Page 108 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald’s

diploma; the challenge of being there for another record break-
ing was far too tempting.
With the team so focused on “being the best,” the competitive
spirit was always present. Thanks to slogans and mottos within
our store environment as well as our attitude that “only the best
can work here,” we developed the esprit de corps and pride
attained by the best groups. These are traits any groups and organ-
ization can cultivate, regardless of its size or field of endeavor.
Build that competitive spirit around a high set of performance
standards and let the group dynamics lead you to higher levels.
Later in 1974, as a department head I became part of the
“inner circle of leadership” within the regional organization.
Although our meetings were infrequent, we were responsible for
the budgets of our respective departments and accountable for
results on the annual goals that we put together each year. My
duties included forecasting, budgeting, people planning, goals
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and objectives, and salary administration. These were all areas
I had touched on before, but not to this degree. As with most
things McDonald’s, there were strict policies and procedures and
manuals for almost everything, and these items were no excep-
tion. There were ratios and standards to follow for most activ-
ities. Follow the book, ask for input, and add your own common
sense, and you will make it. I plodded my way through.
The push for operational excellence permeated the entire
organization. Years later, when I served as regional manager run-
ning a “State of the Region” annual event for owner/operators
and key staff, I stressed operational excellence as a requirement
that operators must demonstrate in order to open additional
units. This point was nonnegotiable. We even instituted our own
“top gun” for the owner/operators to reeducate themselves in
the basics of store operations in a low-stress, fun, and involved
competition along with our field staff.