You Can Be An Encourager!
Everyone wants encouragement.
? Everyone needs encouragement.?
???????You … can be an encourager!
??????????? If … I can do it … You can do it!?
I am a critic by nature …
???but … I resolved …
I Will Change …?
??????From a Critic to an Encourager!?
When??
????How??
I started by resolving not to write any more critical notes to Chick-fil-A Operators (franchisees) based on negative performances showing up on their monthly P&Ls (Profit & Loss Statements).?
Each moth another statement was prepared called the (S&PA) Sales and Profit Analysis Report.?It recorded sales, sales increases, and Symbol of Success Program status.?
My encouragement was confined to the two most important measurements of a restaurant’s performance …?
????Sales and …
??????????Sales Increases.?
I used Chick-fil-A’s Symbol of Success program goals as the basis for my encouragement notes.?Operators reaching 100% of their annual goal are awarded a new automobile!??
Each month, I hand wrote a short note acknowledging the performance of … every Operator … who had a sales increase of 25% or more of his/her goal.?
In acknowledging sales performance, the wording of my notes was based on four levels of sales increase.?
Good … 25% of goal.?
???Very Good … 50% of goal.
???????Excellent … 75% of goal.?
????????????Outstanding, Great, and Fun Notes … 100% of goal!?
When an Operator reached 100% of the Symbol of Success Goal for any month, I wrote him/her a …?
?????very special personalized note on the statement.
Always, for the first time.?
I burned the edges of the paper and scorched spots in the??????????middle, adding a felt marker note such as …
?????When you are HOT you are really HOT!
Here are some more samples.
领英推荐
Using an ink stamp pad, I put ink on the tread of my automobile tire and ran over the statement leaving a tire print, adding …?
????You are ROLLING all over your old sales records!
I crushed the report into a ball after writing the note and mailed it in a box …
?????You are CRUSHiNG your old sales records!
I folded the report into a paper airplane, that I test flew, after writing a note such as …
????Your sales are FLYING sky high!?
I had more, about two dozen more, because I never wanted to send an Operator the same kind of note twice during a 24-month period.
The Results?
????The results were amazing!??
Operators liked being encouraged this way.?It was fun to receive them.??
??????I enjoyed being their encourager!?
Operators enjoyed and looked forward to my notes and began calling them …
????Jimmy-grams.
I had fun encouraging high performance Chick-fil-A Operators to even higher levels of performance.
The overwhelming response of Operators confirmed that my resolution to change was in everyone’s best interest.
From Critic to Encourager!?
If I can do it …?
???You can do it!
Try it …
????You Will Love It!
This is part of a series of articles on my journey From Critic to Encourager.??I will post more.
I invite you to join me in my journey …
From Critic to Encourager!
--- Jimmy Collins
Like stories? My latest book?Jimmy’s Stories?is available on Amazon: https://a.co/5wfFRaK
Career advancing principles are in my book,?Creative Followership. Available on Amazon: https://a.co/gu8jeFE
Talent Development Leader (Performance Training, Mentoring/Coaching Program, Leadership Development, Instructional Design, Training and Communications Strategies, Collaboration, LMS, Virtual Training)
1 年At my desk is a graphic that says, "Be someone's applause today." Who said that? Truett Cathey. You and he show why CFA is successful. I really couldn't love your notes more.
Helping Leaders Engage the Frontline to Improve the Bottom Line.? │ Author of 15 Books │ Leadership Speaker │ Cultural Transformation
1 年Absolutley awesome Jimmy Collins!!
DNJETC
1 年Another insightful article! Thank you for sharing Jimmy Collins !
Operator at Chick-fil-A-Franchise
1 年Jimmy I remember still to this day the impact those words had on my life. The lessons of pouring into people and believing in them more no one else would. The power of the tongue is a great tool or weapon. I have chosen to use my tongue as tool to grow people and love on them when no one would. I learned from Truett when he said early on in my career “ who needs encourage everyone if they are breathing” I paraphrased a little but you and I know how and how often he would say that statement. I am blessed that the Lord allowed me to serve you and Truett and learned about submitting to authority. Ultimately I knew I was submitting to the Lord because He has placed you and Truett in my life as the authority! Blessed and forever grateful!
Real estate sales agent Duncan Group Properties Conway/ Myrtle Beach South Carolina
1 年Jimmy, great ideas. I am going to be implementing these immediately. What a difference our world could be if we would all learn the value of encouragement. Thanks for the great word