Page 21 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Introduction

away. This was a devastating blow to the organization, as Jim
was in the midst of executing the “Plan to Win” strategy. Char-
lie Bell, another crew alumnus from Australia and executive at
the time, was quickly put into the position. But in an uncanny
and terrible turn of events, he tragically succumbed to cancer
only nine months later. Jim Skinner was placed in the position,
only the eighth CEO in the company’s entire history of over 50
years. Jim, a veteran of the system and crew alumni as well, took
the reins, keeping the momentum and driving growth to new
heights.
How many organizations could sustain such losses and not
only promote completely from within, but also keep the momen-
tum and leadership intact? And here’s another thought to pon-
der: The current management team for the most part never had
a personal relationship with Ray Kroc, the founder of present-
day McDonald’s, and yet, his vision, passion, and ideals are still
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very much evident today. How have his values and mission lived
on with each successive generation of executives? And what
principles can be shared for others to replicate?
There must be something to the system after all. To many of
us, and you’ll read this again and again in the pages that follow,
the system served as an extension of family—or what we called
the McFamily. The name alone says a lot. And this family cared
not about your pedigree, or your heritage, or experience, but
allowed your development and growth to grasp the available
opportunities. It became a haven where many of us could suc-
ceed and gain the self-confidence that we may have lacked ini-
tially. It nurtured, honed, and developed the skills we would
need to be successful. And the skills also transferred to other
careers and occupations from individuals who went on to other
ventures, still mindful of the impact of their early development
within the system of McDonald’s.