By Barb Kachelski, CAE
Attendees at CUES Directors Conference 2010 heard that leaders who see the power of potential can have an enormous impact on people and organizations. The message came from Chef Jeff Henderson, The New York Times best-selling author and host of a show on The Food Channel.
At one time, Henderson manufactured crack cocaine and sold it. Ultimately, he was sent to prison where he learned to cook and turned his life around. He went from dishwasher to executive chef at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, went on to write his life story, help turn others lives around, and more.
I'll summarize leadership lessons from Henderson's life, and elaborate on each with Henderson's own words.
People who see potential in others have tremendous influence. Unfortunately for Henderson, the first people who saw his potential were drug dealers. "No one saw the potential in me. Nobody ever told me: 'You're smart…'" Early in his life, only the people in the world of drugs saw Henderson's potential--and that was the potential "to live the bad dream."
Lessons can be learned in any situation. Ironically, some of the lessons learned while selling drugs serve Henderson well today:
"When I was on the streets, I understood marketing, public relations, and building powerful relationships in order to increase my financial wealth. I managed gang members. I managed a diverse workforce. I managed tough guys and women. I never was a gang member. I never used. I motivated them. Gave them opportunity to live the dream the only way I thought there was to get there."
"Anybody can do anything they want to." While in prison, Henderson read USA Today. An article about top African-American chefs inspired him. He wrote each of them asking for a job when he got out of prison. Nobody answered. Henderson didn't give up. He wrote chef Robert Gadsby a letter, which also went unanswered. He went to Gadsby's restaurant and eventually was hired as a dishwasher. "I never saw myself as a dishwasher. I saw myself as a world-renowned chef, restaurant owner, entrepreneur," Henderson says.
Hard work and paying attention are keys to success. "I always did the work of three people. Big ears, little mouth. I became this intellectual 'jacker.' I (hi)jacked them (other chefs) for their culinary education. I couldn't go to top culinary schools. I was on probation."
Big dreams are the best dreams. "How did I come out of prison as a dishwasher and become exec chef at the Bellagio? My dream was big. My dream was to get my house on the hill with a white picket fence ... two refrigerators filled with food so my children would have choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner."
Leaders find influencers and build loyalty. Henderson turned around a restaurant with 65 employees, improving performance in a matter of months. "I identified the leadership--"shot callers"--brought them into the office, watched them cook. I said they were amazing cooks. They had so much potential. No chef ever had told them they were good. Building self esteem created loyalty, a culture of praise and happiness." Henderson started moving people around to areas they were best at, tapping into their strengths.
When Henderson put staff members' names on menu items, "they called in less. Productivity was higher. Food costs and labor costs were in check. People who quit don't quit companies, they quit the boss."
Leaders control their emotions. "Sometimes we have to suppress our own life issues. But we can never let our employees see us different.
"First of all, motivation is so important. Leadership is important. Especially when you have people working under you. Coming to work every day, you need to be happy. Have to make workplace fun."
Leaders get individuals to see themselves differently. "Remind people they are blessed. Life is great. Life is what you make it. Life's too short. Each person needs to be managed differently.
"Build integrity. Build character. Build powerful relationships… It was all about the dream…(If you) get the blinders off, you can see opportunities all around."
Leaders motivate themselves. "Sometimes we may not get the motivation from our leadership. I pat my own self on the back... I tell myself I am very proud of myself."
Leadership requires giving back. "Everybody should be mentoring at least one person."
Barb Kachelski is SVP/chief operating officer of CUES.
CUES offers $99 NextGen membership to up-and-coming leaders in the CU movement.
