Issue No. 581 of Your Weekly Staff Meeting features the autobiography—and life lessons—from the founder of Panera Bread. And this reminder: click here to download free resources from the 20 management buckets (core competencies), click here for over 575 book reviews, and click here for the review of Belonging Rules: Five Crucial Actions That Build Unity and Foster Performance.
He finally had time to learn from his stack of autobiographies!
“Transformation is fiendishly difficult.”
My friend, Jim Canning, continues to remind me that leaders and readers love biographies, autobiographies, and organizational histories. I agree! And, hopefully, you’ll agree that I’ve reviewed my fair share of this fascinating genre. Examples:
[ ] Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys, by Joe Coulombe with Patty Civalleri (read my review)
[ ] Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World, by Ginni Rometty (read my review from the former CEO of IBM)
[ ] Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, by Jim Mattis and Bing West (read my review). This was my 2019 book-of-the-year from the former Secretary of Defense and Marine Corps 4-Star General (aka "Warrior Monk").
[ ] How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower's Biggest Decisions, by Susan Eisenhower (read my review)
[ ] Made From Scratch: The Legendary Success Story of Texas Roadhouse, by Kent Taylor (read my review)
[ ] Leadership Not by the Book: 12 Unconventional Principles to Drive Incredible Results, by David Green and Bill High (read my review about Hobby Lobby's principles)
[ ] Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Tantum Collins, David Silverman, and Chris Fussell (read my review)
[ ] Myself and Other More Important Matters, by Charles Handy (read my review about the "Peter Drucker of the UK")
[ ] Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline and Its Employees in the Friendly Skies, by Oscar Munoz with Brian DeSplinter (read my review)
[ ] Feherty: The Remarkably Funny and Tragic Journey of Golf’s David Feherty, by John Feinstein (read my review)
[ ] The Essential Engstrom: Proven Principles of Leadership, by Ted W. Engstrom (read my review here and read my tribute here)
[ ] Before and After Jackie Robinson: A Story of the Brooklyn Dodgers Told Through the Lens of Tickets and Passes, by Dan Busby (read my review)
OK, PEARSON, WE GET IT! You love bios, auto-bios, and organizational histories. So what?
Well…here’s one more that I couldn’t resist. Harvard Business Review Press just published this last week (Oct. 24, 2023):
Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations
by Ron Shaich, founder and former CEO of Panera Bread
Granted, I’m a tad partial to Panera Bread because for many years, it’s been my second office for one-on-one meetings, plus a familiar place on the road—with consistently excellent service and quality food. (Did I mention free coffee refills?)
For me, the face of Panera Bread is my friend, Rich—whose friendly smile and greeting is the reason I continue to return to this local hangout in San Clemente, Calif.
I'll ask Rich to “autograph” my book—even though he’s not the author, nor the CEO! But there are thousands of faithful team members like Rich at the 2,139 Panera Bread locations in 1,265 cities across 49 U.S. states and territories. Founded in 1987 as the St. Louis Bread Company, Florida has the most Panera Bread restaurants with 188. California has 185.
I noted more than 30 insights and leadership lessons from Ron Shaich, founder and former CEO of Panera Bread. For the benefit, especially, of your team members—I urge you to read this book. Here are 10 jump-off-the-page notes:
#1. MASTER CALENDAR. Scattered across the pages of Ron Shaich’s insightful book are a series of “Ron’s Rules”—including “Ron’s Rules for Creating a Master Calendar.” He recommends weekly or bimonthly KI working meetings “built around each KI.” (You do have written Key Indicators, right?)
#2. SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS. I read Chapter 23 first, “Parish Priest in a Business Suit” (the description of his leadership role). It includes “A Schedule of Meaning-Making Meetings.” (Imagine…if your meetings had meaning!) He lists five kinds of gatherings—and their frequency—including the “Family Reunion” (every-two-years for store management and above). Shaich writes that Family Reunions “often felt like a revival meeting.”
#3. LEAVENING COMMITTEE. Stewards of more than 140,000 employees, the “Leavening Committee” (aka the executive leadership team, 20 to 30 people) meets monthly. (What do you call your executive team—and why?)
#4. CONCEPT ESSENCE DOCUMENT. “A Concept Essence is the emotional blueprint for how a company is going to go to market and how it intends to compete—its competitive DNA, so to speak.” Shaich invested nine months in creating this four-page document! “Think of it as a watercolor painting, rather than a detailed architectural plan.” He adds, “This document, more than anything else, was the singular element that created $7.5 billion in value.”
#5. “WORDS MATTER.” You will highlight numerous leadership insights in every one of the 31 short chapters—and this CEO’s lexicon is memorable:
• “Words matter. Words precede actions.”
• "Good enough never is.”
• “The orchestra needs a score.”
• “Be rigid in vision, but flexible in execution.”
• “Share the warmth.” (The three-word shorthand for their vision.)
#6. FIENDISHLY DIFFICULT. During Ron Shaich’s 37 years as founder and CEO of Panera Bread, he led the company through four transformations. Hence—the book’s subtitle, “Lessons From a Lifetime of Transformations.” Does your organization need a transformation? This book will help you—but WARNING: “Transformation is fiendishly difficult.”
#7. DISCOVERY VS. DELIVERY. Chapter 16, “Be the Innovator in Chief,” is worth the price of the book. Noting that McDonald’s “had lost the ability to know what matters to their customers,” Shaich walks us through a short course in the difference between “discovery” and “delivery.” He writes, “Discovery people and delivery people think differently and talk differently. The language of discovery is ‘Imagine if…’ The language of delivery is ‘Prove it to me!’” He adds, “Discovery is about a dream; delivery, a spreadsheet.” (Read more in this Harvard Business Review article.)
#8. JUST 3 THINGS! “When people ask me the secret of my success, I often say it comes down to three things I’ve been able to do: 1) Tell the truth. 2) Know what matters. 3) Get the job done.” He adds, “You start by being brutally honest about where you’re at.” And this: “To know what matters is the hardest, and most critical, part of any endeavor.”
#9. SEARCH FOR MODELS. Shaich learned a key innovation from an unlikely sector: office supplies. He borrowed the Staples model of a centralized B2B business and hired several executives from Staples to help Panera Bread roll out its catering business. (Must-read: why the CEO rolled up his sleeves and managed a local Panera Bread when launching their online ordering system.)
#10. LIFELONG LEARNER. I appreciated Ron Shaich’s lifelong learning discipline and his appreciation for Clayton Christensen’s “milkshake” research, and the book Execution, by Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy. Don’t skip the frequent listing of “Ron’s Rules” on marketing, people management, and more—which reminded me of Rumsfeld’s Rules.
This book from Harvard Business Review Press is immediately applicable to for-profits, nonprofits, schools, churches, and your next startup and/or innovation. Visit a Panera Bread soon and read a few chapters!
To order from Amazon, click on the title for Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations, by Ron Shaich, founder and former CEO of Panera Bread. Listen on Libro (available Nov. 21). And thanks to Harvard Business Review Press for sending me a review copy.
P.S. Watch for my review of the new book, The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger: The Inside Story of California's First Drive-Through and How it Became a Beloved Cultural Icon, by Lynsi Snyder (Oct 17, 2023). Order from Amazon. (Why am I so hungry when writing these book reviews?)
YOUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS:
1) Ron Shaich writes in Chapter 27, “Making the Transformation Operational,” about strategy, execution, and operations. “You can’t be truly strategic if you’re not deeply immersed in the operational realities of your vision. Just as an architect needs to also understand the physical demands of construction, a visionary innovator must also understand the realities of execution. Who has recently read a book on this topic? (Suggestion: books by Gary Harpst.)
2) What’s our three-word shorthand for our vision?
Mastering 100 Must-Read Books - Part 9: Five Powerful Assessments
Book #51 of 100: How to Deal with Annoying People
For your team meeting this week, inspire a team member to lead your “10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning” session by spotlighting Book #51 in Mastering 100 Must-Read Books.
How to Deal with Annoying People:
What to Do When You Can't Avoid Them
by Bob Phillips and Kimberly Alyn
Books #51 through #55 spotlight five team-building books I’ve labeled “Five Powerful Assessments.” Prolific author Bob Phillips leverages the four social styles (Analyticals, Drivers, Amiables, and Expressives) for building healthy cultures. Use this when coaching team members in discovering their own social style (their “comfort zone”) and learning why 75 percent of the team see life and relationships from a different perspective. (We’re talking lots of conflict—and how to deal with it!)
• Read my review.
• Order from Amazon: How to Deal With Annoying People
• Download the 100 Must-Read Books list (from John and Jason Pearson).
For years, I’ve encouraged leaders and managers (actually—anyone who takes nourishment) to study the four social styles: Drivers, Analyticals, Amiables and Expressives. The authors have creatively communicated what makes people annoying to us (and us to them) by overlaying the social style construct on all things annoying. It’s brilliant.
It’s impossible to pick just one favorite leadership insight (out of 101), but you won’t go wrong with #82: “Mistakes, Muddles, and Missteps.” The authors list five “potential pitfalls” in your own leadership—as you influence others, including “blame shifting.” They quote LeRoy Eims: “A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see.” Read my review of 101 Leadership Insights: Practical Tools, Tips, and Techniques for New and Seasoned Leaders, by Bob Phillips and Del Walinga. And for more book reviews, visit the Pails in Comparison Blog.
The People Bucket: Why Just 1 Communication Style Will Fail Miserably!
Check out the People Bucket and three worksheets: 1) Do’s and Don’ts for the Four Social Styles, 2) General Overview of the Four Social Styles, and 3) Chart the Social Styles of Your People. Learn why just one communication style will fail miserably. Read Mastering the Management Buckets Workbook: Management Tools, Templates and Tips from John Pearson, with commentary by Jason Pearson (2nd Edition, 2018).
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PEARPOD | TELLING YOUR STORY. We created our own version of the four social styles—with a tilt towards telling your story. We’ve labeled them: Info-Sponges, Just-the-Facts, Heartfelts, and Share-Meisters. Read more in our workbook, Rebrand. Does your storytelling connect with all four styles? For help, contact Jason Pearson at Pearpod (Design, Digital, Marketing, Social).
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