? He checked it.?

“Orlando Fashion Square, off to a good start.”? Check.?

“Brookwood Village, is no problem.” Check.?

“Altamonte is doubtful.”? He checked firmly.?

“University Mall, is doubtful.”? He checked more firmly.?

“Granite Run, I see no way to make it.”??

????? He checked it ... very firmly!?

I went on to the end of the list.?

Truett said, “It looks like we have nothing but trouble!”?

???? and deposited his pencil on his desk,?

?????????? using a firm high-speed motion.?

Then he turned and looked at me,?

????? “Did you say you would open them on time?”?

He continued to look at me.?

He did not blink.?

?? Silence…….?

I looked at him.?

?? Silence…….?

There we sat … looking at each other.?

?? Silence…….?

Finally, I stood, picked up the list and said,?

???? “Truett, they will all open on time.”?

And, left his office.?

They all opened on time.?

It was unbelievably difficult to get them open on time.? There were many long days and sleepless nights, but we did it.??

Notice that Truett did not ask me, “did you sign a contract to open on time?”? or

"Did you promise?”?

He simply asked, “Did you ... say ... you would?”?

Truett did what he said he would.?

He expected no less from his staff.?

How about you??

What do you do??

Do you do what you say you will??

--- Jimmy Collins, Career Advancement Newsletter?

Like to learn and teach from stories? Signed copies of my latest book Jimmy’s Stories are also available on Biblio.com.? https://www.biblio.com/book/jimmys-stories-signed-jimmy-collins/d/1242065914?

Signed copies of Creative Followership? are available on Biblio.com? https://www.biblio.com/book/creative-followership-signed-jimmy-collins/d/1242065835?

#truettcathy #chickfila #problems #leadership #followership