Last week, after the Super Bowl, I decided to watch Undercover Boss. I was reluctant because I didn’t want some made-for-TV garbage, I was hoping to find some insight and inspiration. Week 1, was a great success in my opinion, but one week does not a successful TV series make. With that said, I watched again this week to see if I could glean similar insights and also report them back.

On Undercover Boss tonight, we got a chance to see Coby Brooks, president and CEO of Hooters of America, Inc., leave the corner office and get up to his elbows in Buffalo wings and beer. In 1983, Brooks’ father, Robert, joined six of fellow entrepreneurs to start the company in Florida and he ended up with the franchising rights and then the actual name. Robert Brooks passed away in 2006. (If you want to learn more about the restaurant that is in some ways an American institution, I’d recommend the Wikipedia entry as opposed to their website which could definitely use some improvement.)

Here is what I took away from the show:

1. It’s not always what you see, but what you don’t that keeps things going. Don’t forget the people behind the scenes, they can and usually do make everyone look good but don’t get the attention or the accolades.
2. Internal perception does not always equal to reality. It’s useful to get out and actually speak to your customers to see what they think about you and our brand. The results may surprise you…sometimes the truth doesn’t always equal your reality.
3. Despite the best intentions and the concerted brand stewardship, your employees may not connect to it with the same values that you do. A brand is only effective if it’s meaning is consistent throughout the organization. Poll your employees in a non-intrusive and/or non-punative manner to see what they think your brand is, how they are creating and representing your brand promise and what you need to do to improve on it.
4. Demeaning or degrading employees, under any circumstances, is not ok. It’s not funny, it’s not entertaining, it’s simply wrong. I’m not sure why this isn’t common sense, but treat people the way you want to be treated.
5. When considering leadership, whether it’s a team, department, divisions, etc. put a lot of thought into who is in the group and who will connect best with them. It’s a bonus (and advantage) when their “boss” came from where they did or at least understands their role and how important it is.
6. Never, ever, ever underestimate the importance of work life balance and a family friendly environment. Trust your best employees and give them time to be with their family without regret or concern. The more you give to them, they more they will give back. Afterall, how much does it cost to replace an “A-level” employee? A lot more than it does to keep them.
7. Never underestimate the importance of personal presence. Hands-off management isn’t a bad thing, but management by walking around, especially when you are doing it to connect with your employees and listen to them, can also be a really powerful approach (espeically if its sincere) to gain insight and affect change.

The bottom line from this weeks show is pretty simple. Give people they opportunity to share their true selves with you and you will gain tremendous insight. React and respond in a kind and proactive manner and you will not only help your bottom line but also define/redefine your corporate culture. I’m still skeptical about the show, but two weeks is a good showing. If week 3 (about 7-11) is a hit, I’m a fan, if not, I still walked away with quite a few ideas and insight.

Posted via web from Dave Sabol