Culture shift at JOEY Restaurant Group!

It has been five years since the JOEY Restaurant Group embarked on instilling a coaching culture within our organization. Five years later I can confidently say that coaching is an integrated part of the culture at all levels. Most importantly we see that coaching is being utilized by our leaders as one of many tools they have in their tool belt to effectively lead and manage.

Whenever anyone asks to talk to me about how we implemented a coaching culture or what the key to our success was, I start by telling them to find the right partner.

Essential Impact was the perfect fit for our organization. Throughout the whole processof enrollment, roll out, and building the foundations, the Essential Impact team, with Marj Busse leading the way, were more than consultants: they truly were and still are partners. This can be seen in the way Marj and Dave are treated as if they are Brad and Angelina when they walk into one of our restaurants. Our people love them and feel connected to them on a way deeper level than just “coach trainers.”

The other key piece in implementing a coaching culture was assembling and enrolling the first trail-blazing team, which was lovingly coined “The Dirty Dozen.” This group was made of up of some of the most senior and influential people in our company, and we knew if they were on board with bringing coaching in as a leadership tool we would be on the right track. Five years later we have seven ICF-accredited ACC coaches, and each year we train a new group of twelve coaches in the Excelerator Mastery coaching curriculum with Essential Impact. We also provide coach training for all of our mid-level managers three times a year.

Most importantly, we see the coach approach show up in the way we have conversations, manage, and develop each other and our partners. Coaching moments and conversations are organic and are part of the way in which we communicate.

Formal coach training that occurs cross-regionally is a resource that more and more JOEY people are taking advantage of. At this year’s JOEY JALA (our annual leadership awards event), six out of the nine individuals who won an award and were recognized as the top performers in their category were internal JOEY coaches, who either have achieved or are pursuing their ACC accreditation. Coincidence . . . . I think not.