Today was a seemingly average day for me. Things were going along as normal. I had put in a hard morning’s work and then visited my local (Canton, GA) Chipotle for lunch. After getting my chicken burrito bowl, I sat down with the book I am currently reading, Angela Duckworth’s incredible Grit: The Power Of Passion And Perseverance, and began eating my meal.
While there, I just happened to notice the restaurant’s manager walking around the parking lot and picking up garbage. I thought this was interesting but did not give it much thought.
As I was about to finish my meal, he walked up to me and said, “Sir, would you like a complimentary additional bowl as you do your research?” I did not know what to say. You see, I significantly mark up the books I am reading which is probably why he used that term. In any event, I have never had a restaurant manager make such a kind gesture.
I thanked him for his generous offer and got a small second order of chicken with mild salsa. As I finished my complimentary dish I noticed him refilling drinks for many of the customers and proactively throwing away their trash.
Finally, a lady with a toddler had come through the line and was preparing to sit down. As she approached her table, the manager was already there, waiting with a wooden highchair for her child to sit in.
This was exemplary service like I have seen only in high-end restaurants.
As I was leaving I stopped to speak with him. I thanked him for his kindness and asked why he provided such incredible service. The following was his answer:
He said he gives this type of service for two reasons:
- “Your bowl cost you about $10. Lunch is a big part of your day and I want you to have a great day.” I told him I could not speak for the remainder of the day but he did his part. He then gave me the second answer.
- “I have a wife, daughter, and mother. I want them to have a good life.” He then asked me my name. I said, “Brian.” He said, “My name’s Mario.” I then replied, “Nice to meet you Mario. I’ll be back many times.”
Mario’s actions teaches us at least 7 things about leadership:
- Higher Purpose – Mario was working hard to provide a better life for his wife, daughter, and mother. As a husband and father myself, I greatly appreciate and admire his sense of purpose.
- Leaders Are Pacesetters – Speed of the leader, speed of the team. So goes the leader, so goes the people. Mario was an incredible example for his team and they followed his example.
- The Difference Between Ordinary And Extraordinary Is A Little Extra – Little things (refilling drinks and proactively cleaning off tables) gave customers an extraordinary experience.
- Caring Leaders Anticipate The Needs Of Those They Are Called To Serve – Mario noticed the mother with young child while she was still in line. He had the highchair waiting on her.
- Successful Leaders Go The Extra Mile – I do not think it is in the job description of a Chipotle manager in a strip shopping center to clean the parking lot but Mario was committed to making a good first impression on his customers. Mission accomplished.
- Lasting Leaders Understand Return On Investment – For a $10 investment (actually the product cost was less than that), Mario got his company tens-of-thousands of dollars of free advertising and countless return visits.
- Smart Leaders Notice People – I was really touched that he noticed my research and wanted to support it by offering some complimentary food. That was very kind and generous.
If you ever want to see great leadership in action, visit the Chipotle in Canton, GA and ask for Mario. He will show you how it is done! What are some additional leadership lessons you learned from Mario?
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