A few weeks ago I spoke at an incredible leadership meeting for In-N-Out Burger. Without a doubt they are one of the greatest companies and cultures I’ve ever experienced. While I shared my Positive Leadership framework with them I was fortune to see first hand that Culture Drives Everything!
In-N-Out embodies everything I have written in my books about culture. They know what they stand for. They relentlessly focus on their core values, beliefs and what matters most. They focus on their culture and this drives how they do everything.
You Must Invest in the Root:
Great organizations invest in their culture (the root) and this drives what they do to produce great (fruit) results. When you Invest in the Root you get Great Fruit! So many organizations focus on the outcome (the fruit) and ignore the root. As a result their tree dies. But when you see a company like In-N-Out Invest in their root (culture, leadership, people, process) it's clear why they produce such great fruit. With 368 stores since 1948 they've grown organically, investing in the root and they have built an iconic brand, culture and business that is easily envied and very difficult to duplicate.
Caring is a Success Strategy:
The leaders of In-N-Out care a lot and when you care, every detail and everyone matters. Because they care, they relentlessly think about how to serve great food, serve their employees and serve their customers.
Kindness is Key:
In-N-Out is a company filled with really kind, good hearted, hard working leaders who hire really kind, good hearted, hard working people. I had conversations with many of their corporate leaders and store managers over the course of a few days and walked away from each conversation thinking, "Wow. They are so nice. It's no wonder why they are so successful."
Pride and Ownership are Contagious:
When leaders of a company take pride and ownership in their culture, people, operations and all the details that create a successful business, it transfers to every associate in a company. For example, if you visit an In-N-Out Burger location you will find associates who take great pride in everything they do and this translates to the excellence and quality the customer experiences.
When you create a great culture it drives all that you do to create great results.
-Jon
P.S., Another great example of creating a great culture is what Brandon Landry and his team have done with Walk On's. Ranked #1 Sports Bar in America by ESPN and experiencing massive growth even during the pandemic, it's a story you must hear! Listen to Brandon share how they've done it via my Positive University Podcast Here.
