Music ā the metaphor for business.
Aside from being a music fan, Tom Krouse believes music, in many ways, is a metaphor for life ā¦ and business. Tom is a musician and composer and sees many points of correspondence between what creates a beautiful melody and a harmonious work environment.
Tom Krouse, is the CEO of Donatos, the fast-casual pizza franchise famous for its āEdge to Edgeā toppings. Tom has created a new weekly segment on LinkedIn called,Ā The Corner Piece: Leadership Insights by a Pizza ManĀ to share career advice and ideas that he has learned from working in the fast casual industry for 35 years.
Listen to this episode of The Franchise Woman podcast: Where Passion and Purpose Collide as the Pizza Man shares taste slices of wisdom.
Meet Tom Krouse
Tom Krouse is the CEO of Donatos, the fast-casual pizza franchise famous for its āEdge to Edgeā toppings. Tom has created a new weekly segment on LinkedIn called,Ā The Corner Piece: Leadership Insights by a Pizza ManĀ to share career advice and ideas that he has learned from working in the fast casual industry for 35 years. Here are some of the topics he has recently discussedā¦
Huh? Make it Simple
One of the most vital parts of the job as a leader is to take the complexā¦and make it simple. No matter the business, bringing products or services to market always has many, many moving parts. To be successful, you must know how to navigate all the different variables to achieve all your goals. It is complex, and it can be challenging. The problem is that leadership communication requires the opposite skills. You need to make what youāre doing easily digestible for your employees, and simplicity is key. Lay it out for them. Hereās what weāre doingā¦and hereās why. Period. No one needs to know how complicated the objective isā¦they all have enough to worry about. Be clear, simple, and motivating.Ā
The One Question to Ask
You can accomplish amazing things by asking ONE straightforward question every time you meet with your employees: āIs there anything I can do for you that will help you accomplish what you have planned?ā Thatās it! First, it shows them how much you care and want to help. Next, you might be able to help get something āunstuckā in their work. Finally, you start doing the most crucial part of your job, which is to help your people achieve success. Never be afraid of the question and ask it every time. They will appreciate the opportunity to discuss their needs.
Learn more about Tom Krouse
Learn more about Donatos Pizza