"This is a book that will help you become not just a better leader, but also a better person, by making you more self-aware and showing you how to build up the people around you."
- Taking People With You, page 4
"A recent study of soccer players, for example, found that the team that celebrated goals with the most enthusiasm typically won the game."- Taking People With You, page 203
Throughout the book, you get a sense for what it’s like to work for Novak. You would be recognized, affirmed, awarded, and trusted. He says he is best known within his organization for casting a shadow of recognition and positive energy.
He warns us not to wait for the wins or until your cross the finish line. If you just drill people about performance without pausing to celebrate the small victories, you will wear them out.
He cautions us to be careful when celebrating victories so that you are measuring the right thing. For example, it’s not the number of sales calls that are as important as the degree to which the customer was influenced in the sales call. It’s not achieving expectations that deserves celebration but achieving measurable, tangible results.
He assures us that recognition and awards don’t have to be expensive. He shows us that the celebrations don’t have to be a trip to Hawaii. When he started giving out awards he decided they should be more memorable than the typical plaque or pen so he gave out floppy rubber chickens. Each leader followed suit and took the time to personalize awards so the recognition was more meaningful and fun.
And the celebration needs to be at the basic level of showing appreciation. He says that to truly motivate people, you need a positive work environment where all members know they count and feel appreciated and respected.
"…when people ask me what I look for when hiring someone, an avid learner tops the list."- Taking People With You, page 55
If I were to ask you if you wanted to grow and be your best self you would undoubtedly say “Of course”. Novak suggests the best way for you to do that is to always be learning. He believes that being an avid learner is the single biggest thing that separates a good leader from a great one. (Good for you for prioritizing your learning by reading this!)
Have you ever noticed that when you are around someone who loves to learn you feel inspired by his or her passion and curiosity? This person can energize a team and bring new ideas. Look around you – is it true that the best in your industry are always learning, always raising their game, always in a high performance mindset where they are open to learning how to get better and reach the top?
While Novak admits there are many people out there smarter than him, he attributes much of his success to prioritizing knowledge and ideas over ownership and ego. As an added tip he suggests that just by telling people you would like to learn from them, you can open doors.
He created a culture of commitment to always be learning at YUM!. As a leader, he suggests you need to seek out opportunities for both yourself and your team to expand your knowledge about your business.
"I also believe deep down in my bones that all people, when given a choice, have an inherent desire to do the right thing, to contribute, and to make a positive difference through the work that they do."- Taking People With You, page 64
Novak says he is absolutely convinced that it is crucial to have this mindset in order to get the most from your team. He sees his role as a leader to unleash each person’s potential. And by firmly believing they want to do the right thing, he inspires them to do just that.
How do you see people? Which quote resonates with you more?
A) “Give people an inch, and they’ll take a mile.”
or
B) “Believe in people, and they’ll believe in you in return.”
When you put faith and believe in people good things happen. They:
So, go to work everyday trusting that people want to contribute. Have you ever trusted someone who doesn’t trust you? Show people you trust them. After all, 99.9 percent of them want to do good and try hard. Don’t go looking for the 0.1 percent who want to mess things up. It starts with you – give the trust and you will receive it.
If you want to “take people with you”, where do you begin?
Before Novak embarked on teaching leadership, he looked long and hard in the mirror to determine exactly what was key to taking people with him. He investigated how he was able to get people on the same page and marching to the same drum. He concluded that getting inside the head of those you need is the starting place to take them with you.
You can never make big things happen unless you know how to take people with you. And maybe your first step should be to read Novak’s book!
How can you create a culture of learning, trusting, and acknowledging in your organization…. What will you do to start with you?
David C. Novak (born 1953) is an American businessman. He is the current Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President and Chairman of the Executive & Finance Committee at YUM! Brands Inc. Novak has also served as Chief Operating Officer of Pepsi-Cola North America, and Executive Vice President of Marketing and National Sales for the Pepsi-Cola Company. He has been an Independent Director of JPMorgan Chase & Co. since 2001. He also serves as a Director of Bank One Corporation. Novak holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri. Novak was named 2012 Chief Executive of the Year by Chief Executive magazine.
