Page 26 - Everything I Know About Business I Learned

Introduction

you will find that many of these learnings can be applied to all
organizations, and the concepts and ideas can be replicated.
McDonald’s is a very intimate and personable organization,
and was especially so in the earlier years. Even today, while
interviewing franchisees for this book, I discovered that they are
still impressed that they can put a phone call into the CEO or
other executive-level officer, and if they cannot get that person
within the next hour or two, he or she will return their call usu-
ally within 24 hours. While this may seem hard to believe, to
this day, with 1.6 million worldwide employees serving more
than 50 million customers a day, the organization strives to be
family oriented and remain focused and passionate about serv-
ing customers. And while the communications are more com-
plicated and the conversations perhaps less frequent, the
organization still pushes to stay small, nimble, and responsive
to its customers—both to the patrons who visit the restaurants
xxiv
and the thousands of licensees or operators worldwide.
While writing this book, I had the pleasure of attending
McDonald’s worldwide convention attended by operators, sup-
pliers, and key management—all 13,000 of them! I watched Fred
Turner chat with operators, friends, and suppliers nonstop every
day; I observed Jim Skinner, the present CEO (who started as
crew some 35 years ago) remain accessible and available to every-
one present. I saw all senior managers speak with anyone who
cared to stop at their booth. Bob Marshall, vice president of U.S.
restaurant operations, told me that he was with a group of indi-
viduals who were involved with the running of the Chicago
restaurant show each year, one of the biggest events in McCor-
mick Center. They were engrossed by the displays and commit-
ment they saw from the suppliers—their partners in the
system—who were present. But this was not unusual. This was
and is the culture of the organization. It’s one with deep-rooted
principles of business conduct and a code of values. Do it right;