How I learned to be a better boss:
I was a bad CEO. 7 years ago, I found a McDonald's training handbook on the desk of an employee named Rosita. Turns out she was training to become a manager there because she couldn't survive on the income I paid here. I called her to my office
I was a bad CEO. 7 years ago, I found a McDonald's training handbook on the desk of an employee named Rosita. Turns out she was training to become a manager there because she couldn't survive on the income I paid here. I called her to my office
She was hiding the McD's handbook and thought her 2nd job would get her fired. What kind of culture had I created? Scarcity and fear.
Rosita is a college grad but was making $30k a year.
She'd leave our job at 5 and secretly work 5:30-11 every weeknight at McD's for 1.5 years.
Rosita is a college grad but was making $30k a year.
She'd leave our job at 5 and secretly work 5:30-11 every weeknight at McD's for 1.5 years.
Before she got the 2nd job, there were nights where she would line up for a food bank.
In our office that day, we went over her finances. We paid market rate. But as a CEO, I was out-of-touch with what it was like to work off student debt at $30k a year in an expensive city.
In our office that day, we went over her finances. We paid market rate. But as a CEO, I was out-of-touch with what it was like to work off student debt at $30k a year in an expensive city.
She came back and said she needed a $10k raise to quit the 2nd job. I said OK if she took on some extra duties.
She quit the McD's job, moved out of her crappy apartment and used the free time to see her friends more. As her mental health improved, so did her work performance.
She quit the McD's job, moved out of her crappy apartment and used the free time to see her friends more. As her mental health improved, so did her work performance.
Rosita quickly proved herself and got promoted to director of operations.
A light bulb went off: What if we did this for everyone?
So we more-than doubled our minimum wage to $70k. Since then our productivity and revenue tripled. 10x more staff bought homes and had babies.
A light bulb went off: What if we did this for everyone?
So we more-than doubled our minimum wage to $70k. Since then our productivity and revenue tripled. 10x more staff bought homes and had babies.
Rosita is now our director of sales and was interviewed about her experiences by star author @AdamMGrant podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why…
Here we are together on the Kelly Clarkson show where she shared her story:
Here we are together on the Kelly Clarkson show where she shared her story:
The biggest thing I learned? Listen to your damn employees. Never assume you know what's going on - never make top-down decisions without their input.
We hold weekly company meetings with everyone invited and have multiple reps from each team vote on our priorities each year.
We hold weekly company meetings with everyone invited and have multiple reps from each team vote on our priorities each year.
When the pandemic hit, our revenue sunk. We needed mass layoffs. I brought the details to our 200 employees. They offered to take voluntary pay cuts to save everyone's job.
They helped us recover. We later paid them back the lost wages & gave small raises
idahostatesman.com/news/business/…
They helped us recover. We later paid them back the lost wages & gave small raises
idahostatesman.com/news/business/…
I'm still learning to be a better boss and only look "good" when compared to other CEOs because the bar is so depressingly low.
Listen to your employees, trust them, reward them. They are responsible for a company's success - not CEOs.
Listen to your employees, trust them, reward them. They are responsible for a company's success - not CEOs.
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