Scott Greenberg

How I Built a Multi-Unit Franchise Operation Without Leaving My Day Job

Scott Greenberg — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:24:20 +0000

How I ran a top-performing franchise while traveling as a full-time speaker — using smart systems, strong leadership and a lot of trust.

Key Takeaways

Choose the right franchise model
Build systems that work without you
Hire (and keep) the right people
Lead the culture — even remotely
Let go of control (strategically)
Manage by the numbers

I’ve spent decades as a business and management keynote speaker, presenting to leaders about performance, leadership and building strong teams. But early in my career, I started to feel a little uneasy.

I was offering advice to audiences filled with managers and experienced business owners, many of whom had far more hands-on experience than I did. I didn’t want to be perceived as another speaker who talks theory but lacks real-world credibility. I wanted my insights to be grounded in experience, not just inspiration.

Then one day, flipping through an airline magazine, I saw an ad for Edible Arrangements. Something clicked. Franchising intrigued me because it’s a model that combines consistency and variability. Everyone follows the same system in similar markets, but performance varies. That meant there had to be a variable. If I could identify it and make it work for me, I wouldn’t just build a business — I’d gain insights I could bring to my clients.

My goal was never to leave my speaking career. It still is my primary passion. But I wanted to supplement it with a business that would sharpen my message and grow my income. That’s how I ended up opening an Edible Arrangements franchise in 2006.

Let me be clear: there was nothing “part-time” about this venture. Opening a franchise meant taking out a loan, signing a 10-year lease, investing in a buildout, managing employees, and serving customers. It required full commitment—even if I couldn’t be there every day.

We faced our share of challenges, especially early on. But eventually, we built one of the highest-volume locations in California. Later, I acquired a struggling second location and made it profitable within a year. We won awards for best customer service and manager of the year out of more than 1,000 stores worldwide — all while I was still traveling for speaking engagements.

So, how did I do it? Here are six key strategies that made it possible:

1. Choose the right franchise model

Not every franchise is suited for absentee ownership, no matter what the sales team says. I chose a brand that allowed for it, but quickly learned that success still requires deep engagement. You don’t have to be physically present all the time, but you do have to be mentally present.

I looked for a business with clear systems, brand standards, and strong corporate support. I also spoke with other franchisees to ensure my dual-career setup was realistic. I wasn’t just an investor—I was still a leader, just one leading from a distance.

2. Build systems that work without you

If I weren’t going to be in the store every day, I needed systems to maintain visibility and accountability. Each night, the closing employee sent me a detailed report on sales, issues and feedback. I installed security cameras to monitor the store remotely and verify open and closing times. I could also log in to our system from anywhere to review dashboards and performance data.

Cross-training was another key strategy. Every team member could handle multiple tasks, giving us flexibility and protecting against staffing gaps.

3. Hire (and keep) the right people

Finding the right manager changed everything. My first two hires were solid but didn’t stick. The third, Jennifer, joined nine months in and stayed for the rest of my ownership. She even worked with the new owner for a year after I sold the stores.

Jennifer and I were in daily contact, even when I was on the road. When I was home, I’d visit at least once a week to stay connected with the team. I didn’t work shifts, but I maintained presence. I wasn’t micromanaging — I was culture managing.

4. Lead the culture — even remotely

Culture doesn’t just happen — it must be shaped. We talked often about who we were as a team and what kind of environment we wanted. We trained slowly, coached consistently and gave employees the chance to lead. Their input helped us innovate, meet goals and stay aligned.

When team members proved themselves, we gave them more autonomy. That investment paid off in loyalty and performance. The stores didn’t just feel like mine — they felt like ours.

5. Let go of control (strategically)

No one ran the business exactly like I would have. No one sold as much or cared as deeply. But they didn’t have to. I learned that if the team could operate at 80% of my personal standard, that was enough for success, and it gave me space to keep speaking and open a second location.

Letting go gave others room to step up. It made Jennifer’s job easier. And it allowed me to focus on growing the business, not just running it.

6. Manage by the numbers

When you’re not on-site, metrics become your eyes and ears. I watched weekly sales, average ticket size, expenses and customer reviews religiously. I studied every P&L. I also tracked individual employee performance so Jennifer could coach in real time when needed.

She managed the floor. I managed the numbers. That structure kept everything moving, even when I was out of town.

One of the proudest moments of my franchise journey was winning the best customer service award. It wasn’t just about sales—it was about the culture we’d built. That award confirmed what I’d come to believe: franchise success isn’t about working harder. It’s about working smarter, creating systems and growing people.

The experience didn’t just strengthen my speaking content — it transformed it. I had real stories. Real wins. Real setbacks. It all added authenticity to my message. You don’t need to give up your day job to build a successful business. But you do need to take that business seriously. Put systems in place. Lead your people. Watch your numbers. And above all, trust the team you’ve built.

That’s how you grow something great — even when you’re not there to see it.

This article first appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Scott Greenberg is a restaurant keynote speaker, business coach and the author of the books, The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar, and Stop the Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers into a Top-Performing Team. He’s also creator of the Hourly Employee Management System online certification course.

The post How I Built a Multi-Unit Franchise Operation Without Leaving My Day Job appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

Stop Guessing What Restaurant Guests Want. Your Employees Already Know.

Scott Greenberg — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:46:27 +0000

Walk into any restaurant and you’ll see it, if you know where to look.

A server clearing plates with untouched sides. A line cook working around a prep process that slows everything down. A cashier answering the same guest question again and again. These aren’t isolated moments. They’re signals. And behind each one is insight that most operators are missing.

Your team knows what guests want but aren’t getting. They know what guests are getting but don’t actually want, sometimes literally what’s ending up in the trash. They see where time is being wasted, where friction builds, and where the experience falls short. The issue isn’t whether that insight exists. It’s whether anyone is asking for it.

In the restaurant industry, we’re trained to lead by directing. We train, correct, reinforce standards, and push execution. That’s part of the job. But when leadership becomes a one-way conversation, we cut ourselves off from one of the most valuable resources in the building: the perspective of the people closest to the guest.

I learned this the hard way running my own Edible Arrangements franchises. Like most operators, I thought my role was to have the answers. When things weren’t working, I doubled down on direction. More clarity. More accountability. More control. But the more I pushed, the more I realized something wasn’t clicking. It wasn’t until I changed the questions I was asking that things started to shift.

Instead of asking, “Why aren’t they doing it right?” I started asking, “What are they seeing that I’m not?” That one shift opened up a completely different level of awareness. What I found was that my team had been sitting on valuable information all along.

One employee pointed out something I had completely missed in our selling process. When customers ordered arrangements, we would often ask if they wanted strawberries dipped in chocolate, and then follow it up by asking if they wanted to dip all of the strawberries or only half of them. It sounded helpful. It felt like we were giving them a cheaper option.

But in reality, we were downselling.

She noticed that most customers weren’t asking for half. They weren’t price-sensitive in that moment. They were buying a gift. When given the option, many defaulted to “half” simply because we suggested it. When we stopped leading with that and instead framed it around dipping all the strawberries, most customers said yes without hesitation.

Same product. Same customer. Just a different framing that came from a frontline observation. That small shift increased average ticket size in a way no promotion or campaign had.

We saw a similar kind of insight on the operations side, not about changing the system, but about fine-tuning how we executed it.

At one point, we were discarding more chocolate than I liked at the end of the day. I had written it off as part of the process until one of my team members pointed out that we were melting more than we actually needed, especially during slower periods. Her suggestion was simple: prepare smaller batches and refill based on real demand instead of anticipated demand.

Nothing about the product changed. Nothing about the brand standards changed. We just became more intentional about timing and volume, and waste dropped immediately.

What struck me most was how obvious it was once she said it. It’s the kind of thing I should have seen. But I didn’t.

It was one of many small nuances my team caught that I missed, simply because they were closer to the work. And it made me realize how many of those insights never get shared at all, because most employees won’t point them out unless they’re asked.

Your frontline team operates as a real-time feedback engine. Every shift, they’re running dozens, if not hundreds, of micro-experiences with your guests. They see hesitation when someone orders. They hear the same questions repeated. They notice what gets modified, sent back, or ignored altogether. They feel where the pressure builds during a rush and where the system starts to break.

And yet many organizations spend more time analyzing dashboards than listening to the people generating the experience behind those numbers. Data tells you what is happening. Your team can tell you why.

I was reminded of this recently at the International Franchise Association Convention, where Kat Cole shared how she helped elevate Cinnabon during a difficult period. What stood out was not a bold new strategy or sweeping overhaul. It was how intentional she was about getting close to the work.

She spent time with frontline teams, listening, observing, and asking questions to understand what was actually happening in the stores. Not what reports suggested. Not what leadership assumed. What was real. The insights she gathered were specific, practical, and immediately useful, often coming directly from the people doing the work every day. She attributes much of that turnaround to what she learned on the ground.

There’s a lesson in that. The closer you get to the frontline, the clearer your opportunities become.

But tapping into that insight requires more than a generic request for feedback. If you want meaningful input, you have to ask better questions, ones that are concrete, safe, and grounded in daily experience. For example:

What do guests ask for that we don’t offer?
What do we serve that people don’t finish?
Where do we lose time during a rush?
What part of your job feels harder than it should be?
If you ran this shift, what would you change?

Now you’re not just managing performance. You’re developing thinkers. And that’s where leadership starts to scale.

This isn’t about creating a feel-good culture initiative. It’s about performance. When people feel heard, they engage differently. When engagement improves, execution follows. And when execution improves, the guest experience gets better, consistently.

That’s the connection too many operators miss. Mindset shapes leadership. Leadership shapes behavior. Behavior shapes the customer experience.

When leaders shift from telling to asking, from assuming to learning, they expand what’s possible inside their operation. They don’t lose control. They gain visibility. They don’t lower standards. They improve them, because those standards are now informed by reality, not just intention.

In my work as a restaurant and franchise keynote speaker, I hear the same frustrations come up again and again. Leaders talk about struggling to find good people, to get their teams engaged, and to create consistency across locations. Those challenges are real. But in many cases, the solution isn’t just better hiring or tighter systems.

It’s better listening.

Most teams already have more insight than we’re accessing. We’re just not creating the conditions to hear it.

Your next operational improvement, your next efficiency gain, even your next breakthrough in customer experience may not come from a new system or a new strategy. It may already exist inside your four walls, in the minds of the people serving your guests every day.

The question is whether you’re willing to ask and actually listen.

This article first appeared in Nation’s Restaurant News.

The post Stop Guessing What Restaurant Guests Want. Your Employees Already Know. appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

AI Won’t Solve Your People Problems: Insights For Franchises and Frontline Teams

Scott Greenberg — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:23:06 +0000

I recently wrote this article for Entrepreneur because I’m seeing so many franchise leaders struggling with the same issue: using AI in places where emotional intelligence is still essential. Here’s the full piece with a little more context for my own readers.

As an hourly workforce management author and trainer, I spend most of my time speaking to franchise systems, frontline managers, and business owners. I hear their frustrations, their wins, and all the messy human realities of leading teams. Over the past couple of years, I’ve watched AI weave its way into these organizations in ways that genuinely help, and in ways that quietly undermine what makes people-driven businesses actually work.

When the AI boom began, a lot of leaders felt the rush. Tasks that used to take hours suddenly took minutes. Hiring pipelines felt manageable again. Content got easier. Leaders naturally began asking, If AI can do all this, what else can we hand off?

That’s where things started drifting into territory I know well: culture, leadership, communication, coaching, motivation—the very areas I’m hired to speak and write about. And that’s also where some leaders began getting themselves into trouble.

I’m not an AI expert, nor do I pretend to be. But because I give presentations and lead trainings for franchise systems and frontline managers, I get pulled into a lot of conversations about tools promising to improve culture or performance. As AI hype grew, more and more tech companies started approaching me for endorsements of their platforms. Most of them position themselves as culture boosters or performance enhancers. I don’t take referral fees, so my opinions aren’t for sale. But I’m always curious. I want to find tools that will genuinely help the businesses I serve.

And what concerns me isn’t the technology—it’s the way some companies are applying it to the most human parts of their business.

The AI Tools That Promise Too Much

One platform a company showed me aggregates data across a franchise system and generated individualized recommendations for each owner and the franchise field coaches who support them. If it spots high turnover and low customer satisfaction, it might say: “Improve company culture.”

Sure. And telling a basketball player to “score more points” is also technically good advice. But without how, it’s just noise. That’s why I created the Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS) online training, to help managers and leaders build exceptional teams.

Multiple groups have pitched me tools that gamify culture by awarding badges and prizes for compliments and internal communication. Interesting idea, but culture isn’t something you can win at—it’s something you build. It’s the collective beliefs, values, habits and behaviors that form within a group over time. It’s the social norms that define that group. It’s their way of being together. A tool can support that dynamic, but it can’t create it or manage it.

Culture is emotional. It’s psychological. It’s human. AI doesn’t feel those things. So it can’t teach your team how to feel them, or how to create those feelings.

Where AI Hiring Misses What Humans See Instantly

AI has also reshaped hiring. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes not.

My son recently applied for a job where the “interview” consisted of a prompt on a screen and a countdown clock. No conversation. No back-and-forth. One take. He didn’t move on.

A few weeks later, the same company posted a similar role. He applied again—this time knowing what the process felt like. He wasn’t more experienced. He wasn’t more qualified. He was simply more comfortable performing for a two-minute video countdown. That’s what got him through. The system wasn’t measuring talent. It was measuring familiarity with the system.

Some of the best employees I’ve ever seen aren’t polished interviewers. They’re steady, loyal, humble, and kind. If you sat across from them, you’d feel it. But a timed video prompt won’t pick that up. Nor will it create the safe space that might help job candidates overcome their nerves and reveal their true selves.

There’s a difference between collecting information about a person and actually understanding who they are. One requires data. The other requires being a person yourself.

Where AI Helps—and Where It Hurts

AI is fantastic for improving operations. It can organize schedules, track metrics, analyze trends, document procedures, and quickly surface insights leaders used to spend days gathering. I rely on AI myself for research and idea development.

But AI becomes a liability when businesses use it as a substitute for the parts of leadership that require emotion, judgment, nuance, and humanity.

AI can’t read the look on someone’s face when they’re having a bad day. It can’t spot the quiet employee who’s actually your most reliable performer. It can’t coach someone through frustration. It can’t sense when a customer needs reassurance. It can’t build trust.

Leaders sometimes forget that the most important parts of their job are invisible—tone, empathy, encouragement, connection. AI can’t feel, so it can’t make anyone else feel anything. And people can tell the difference.

Everyone loves to say they’re “in the people business.” But if you hand your most human responsibilities over to software, you’re not in the people business anymore—you’re just in the business. And people can feel that, too.

Let AI Make You Smarter, Not Colder

AI absolutely has a place in business. A big one. Use it to:

create job posts
streamline onboarding
track performance trends
organize schedules
automate reminders
document processes
summarize meetings
provide operational clarity

These are smart uses. But when it comes to coaching, hiring, motivating, and culture, the responsibility stays with humans.

The highest-performing businesses I see—whether franchisee, franchisor, owner-operator, or corporate team—use AI to increase clarity and speed and use leaders to increase trust, connection, and meaning. AI can make your business run better. Only people can make your business feel better.

AI will keep getting better. It’ll get faster, smarter, more integrated, and more intuitive. But it will never replace the parts of business that make employees stay, customers return, and companies grow.

If you say you’re in the people business, then the real work isn’t finding ways to automate people—it’s finding ways to show up for them. AI can run your systems. People run your business. And the companies that remember that will be the ones that win.

Before you go, here’s one more insight I didn’t include in the Entrepreneur version.

Bonus Takeaway for My Readers

One thing I didn’t mention in the Entrepreneur version of this article is how much opportunity this moment creates for leaders who are willing to blend AI with real human leadership. The companies I see winning right now aren’t the ones choosing between artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence. They’re the ones disciplined enough to use AI for clarity and speed while doubling down on the conversations, coaching, and connection that only humans can provide.

If you can get your systems running smoother and make your people feel more supported, you’re not just competing—you’re separating yourself from everyone else trying to automate their way to high performance. The future belongs to leaders who can do both.

This article originally appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine. Republished here with additional insights for my readers.

Scott Greenberg is a keynote speaker, business coach and the author of the books, The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar, and Stop the Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers into a Top-Performing Team.

The post AI Won’t Solve Your People Problems: Insights For Franchises and Frontline Teams appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

Most Companies Stop at Good Service — But the Real Growth Multiplier Is Something Else

Scott Greenberg — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:20:32 +0000

Every business is in the hospitality business—because customers don’t just remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel.

When people hear I speak in the hospitality industry, they usually assume I’m talking about hotels or restaurants. And yes, I’ve spoken to plenty of those groups. But I always remind audiences: every business is in the hospitality business — whether they realize it or not.

The problem? Many companies confuse hospitality with customer service. They assume if they’re fast, accurate, and efficient, that’s enough. But service and hospitality are not the same thing. And if you don’t understand the difference, you’re missing an opportunity to win loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.

Service vs. hospitality

Here’s the distinction I’ve seen again and again as a keynote speaker, business owner, and author:

Customer service is about providing people with the products or services they need as quickly, accurately, and efficiently as possible. It’s transactional — it gets the job done.
Hospitality is about elevating how people feel while you serve them. It’s emotional — it makes people feel seen, valued, and cared for.

Service is expected. Hospitality is remembered.

You can deliver a product perfectly and still fail to make customers feel better. When that happens, you miss a chance to create advocates. But when customers leave feeling uplifted or genuinely cared for, they tell others. Hospitality turns ordinary transactions into free marketing.

“Service is the transaction. Hospitality is the transformation.”

Lessons from my early jobs

I first learned this distinction as a teenager working the front desk at a Best Western. Checking guests in and handing out room keys was service. Remembering a guest’s name or noticing someone was tired? That was hospitality. It was a lesson that stuck.

Later, as a bellman at a Southern California resort, carrying luggage was part of the service. Pointing out the best sunset spot or joking with guests to ease tension? That was hospitality. Those small gestures made guests happier and even increased my tips.

The lesson: these moments didn’t take extra time, but they created extra value. Guests didn’t just get their needs met — they felt special. And that feeling is far more memorable than any key card or suitcase.

The business case

Years later, I owned Edible Arrangements stores. We won the company’s Best Customer Service Award not just because orders were accurate and on time, but because my team delivered hospitality. They didn’t just make fruit baskets — they celebrated new parents and offered sympathy during tough times.

We weren’t delivering products — we were delivering emotions. That translated into higher sales, better reviews and repeat business. Service creates satisfaction. Hospitality creates loyalty.

A customer who gets good service may return — or may try your competitor. A customer who experiences hospitality becomes your marketer, sharing their story with friends, family and social media. Hospitality multiplies the value of every customer interaction.

How to add hospitality (even in busy environments)

Hospitality doesn’t require grand gestures. It lives in small, consistent choices that acknowledge the human in front of you. Here are practical ways to infuse it immediately:

1. Acknowledge the person, not just the purchase

Make eye contact, smile or use someone’s name.
Even in fast-paced environments, recognition can reset a customer’s mood.

2. Empathize out loud

Don’t just fix a problem — acknowledge the frustration or joy.
“That must be frustrating — let’s get this fixed” carries more weight than “I’ll take care of it.”

3. Notice and personalize

A tired traveler, a child in tow, a small celebration — respond with a gesture or kind word.
People remember when you notice details no one else does.

4. Streamline transactions so you can connect

Use systems or technology to handle rote tasks, freeing your people for human moments.
AI and automation can handle service — but only humans can deliver hospitality.

5. Train for awareness, not just efficiency

Most employees are taught tasks; the best are trained to look for cues and respond with warmth.
Role-play scenarios to help staff spot opportunities for hospitality.

Hospitality starts with your team

Employees mirror the environment they work in. If your team feels micromanaged or unappreciated, they won’t extend warmth to customers. But if you show hospitality inward — listening, recognizing effort and treating staff with respect — they’re much more likely to show it outward.

Hospitality isn’t just at the counter. It starts behind the scenes. A staff that feels valued delivers experiences that make customers feel valued.

The missed opportunity

Service alone is a missed opportunity. A customer may walk away satisfied — but unchanged. No story to tell. Hospitality transforms satisfaction into delight, and delight into loyalty. It makes people remember, talk about and return to your business.

It’s not fluff. It’s not optional. And it’s the most cost-effective marketing you’ll ever have.

Final thought

Every business is in the hospitality business. Service is the transaction. Hospitality is the transformation.

Ask yourself: are we just serving our customers, or are we also hosting them? Companies that embrace this distinction are the ones customers remember, talk about, and return to — again and again.

Good service gets the job done. Hospitality makes people feel good — and when people feel good, they spread the word.

The post Most Companies Stop at Good Service — But the Real Growth Multiplier Is Something Else appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

This Quiet Shift Is Helping Founders Build Fierce Customer Loyalty

Scott Greenberg — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:15:52 +0000

Most businesses are busy scaling. Few are making people feel anything. That’s your edge.

Cold, scripted, forgettable. That’s your competition. You? Be the opposite.

Earlier this year, I asked a flight attendant for an extra graham cracker. She came back with three. A small, inexpensive gesture for the airline, but one that stuck with me.

A few weeks later, at my local grocery store, I asked where to find Dijon mustard. Instead of pointing, the employee walked me to the aisle and helped me find the brand I wanted. (Okay, the brand my wife wanted. I’m a yellow mustard guy.) No checklist, no script — just a genuinely helpful human moment.

At a neighborhood body shop, the waiting room was stocked with snacks, drinks and a note on the wall: the owner’s personal cell number, with an invitation to call anytime with questions or concerns. Who does that?

These moments, across totally different industries, had one thing in common: they made me feel something. Valued. Seen. Cared for. That’s not service. That’s hospitality.

Service is what people get. Hospitality is how you make them feel.

As a hospitality speaker, I’ve seen it everywhere — businesses nailing service but missing hospitality. Service is the transaction. Hospitality is the connection.

I’ve checked into hotels where the front desk agent greeted me with overly rehearsed cheer that felt more like theater than welcome. I’ve flown airlines where crews chirp slogans like “You’re the reason we fly!” in the most robotic tone imaginable. And I’ve walked into quick-service restaurants and been greeted with “Next customer in line!”— when I was the only customer there.

That’s what happens when we confuse process with presence. You can check all the boxes and still make people feel like just another number.

True hospitality isn’t scripted. It’s empathetic. It’s human. It’s the difference between being served and being seen.

Hospitality isn’t industry-specific. It’s intent-specific.

Hospitality is a mindset. It applies whether you’re running a tech startup, a boutique, or a landscaping company.

On a recent cruise, our server didn’t just remember our names — he remembered our preferences, asked about our day, and even shared a little about himself. Every meal felt personal, like we were more than just table 12. That connection? It elevated the whole experience.

You don’t need to be loud or extroverted to deliver hospitality. Some of the most powerful connections I’ve felt came from people who were quiet but deeply present. It’s not about personality — it’s about intention.

The best businesses don’t just sell — they make you feel something

When I ran Edible Arrangements franchises, I thought we were in the fruit basket business. Turns out, we were in the joy delivery business. The moment I realized that, everything changed.

Drivers became ambassadors of celebration. They didn’t just hand over a product — they created an experience. They smiled, engaged and adapted to the moment. That energy mattered as much as the arrangement itself.

In-store, we trained our team to surprise and delight. A warm welcome. A helpful suggestion. Reassurance that this gift would land exactly the way the sender intended. Those were the magic moments people remembered — and returned for.

Want to be memorable? Be more human.

People don’t stay loyal to brands. They stay loyal to how brands make them feel.

And here’s the best part: hospitality isn’t expensive. It doesn’t take flashy marketing or big budgets. It takes:

Hiring people who care
Empowering them to act on that care
Building a culture that rewards empathy and presence
Encouraging the small, unscalable touches that build loyalty

If you’re a business owner or leader, ask yourself: when was the last time a customer interaction made someone feel surprised — in a good way? When was the last time someone walked away smiling because of the way you engaged with them, not just what you sold them?

It’s not always easy — especially in busy environments. But the companies that do it well are the ones people remember. And return to.

So yes, I speak and write about this. I coach on it. But it’s not just because I love a good guest experience. It’s because I believe hospitality is the most scalable, transferable business skill we’re still underestimating.

Whatever industry you’re in, hospitality is your human edge. And in a world that increasingly feels automated, that edge matters more than ever.

This article originally appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine.

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Franchisees Need Better People Management Skills — And Franchisors Need to Help

Scott Greenberg — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:06:39 +0000

“Franchisees don’t need mandates — they need tools. And if we want to strengthen our brands, we have to strengthen the people leading them.”

In franchising, we’re relentless about systems. We obsess over marketing strategies, scrutinize operational procedures, and invest in technology to boost efficiency. We plan national campaigns and fine-tune development pipelines. But when it comes to managing people—arguably the most important part of running a unit—we often leave franchisees to figure it out on their own.

It’s something I’ve seen again and again after years of speaking at franchise conferences, working with brand leaders, and training franchisees across industries. Managing hourly employees—the people who interact with customers, prep the food, clean the counters, and keep things moving—doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves. And yet, these are the team members who most directly shape the customer experience.

Franchisees are expected to build teams, create culture, and execute operations flawlessly. But many have never been taught how to do that. Some are new to business ownership. Others come from corporate or professional backgrounds and quickly discover that managing hourly workers requires a very different skill set. It’s not about dashboards or delegation through email. It’s about showing up in person, providing real-time coaching, and navigating unpredictable moments with clarity and compassion.

Unfortunately, few managers ever get the chance to develop those skills properly. One UK survey found more than a quarter of managers had never received any management training at all. Globally, most managers work for nearly a decade before receiving formal leadership development. Think of the habits—good and bad—that can form in that time.

In franchising, this challenge is compounded by legal caution. Franchisors often avoid offering people-management guidance to avoid joint-employer concerns. So they train franchisees on marketing and operations, but rarely on how to lead a team. But there’s a big difference between setting HR policy and helping franchisees become better people managers.

Franchisees aren’t asking for mandates. They’re asking for tools. And when that support isn’t there, it shows up in high turnover, poor morale, and inconsistent guest experiences.

Let me give you an example. My daughter recently started working for a major quick-service brand—a global name with over 1,700 locations. From the outside, the brand looks rock-solid. Clean systems. Impressive technology. A comprehensive training platform.

But on her first day? She was placed in front of a computer to complete digital training modules. No welcome. No conversation about the brand’s mission, values, or what it means to be part of the team. Just tasks to complete.

A few weeks in, she asked her general manager for feedback, eager to know how she was doing with customers.

The response? “I don’t know—I haven’t been watching you.” Then the manager walked away.

Here was a motivated employee looking for support. Instead, she got indifference. That’s not a systems issue—it’s a leadership issue. And it happens all the time.

Hourly workers make up the majority of the workforce in industries like food service, hospitality, retail, and care services. Many are younger, still developing professionally and neurologically, and often juggling school, caregiving, or second jobs. They may not view their role as a long-term career, but that doesn’t mean they lack talent, work ethic, or potential. What they often lack is a manager who understands how to unlock that potential.

Their relationship with their employer tends to be more transactional than relational. Many don’t receive benefits or a guaranteed schedule. They know the company’s commitment to them may be limited—and often reciprocate accordingly. But when they do feel seen, supported, and respected, their loyalty and performance can skyrocket.

That’s the gap I set out to address. After seeing these challenges repeatedly, I wrote Stop the Shift Show and created the Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS)—a certification program designed to provide practical tools for managing hourly teams. During that process, I also interviewed franchisees who are getting this right—leaders who prove what’s possible when you treat people like people.

In the UK, Amrit Dhaliwal of Walfinch Independent Home Living has built a culture of connection, even with a decentralized team of care workers. From personalized welcomes for applicants to weekly check-ins and handwritten notes of appreciation, his approach has helped him retain up to 90% of his team in a high-turnover industry.

In Florida, Ray and Andrew Howell operate 19 Tropical Smoothie Café locations. Their leadership is grounded in values—“hire right, train ’em right, treat ’em right”—and their stores are fully staffed. They invest in small acts of appreciation, encourage employee feedback, and treat people like family. Culture starts at the bottom, and they’ve built theirs through daily care and consistency.

And in the northeastern U.S., Gary Robins owns 66 Supercuts salons. He leads with recognition and accountability, boosting the self-esteem of stylists with visible displays of appreciation and one-on-one conversations about culture. “Mistakes are OK. Not caring is not OK,” he says. His salons are staffed, his team is engaged, and his business continues to grow—not because he needs more salons, but because he wants to create more opportunity for his people.

These franchisees are thriving because they prioritize leadership. They coach. They communicate. They create cultures worth being part of.

If franchisors want more operators like these, they need to equip more operators like these. That doesn’t mean controlling how franchisees manage their staff. It means offering optional, well-designed training on things like:

How to conduct job interviews that reveal more than just résumés
How to onboard new hires in a way that fosters connection
How to lead team huddles that motivate and inform
How to give feedback that actually helps
How to coach employees without making them defensive
How to create a team culture that keeps people coming back

These aren’t luxuries. They’re essentials. Because leadership isn’t a soft skill—it’s a business skill. One that influences customer satisfaction, employee retention, and ultimately, profitability.

Franchising is about replicating a model. But behind every model is a person responsible for bringing it to life. And behind every hourly worker is a manager who can either lift them up or wear them down.

If we want stronger brands, we need stronger leaders. That begins with giving franchisees the tools to lead well.

Because when managers lead better, everything improves. Customers get better service. Employees stay longer. Locations run more smoothly. And the culture of the brand becomes something people feel, not just something they read about on the website.

On the flip side, doing nothing comes at a cost. Poor people management isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s an active threat to performance. It leads to higher turnover, weaker customer connections, and more strain on operations. Every untrained manager is a liability waiting to happen.

Most brands already have departments dedicated to operations, marketing, and development. It’s time we give the same attention to leadership — because managing people isn’t a side task. It’s the work that holds everything else together.

This article originally appeared in Global Franchise Magazine.

The post Franchisees Need Better People Management Skills — And Franchisors Need to Help appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

Using AI to Write Help Wanted Posts that Actually Work

Scott Greenberg — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:59:32 +0000

How to use artificial intelligence to craft emotionally compelling, human-centric job ads that attract the right people.

Recruiting hourly employees is harder than it used to be. Competition is fierce. Attention spans are short. And let’s face it — many job seekers are numb to help wanted ads that all sound the same.

That’s a problem, especially in the restaurant industry, where turnover is high and staffing needs are constant. A help wanted post isn’t just a job listing — it’s a marketing piece. And like any good marketing, its purpose is to make someone feel something. If your post doesn’t spark interest or emotion, you’re just adding to the noise.

One of the best tools I’ve found to craft stronger, more emotionally resonant help wanted ads is artificial intelligence. But not in the way people usually think.

AI: A tool to amplify the human touch

As a management speaker helping restaurant operators and franchise leaders build stronger teams, I often get asked about technology — especially AI. I also teach this in the Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS), a management training platform I developed for managers of hourly workers. What I always emphasize is this: AI isn’t a replacement for the human element. It’s a tool to amplify it.

Used well, AI can help you clarify your message, improve your tone, and express more of your workplace culture in a single job post. The irony is that while AI is artificial, it can actually help you be more authentic — if you use it with intention.

The problem with most help wanted posts

Most restaurant job ads are painfully generic. They’re dry lists of tasks, pay rates, and qualifications — usually written in corporate-speak or copied from a template. There’s no warmth. No personality. No reason for the reader to think, “This feels like the place for me.”

And yet we know that when people choose where to work, they’re not just looking for a paycheck. They’re looking for a vibe. A feeling. A place they can belong.

Just like we write marketing campaigns to emotionally connect with customers, we need to write help wanted posts that emotionally connect with potential employees.

This is where a little classical wisdom comes in.

Use Aristotle’s hiring framework: Logos, Ethos, Pathos

Aristotle taught that the most persuasive messages appeal to three elements of the “Rhetorical Triangle”: Logos (logic), Ethos (credibility), and Pathos (emotion). A strong help wanted post can and should include all three:

Logos: The facts — job duties, pay, schedule, location. Be clear and specific.

Ethos: Why you’re a credible and trustworthy employer. Highlight your values, team culture, reputation, or awards.

Pathos: What the job will feel like. Use language that conveys purpose, belonging, fun, or personal growth.

Most ads stop at Logos. But the most effective ones use all three — and AI can help you balance them.

How to use AI to write better job posts

AI writing tools like ChatGPT are great at taking your ideas and turning them into clear, human-sounding messages. But they’re only as good as the prompt you give them. Here are some useful prompts to get better help wanted copy:

Prompt 1: Make it feel like a commercial

“Write a help wanted post for a fast-casual restaurant that’s looking for energetic, reliable team members. Emphasize our fun, inclusive culture and flexible hours. Make it feel like a commercial that would make a Gen Z job seeker excited to apply.”

This prompt shifts the tone from formal to fun and injects emotion and energy — perfect for platforms like Instagram or TikTok.

Prompt 2: Rewrite this to sound human

“Here’s our current job ad. Rewrite it in a friendly, conversational tone. Make it sound like something an inspiring team leader would say to a friend.”

Sometimes you already have a post that just needs a tone adjustment. This can help soften rigid language and bring out your brand’s personality.

Prompt 3: Use Logos, Ethos, and Pathos

“Write a persuasive help wanted post using Aristotle’s Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. Include clear job details (Logos), a short statement of our company culture and credibility (Ethos), and a sentence or two that makes someone feel good about applying (Pathos).”

This one creates a more structured, complete message — especially useful for job boards or internal hiring platforms. (And yes, the AI will already know about the Rhetorical Triangle and how to use it.)

Prompt 4: Speak directly to the applicant

“Write a help wanted post for someone who wants a job with purpose. Address the reader directly. Make them feel seen. The tone should be welcoming, energetic, and hopeful.”

Speaking to the applicant, instead of about the job, changes the dynamic and helps build immediate emotional connection.

Human eyes still matter

Once AI gives you a draft, your job isn’t done. Use your judgment to review and refine. Ask yourself (and maybe some team members):

Does this sound like us? If someone applied based on this post, would they be pleasantly surprised — or disappointed?

Does it make people feel something? Excitement? Pride? Curiosity?

Would I apply for this job based on this ad?

AI can improve your clarity and polish your tone. But only you can bring the soul.

The tool is only as good as the truth behind it

Here’s the part that matters most: AI can help you express your workplace culture — but it can’t create it. It can’t identify what actually makes your team special or fix a culture that’s not working. If your help wanted post doesn’t reflect the reality of your business, it won’t be effective for long.

There’s no point recruiting people into a job they won’t want to stay in. Humans want to work somewhere that feels good — where they’re valued, supported, and seen. Technology will never replace that.

But if you’ve created that kind of workplace — and many restaurants have — AI can help you articulate it better. It can help you translate your culture into words that connect, so the right people see it and feel drawn to it.

Final thought

A help wanted post is your first impression. It’s the moment someone decides whether they can picture themselves as part of your team. If it’s stale or generic, you’ve lost them. But if it’s emotionally engaging, specific, and real, you’ve just taken the first step in building a better team.

So yes, use AI. Play with prompts. Rewrite, reshape, and refine. But don’t forget that the best job ads are still written with the heart in mind — even if the keyboard gets a little help from a machine.

Let the tech be a tool. Let the humanity be your edge.

This article originally appeared here, in Nation’s Restaurant News.

The post Using AI to Write Help Wanted Posts that Actually Work appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

How Better Leadership Boosts Employee Engagement, Retention, and Culture

Scott Greenberg — Thu, 01 May 2025 19:57:18 +0000

If it feels like managing people has gotten harder, you’re not imagining it. Gallup’s new State of the Global Workplace report shows employee engagement slipping again — dropping from 23% to 21% in just one year. Manager engagement — meaning how fired up leaders themselves feel — fell even harder, from 30% to 27%.

And the impact is huge: disengaged employees are costing businesses billions of dollars in lost productivity, higher turnover, and harder hiring.

If you manage a team — whether it’s a quick-service restaurant, a retail business, or any fast-paced operation — you’re on the front lines of this problem. I know the feeling. I’ve led businesses, managed hourly teams, and felt the frustration when it seems like no one cares as much as you do.

I’ve also seen what happens when you shift how you lead — and suddenly people start showing up differently, staying longer, and performing better.

The workforce isn’t broken. But the way we lead has to change.

The Real Problem Isn’t Hiring — It’s Leadership

It’s easy to blame employees when they’re late, distracted, or disengaged. But the data — and real-world experience — tells a different story. Gallup research shows that up to 70% of employee engagement is influenced by the manager. Leadership isn’t the whole story, but it’s the biggest lever we have.

The reality is, most managers were trained to run operations, not to lead people. They know how to check schedules, manage inventory, and hit performance metrics. But motivating a team, coaching individuals, and building loyalty? Those are different skills — and too often, they’re missing.

Employee Engagement Starts When Employees Feel Seen and Valued

Here’s something most businesses still get wrong: employees aren’t just working for a paycheck. They’re working for meaning. When people feel seen as individuals, heard when they speak, and valued for more than just the work they produce, they naturally engage more in their jobs. When management genuinely cares about employees — not just about output — employees care more about their performance.

But caring isn’t one-size-fits-all. One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming everyone on their team is motivated by the same thing — more money, a better schedule, a promotion. The truth is, each person values something a little different. Some crave recognition. Others want more responsibility. Some simply want to belong to a team where they feel respected and included.

If you want employees to care more about their work, you need to figure out what they care about first. You won’t always discover it by asking directly, but if you pay attention — to what they talk about, to how they respond to feedback, to when they seem most energized — their values will start to reveal themselves. Leadership isn’t just about managing performance; it’s about connecting to what drives people on a personal level. When you focus on meeting these soft needs, you stop managing shifts and start building loyalty.

How to Meet Soft Needs and Boost Employee Retention

You don’t need an elaborate program to make employees feel seen, heard, and valued. Simple, consistent actions make the biggest impact.

Start by asking real questions — and actually listening. Instead of a quick “How’s it going?”, ask something more meaningful, like, “What’s something you’re proud of lately?” or “Is there anything about your work we could make easier?” People light up when they sense that you genuinely care about their experience, not just their productivity.

When you give praise, personalize it. Skip the generic “good job” and connect your feedback to what matters to them. You might say, “I know how much pride you take in accuracy — thanks for double-checking that order,” or “Your attention to detail really saved us today.” When praise feels specific and personal, it resonates much deeper.

And don’t just celebrate big wins. Recognize progress — even small steps forward. When employees see that their growth is noticed, even in minor ways, it fuels engagement and momentum.

Practical Leadership Habits That Strengthen Teams

Connection is the foundation. Smart leadership habits build on top of it.

One important habit is catching people doing things right — in real time. Most managers only speak up when something’s wrong. Instead, turn it into a daily mission to spot and acknowledge positive behaviors. It not only reinforces what you want more of, it shifts the emotional tone of your workplace.

Another critical shift is separating skill set from mindset. When someone struggles, don’t immediately assume they’re careless or unmotivated. Ask yourself two questions: do they know how to do the task (skill set)? And do they care enough to do it well (mindset)? This two-lens approach, which I teach in my 30-Second Leadership model inside my Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS), gives you a clear, targeted way to coach people without falling into frustration or unfair assumptions.

Also, invest in the first five minutes of every shift. Greet employees personally. Set clear expectations. Remind them why their work matters. These first few minutes can set the emotional tone for everything that follows — and they’re almost always overlooked.

Finally, coach for the future, not just for the moment. When someone makes a mistake, correct the thinking behind it, not just the action. Helping employees build better decision-making skills is what transforms them from short-term workers into long-term assets.

Building Workplace Culture: In the Head, In the Heart, and On the Floor

If you really want to lock in employee engagement, you can’t just manage individuals. You have to build a culture they’re proud to be part of.

When a strong culture is in place, it shapes how people think, how they feel, and how they act — even when you’re not watching. But culture isn’t just about mission statements or posters in the breakroom. It has to be real, lived, and reinforced daily.

Building a real culture happens three ways:

First, In the Head: Employees must clearly understand what your culture actually is — what your workplace’s “way of doing things” really looks like. That means being crystal clear about standards, expectations, and behaviors. It’s not enough to say “we believe in excellence” or “teamwork matters.” You have to show people what excellence means here. What teamwork looks like here. If people can’t explain it simply, they won’t live it consistently.

Second, In the Heart: Your culture has to appeal to employees’ soft needs. It must give them a sense of purpose, belonging, and pride. It’s not about catchy slogans. It’s about creating a workplace where people feel respected and included, where they’re part of something bigger than just their next task. When your culture touches their heart, they don’t just comply — they commit.

Third, On the Floor: Culture has to show up in visible, tangible ways — not just at team meetings, but out on the floor where the real work happens. That’s where traditions, rituals, and daily practices come in. Maybe it’s how you kick off every shift with a huddle, celebrate milestones, or publicly recognize someone who lives your values. Those small rituals aren’t fluff. They’re what remind employees who they are here — and why it matters.

When you build a culture that’s in their head, in their heart, and on the floor, you don’t have to beg people to engage. They’ll want to — because they’re part of something they believe in.

Leadership Development You Can Start Today

If you’re ready to lead more effectively — for yourself, your team, or your business — here are a few ways I can help:

Read my book, Stop the Shift Show, packed with practical strategies for managing and motivating hourly employees. [Link to book]

Take the Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS) course, a self-paced program packed with tools to improve engagement, coaching, and team performance.

Bring me in for a keynote or workshop, live or virtual, tailored to helping leaders and managers build stronger, higher-performing teams. [Link to keynotes/workshops]

Work with me one-on-one through private coaching, if you’re serious about elevating your leadership impact. [Link to coaching]

No theory.
No corporate jargon.
Just proven, field-tested ways to lead better and get better results.

Final Thoughts

The workforce isn’t broken. People want to do great work — for leaders who see them, hear them, and value them for who they are. The opportunity is real. The change starts with us.

Until you fully commit to leading this way, you’ll never truly know how much your employees might care, how long they’ll stay, or how well they’re capable of performing. When you’re fully engaged as their leader — and you create a workplace that’s worthy of their engagement — you’ll start seeing levels of loyalty, energy, and pride that most businesses only dream about.

Fix your leadership, and you’ll fix your business. Ready to start? Reach out now!

The post How Better Leadership Boosts Employee Engagement, Retention, and Culture appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

Why Hospitality Still Matters

Scott Greenberg — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 20:43:44 +0000

A Business Strategy for Better Customer Experience and Team Engagement

I’ve learned as a hospitality speaker and business owner that in today’s fast-paced business world, it’s easy to confuse customer service with hospitality. But they’re not the same — and if you’re in franchising, quick-service restaurants, retail, or home services, this distinction could be costing you loyalty, sales, and employee retention.

In a recent article I wrote for Nation’s Restaurant News, I explored how true hospitality is about emotional engagement, not just operational efficiency. It’s the one part of the customer experience you can fully control — and when done right, it outperforms most marketing strategies.

The best brands understand this: Hospitality isn’t a script. It’s a culture. And it must be modeled by leaders, practiced by teams, and felt by customers.

This is especially important when you’re managing hourly employees. These team members often drive the majority of customer interactions — and they’ll deliver better service when they’re part of a culture that values people, not just performance. That’s why employee engagement and emotional intelligence are at the heart of any strong customer experience strategy.

Here are a few takeaways from the article that apply to any business:

Great service gets remembered, but great feelings create loyalty.
Leaders set the tone. Hospitality starts at the top.
You can’t expect employees to care about customers if they feel unrecognized themselves.

Whether you’re leading a franchise, a restaurant team, or any frontline workforce, hospitality is a competitive edge hiding in plain sight.

If you’d like to learn more, here’s the article from Nation’s Restaurant News. And if you’re serious about building a stronger team and improving the way your business connects with customers, explore my keynote presentations or my Hourly Employee Management System (HEMS) online course.

Because businesses don’t win by serving more customers — they win by serving them better.

Scott Greenberg is a hospitality keynote speaker, business coach and the author of the books, The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar, and Stop the Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers into a Top-Performing Team.

The post Why Hospitality Still Matters appeared first on Scott Greenberg.

Resilience in Leadership: Thriving Amidst Business Challenges

Scott Greenberg — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:18:00 +0000

In a perfect world, your market has no competition, no evolving consumer trends that impact your business, and no need to evolve or innovate your current products or services. Unfortunately, none of these are true in any industry.

That’s why surviving and thriving isn’t a matter of whether these will hit your business; it is how you handle these challenges. A resilient leader can adapt and come out stronger on the other side. Think of it as the business world’s version of a superhero power, minus the cape (unless that’s your style).

As a keynote speaker and leadership coach, I’ve spent years helping businesses develop the mental toughness to navigate challenges and thrive under pressure. I’ve seen firsthand how resilience impacts team performance, decision-making, and growth. Here’s why resilience is a crucial cornerstone of effective leadership in business and some strategies to help you strengthen your ability to adapt, lead, and succeed in any situation.

The Role of Resilience in Effective Leadership in Business

As a leader, your ability to handle challenges isn’t just about staying tough — it’s about staying adaptable and forward-thinking. After all, how do you expect your team to stay resilient and overcome hardships if you can’t do the same? In any business, resilience is the difference between a team that crumbles under pressure and one that rallies together and pushes forward stronger than before.

Resilient leaders know that their attitude and response to challenges shape the entire workplace environment. If you panic, they panic. If you stay focused and solution-oriented, they’ll follow your lead. In the face of challenges, here’s what an effective and resilient leader looks like in action:

Encouraging a Solution-Oriented Mindset: Instead of dwelling on problems or looking for someone to blame, resilient leaders focus on what can be done. They shift their mindset to see obstacles as opportunities for growth and innovation.
Fostering a Culture of Accountability and Adaptability: Challenges are inevitable, regardless of your business type and size. When leaders hold themselves accountable to adapt to changes, they create an environment where people take ownership of their work and embrace change rather than fear it.
Leading by Example: You can’t expect employees to act a certain way if you can’t do the same. If you treat failure as a learning experience, they will too. If you demonstrate perseverance and creative problem-solving, your team will follow suit.

Common Business Challenges Requiring Resilient Leadership

Every business, no matter the industry or size, will encounter setbacks. Effective leadership shines not by how you avoid these challenges but by how you respond to them. Keeping your team motivated, adjusting your goals, and ensuring an agile stance on uncertain conditions help your business thrive amidst challenges.

Here are some common examples where resilience becomes a key trait in leaders:

Economic Downturns and Market Volatility

The economy has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect it. One minute, business is booming; the next, inflation spikes, consumer spending drops, or an unexpected global event turns everything upside down. Even if a business is doing well, resilient leaders can capitalize on their growth by anticipating, acting, and preparing a strategy for drastic economic and market conditions.

Stay Proactive, Not Reactive: Resilient leaders keep a pulse on economic trends and adjust their strategies accordingly. They conduct regular risk assessments, scenario planning, and financial forecasting to prepare for potential downturns.
Diversify Revenue Streams: Companies that profit primarily from one product, service, or client base are at risk of market shifts. Resilient leaders look for opportunities to expand offerings or develop alternative income streams.
Prioritize Employee Engagement: Economic downturns can lead to layoffs and low morale. Leaders who openly communicate with their teams and find creative ways to keep employees engaged build stronger, more loyal teams.

Organizational Changes and Restructuring

Change is inevitable in business, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Mergers, leadership transitions, corporate restructuring, or a shift in company culture can create uncertainty and resistance among employees. Without strong, resilient leadership, these transitions can disrupt operations, decrease productivity, and lead to high turnover.

Communicate With Clarity and Transparency: Uncertainty and not knowing what happens next can breed fear. Resilient leaders are upfront about changes, explaining why they’re happening and how employees will be supported through the transition.
Maintain Company Culture and Morale: Resilient leaders work to preserve a sense of purpose, making sure that employees feel connected to the company’s future. They reinforce cultural norms, celebrate wins, and ensure employees feel valued.
Focus on Long-Term Success: Organizational change often comes with short-term disruptions. Resilient leaders focus on where the company needs to be down the line. They stay committed to the bigger picture and help their teams do the same.

Crisis Management and Unexpected Disruptions

No matter how well you plan, unexpected disruptions will happen. A sudden PR crisis, a supply chain failure, a cyberattack, or a global pandemic can throw even the most stable companies into chaos. In these moments, resilient leadership is the difference between a company that crumbles and one that emerges stronger.

Develop Contingency Plans: Waiting until a crisis hits to plan a response is a recipe for disaster. Resilient leaders build crisis management frameworks, identify risks, and create response protocols.
Stay Solution-Focused: In a crisis, leaders must resist the urge to dwell on what went wrong and instead focus on what needs to happen next.
Foster Adaptability: Leaders who encourage flexibility and innovation before a crisis hits will have employees who can think on their feet when unexpected challenges arise.

Strategies for Building Resilience as a Leader

Resilience isn’t something a leader does or doesn’t have. It’s a skill that can be developed over time. The world’s most admired leaders weren’t born with an unshakable mindset — they developed it over time through experience, effort, and the occasional setback.

If you’re committed to effective leadership in business organizations that lead with resilience, here are three key strategies that can transform how you show up during tough times.

Develop a Growth Mindset

How you interpret challenges and setbacks determines whether you’re stuck in a rut or paving the way forward. Resilient leaders cultivate a growth mindset, where psychologist Carol Dweg says abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance.

It’s not about pretending everything is fine but confronting reality and finding what you can gain from an experience. Some ways to embrace a growth mindset:

Reframe Failure as Opportunity: Every obstacle is a chance to learn something valuable. Ask yourself, “What can I take from this experience that will make me a more effective leader next time?”
Replace “Why me?” with “What’s next?”: Challenges are inevitable, but wallowing in frustration won’t move you forward. Resilient leaders stay solutions-focused, contemplating the next best step to their challenge.
Model Continuous Learning: A leader who learns and evolves inspires their team to do the same. When your team sees you prioritizing personal growth, they’ll be more likely to follow suit.

Practice Self-Care and Stress Management

The constant decision-making and pressure of leading a team can weigh heavily on even the strongest shoulders. Burnout can kill effective leadership more than any challenge.

If you’ve listened to those airplane safety demonstrations, what do they tell you to do when the oxygen masks come out? Put your oxygen mask on before you help others. In other words, self-care isn’t selfish; it’s strategic.

Prioritize Physical Health: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are critical for brain function and emotional regulation. When your body feels good, your mind is sharper and more capable of handling stress.
Incorporate Stress Management Techniques: Practices like meditation, deep breathing, or even short walks in nature can do wonders for your stress levels. Mindfulness helps you stay present, reduces reactivity, and improves decision-making.
Establish Healthy Work-Life Boundaries. Yes, the emails can wait. Leaders often feel the need to be constantly available, but downtime is essential for recovery and creativity. Your team will respect you more when they see you setting boundaries.

Foster a Supportive and Resilient Organizational Culture

While personal resilience is critical, organizational resilience ensures that your company as a whole can adapt, recover, and emerge stronger. As a leader, though, you set the tone.

Encourage Open Communication: When employees feel heard and comfortable sharing their concerns, they’re more willing to contribute ideas and collaborate in times of uncertainty.
Celebrate Small Wins: When the big picture feels daunting, focusing on small victories keeps the momentum going. Celebrating progress, no matter how minor, builds confidence and reinforces the belief that success is possible.
Collaboration Over Competition: While healthy competition drives performance, excessive internal rivalry weakens teams. A resilient culture emphasizes collective success.

Scott Greenberg’s Approach to Resilient Leadership

Over the past two decades, I’ve worked with business leaders worldwide, helping them develop the resilience they need to succeed. Whether they’re CEOs of multimillion-dollar companies, franchise owners juggling the demands of growth, or managers navigating change within a small team, the one thing they all have in common is this: they’re human.

And when you’re human, leadership is never just about strategy. It’s about mindset.

The strategies I teach aren’t based on theory or guesswork — they come from real-life experience and years of research into what separates the businesses that survive from the ones that thrive. And time and time again, the same truth emerges: the greatest variable in performance isn’t the economy, the competition, or even the product. It’s people. More specifically, it’s how those people think.

“You’ve Got This! The Human Factors of Resilience & Results”

In the keynote presentation, “You’ve Got This! The Human Factors of Resilience & Results,” I dig deep into the mindset that drives sustainable success. Sure, we talk about the tactical side of resilience, but the real focus is on the human factors. If you want to lead a resilient organization, it starts with developing personal resilience.

This keynote can be very helpful for driving effective leadership in business. Some key takes from this presentation include:

Strengthening Mental Toughness in High-Pressure Situations: We all know what it feels like to be under pressure. But pressure doesn’t have to be paralyzing. Leaders learn to shift their mental game, manage their emotions, and maintain clarity to lead effectively, even when the heat is on.
Developing a Resilient Mindset That Improves Decision-Making: Poor decisions are often made when leaders let fear, ego, or fatigue take the wheel. Leaders learn to identify the mental blocks that get in the way of smart decision-making. Together, we work on adopting a mindset of curiosity, learning, and flexibility.
Building a Culture of Perseverance Within Their Teams: Resilience can’t stop at the corner office. By learning to emulate an effective mindset, leaders can influence their teams to become more resilient and follow suit. The result? Teams that stay motivated and committed when times are tough.

Why This Approach Works

People often think of resilience as “bouncing back,” but what if we thought of it instead as “bouncing forward?” With time, most leaders can recover from setbacks. However, truly great leaders find the opportunity to innovate and improve. My approach equips leaders to make that mental shift.

These keynote presentations provide leaders with the frameworks, tools, and real-world examples they can immediately apply to their teams and organizations. The 30-Second Leadership Tool is a perfect example of this. It’s a simple but effective way for leaders to diagnose what’s holding their employees back and coach them toward better performance in under a minute.

Practical Applications: Implementing Resilience Strategies in Your Organization

Resilience sounds great in theory, but the magic happens when you put it into practice. Many organizations initially think resilience is about “toughing it out” or offering a motivational speech during a quarterly meeting.

The truth? It’s a discipline. It’s a process. And when implemented intentionally, resilience becomes part of your organization’s DNA.

1. Assess Current Resilience Levels

Before you can strengthen resilience, you have to know where you stand. Think of it like a fitness assessment at the gym. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Start with a baseline evaluation of resilience at individual and organizational levels. This isn’t just about whether people feel resilient; it’s about understanding how well your team copes with stress and adapts to change.

Employee Surveys and Resilience Assessments: Use surveys to evaluate employees’ perceptions of workplace support, stress management, and adaptability. These questions provide plenty of insights into areas for improvement:
- How confident are you in your ability to manage work-related stress?
- Do you feel supported by leadership during periods of change?
- How adaptable do you feel when job responsibilities shift unexpectedly?
Candid Feedback Sessions: People won’t be honest unless they feel safe, so create safe spaces for open dialogue. Encourage employees to share their feelings about their workloads and leadership support.
Assess Leadership Resilience: Leaders set the tone. Evaluate how your managers and executives handle pressure. Are they calm under fire? Are they coaching their teams effectively when challenges arise?

2. Integrate Resilience Training Programs

Resilience is a skill set that needs to be practiced and refined. Once you’ve got your baseline assessment, it’s time to build a development program that turns theory into action.

Leadership Development Workshops: Leaders need practical tools they can use in the trenches. My leadership coaching workshops focus on real-world applications for:
- Managing stress
- Making high-stakes decisions under pressure
- Building team morale when everything seems uncertain
Mental Toughness and Emotional Intelligence Coaching: One-on-one coaching or small group programs can dive deeper into the personal side of resilience:
- Handling self-doubt
- Bouncing back (or bouncing forward!) from setbacks
- Staying emotionally grounded when work gets chaotic
Team Resilience Training: Offer team-wide programs that teach practical stress management techniques, mindfulness practices, and adaptability exercises. The 30-Second Leadership Tool can help managers quickly assess whether an employee needs skill development or mindset coaching.

3. Measure the Impact of Resilience on Performance

Building resilience is important. However, understandably, you need to show its ROI to get buy-in from the boardroom and the breakroom. Some ways to measure its impact on your organization:

Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Resilience training should move the needle. Some KPIs you can monitor:
- Employee engagement scores
- Retention rates
- Absenteeism
- Productivity metrics
- Customer satisfaction
Gather Qualitative Feedback: After training sessions, collect testimonials and success stories. They might not give you exact numbers, but they humanize data to show its real impact on your team. Ask questions like:
- What specific tools have you applied since the workshop?
- How has your approach to stress or setbacks changed?
- Have you noticed a difference in your team dynamics?
Assess Crisis Response: Track how your team responds to unexpected challenges after implementing resilience strategies. Did they pivot quickly? Was communication clear? Over time, your organization should become more agile.
Conduct Follow-Up Assessments: Six months after your resilience programs, rerun the surveys and assessments you did at the start. Look for growth in areas like adaptability, stress management, and optimism.

Lead With Resilience: Let Scott Greenberg Show You How!

Resilience in leadership isn’t just about surviving challenges. The most successful leaders adapt, stay composed under pressure, and inspire their teams to keep pushing forward.

Take your leadership to the next level with Scott Greenberg. Through effective coaching programs, workshops, and keynote presentations on resilience, you can give your team the tools needed to build mental toughness and drive long-term success.

Contact Scott Greenberg to develop your company or organization’s resilient leadership.

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