Don’t Compromise—Do the Right Thing
I’m now going to give you a bonus case study—another company to be emulated, whose founder instilled values practiced after he was gone. When I asked around about customer service in fast food, I kept getting sent to Chick-fil-A. When I asked about values in companies of all types, however, the name Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, kept coming up. Prior to his death in 2000, Thomas ran Wendy’s based upon five values, which are known and practiced by all of Wendy’s employees. They are:
#1. Quality is our recipe. Thomas believed that the quality of the food served at Wendy’s was the foundation of its success. Each franchise was expected to maintain that quality to the highest degree, so that customers would always know exactly what to expect when they ate at a Wendy’s.
#2. Do the right thing. Thomas was known for being a man of his word and expected it from Wendy’s employees. He also taught the practice of “empowering” his employees with enough authority to make decisions on integrity at the expense of profits.
#3. Treat people with respect. Thomas also believed that respect was another important ingredient in Wendy’s success. He felt that the best way to show respect is by using people’s names. Wendy’s employees are still taught to learn—and to use—customers’ names whenever possible.
#4. Profit is not a dirty word. Thomas felt that when customers were taken care of, the bottom line took care of itself. He also believed, however, that businesses exist to make money.
#5. Give something back. Wendy’s employees are encouraged and supported to give back to their respective communities.
Dave Thomas was one of the most admired men in America, and the respect that he enjoyed runs deep today among Wendy’s employees. This respect is based upon his beliefs in the values described above and his unwavering support of them. The annual report for Wendy’s still refers to Thomas’s values and his commitment to “do the right thing.” As a matter of fact, Thomas was known for using a three-point checklist to determine whether, on every action that an employee is empowered to make, he or she is doing the right thing.
Thomas’s list is used by the cadets at West Point when there is a question as to whether something is honorable. These are the three key questions: