Christopher Bode, CEO of Denny’s, shares advice from a mentor who continues to shape his approach to leadership.
Christopher Bode, CEO of Denny’s, says a lesson from a longtime mentor has become a guiding principle as he works to turn around the iconic restaurant chain.
Bode, who took over as CEO of Denny’s this year, told FOX Business he’s following a simple phrase he learned earlier in his career from former Dunkin’ Brands CEO Jon Luther.
“Manage what you must, not what you can,” Bode said.
The Denny’s chief said he now shares these tips daily with his leadership team to keep the company focused on priorities that can have the biggest impact.
DENNY’S GOES FOR 500 RESTAURANT IMPROVEMENTS AS DINNER CHAIN INVESTS IN AI AND NEW TECHNOLOGY: ‘PROJECT GRAND SLAM’
Denny’s CEO Christopher Bode told FOX Business that the lesson from a longtime mentor has become a guiding principle. (Denny)
“I now talk to my team about it on a daily basis, because it means there’s so much you can handle, but this is what you have to handle to be able to change the trajectory of the business that you run,” Bode said.
“So we stay focused on that on a regular basis.”
Bode said organizations can fall victim to “organizational drift” when they take on too many projects and lose sight of what they need to accomplish.
“That’s what really leads to the demise of organizations, because they try to be too many and accomplish too much in a short period of time,” he said.
TRUE FOOD KITCHEN, SUPPORTED BY OPRAH, FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY AFTER CLOSING OF A DOZEN RESTAURANTS
Bode said staying focused meant keeping the company focused on the five key pillars of “Project Grand Slam.” (Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
At Denny’s, Bode said remaining focused meant keeping the company focused on the five key pillars of “Project Grand Slam,” its broader turnaround strategy.
“We keep the team focused on that every day, and we don’t let the creep in,” Bode said.
Bode said humility and listening are also essential to leadership, especially when working with franchisees who have invested millions of dollars in their business.
“We have people investing millions and millions of dollars, and you have to listen with a really good ear,” Bode said. “These are the people who took all the risks. They sign the bills, they pay the people, they have the utilities, they have all these things, all this pressure on them. I get a paycheck every week. That’s not the case.”
For aspiring entrepreneurs and other business leaders, Bode said his advice is to stay humble.
CHICK-FIL-A EXCLUDES AI DRIVE-THRU ORDERS AS FAST FOOD RIVALS EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY
Bode said humility and listening are also essential to leadership. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“Relationships with franchisees are important and you also have to stay humble at the end of the day, especially as your career continues to evolve over time,” he said. “Don’t forget where you come from.”
CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO
Bode said another phrase guides his approach to leadership.
“It’s the power of the ‘we,’ not the individual ‘me,’” he said.
Gn bussni
