S10-Ep26: Eat Mor Chikin: Chick-fil-A's Recipe for Leadership

Guest: Steve Robinson, former Chief Marketing Officer, Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A – and their cows – are now an iconic fast food brand. That type of brand recognition doesn’t happen by accident: it requires great leadership creating a culture of innovation. What can you learn from their success?   Steve Robinson unfolds the layers of leadership principles with real stories from Chick-fil-A’s history to demonstrate each one. Like other major brands, they’ve had PR bumps along the way, but worked through to continued success. Steve’s insights explain why – and it all wraps around leaders’ unique view of their stakeholders. Here's what Steve and Maureen cover: The four layers of Chick-fil-A’s “onion” of success; Why simple hospitality is a huge differentiator in business today; and The moment the beef industry started feeling chicken about this restaurant chain. Other episodes you'll enjoy: Why Rare Leadership Is Well Done at Omaha Steaks with Nate Rempe Love at First Slice: Pizza & Passionate Leadership with Tom Krouse A Dozen Lessons Learned Running Dunkin’ Donuts with Robert Rosenberg   For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re on TikTok, Threads, and Twitter, too!   RESOURCES:   Steve’s book is Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A; it’s available in hardback at https://amzn.to/460LnmQ, on Kindle at https://amzn.to/3RVXhZs, and as an audiobook at https://amzn.to/3xPjBgn.   You can learn more about Steve and his consulting services at https://srobinsonconsulting.com.   And, of course, there’s more about Chick-fil-A itself on the company’s website: https://www.chick-fil-a.com.   Chick-fil-A’s founder wrote several books, too. One that complements Steve’s conversation in this episode is Eat More Chikin – Inspire More People: Doing Business the Chick-fil-A Way. It’s in hardback (used) at https://amzn.to/4bv8KWs.    Our host, Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.    Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.      Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include: Everyday Ubuntu: Living Better Together, the African Way by Mungi Ngomane. Hardback (https://amzn.to/48Doh6j) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/48YCRF4) Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First by Martha Piper & Indira Samarasekera. Paperback (https://amzn.to/3tOtzg4) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/41OYdT5) Jilly Truit murder mysteries by Beverley McLachlin: Full Disclosure – https://amzn.to/46TxW6Q (paperback) https://amzn.to/46VDL3Q (audiobook) Denial – https://amzn.to/46YCbhs (paperback) https://amzn.to/3GJc0AA (audiobook) Women and Leadership: Journey Toward Equity by Sherylle J. Tan & Lisa DeFrank-Cole   NOTE: As an Amazon partner, we may make a small commission from books you buy through these links.   -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko Assistant Editor & Raconteur: Luigi Morelli Adding Hospitality to Our Layers of Success: Jenna Reik Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay. CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  Threads: @innovativeleaders X/Twitter/Whatever New Name It Has This Week: @IL_Institute  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  TikTok: @innovativeleadership Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Steven A. Robinson is a consultant, author and speaker on organizational culture design & leadership, brand strategy development, marketing planning, and distinctive advertising principles. He is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Chick-f