Dan SchneiderAll Articles
How to Prevent Assumptions in Multi-Unit Franchise Succession
In multi-unit franchisee succession, assumptions can quietly disrupt trust, communication, and performance. Learning how to prevent assumptions in multi-unit franchise succession starts with clear expectations. Clarity keeps your people aligned and your business stable. Quick Summary Assumptions are one of the biggest threats to multi-unit franchisee succession. This article shows how to prevent assumptions in multi-unit franchise succession by using mental contracting, clarifying roles, and aligning expectations across generations. You’ll learn practical steps to reduce conflict, strengthen leadership, and secure your long-term growth. Why Assumptions Undermine Succession Planning [...]
Succession Secrets: How to Cultivate High-Performing Franchisee Leaders
Leaders often appear as fearless visionaries in the multi-unit franchise business, marching boldly toward the seemingly impossible. Robert Jarvik, the mastermind behind the first thriving artificial heart, famously remarked that leaders possess a rare trait: a poorly developed sense of fear. But what if I told you that the essence of leadership isn't about being fearless but about embracing fear and uncertainty with a strategic mindset? The Evolution of Leadership and Management in Franchisee Succession In 1977, Abraham Zaleznik shook the foundations of traditional management theory with an article in the Harvard Business Review. He posited that management and [...]
Super Charge Your Strategic Plan with Scenario Planning
The future is a mystery. Strategic planning may not fully prepare you for the curve balls of the future, but it can help us prepare to keep moving forward on the path to success. The best way to form a contingency plan is to have more than one solution to possible problems. “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” – Napolean The strategic plan doesn’t involve your competitors, but the internal business and familial struggles and the world as a whole. There are sometimes individuals on your team who may play “devil’s advocate” and question the logic behind the [...]
Make Change an Asset
We fantasize about the day we start our own business or make our first million. Maintaining success is the ultimate objective that many entrepreneurs fail to consider. But achieving success is only half the battle; sustaining success is the challenge because the only constant is change. We are dealing with continual flux now more than ever. The keys to surviving and thriving in this environment are flexible strategies, processes, and organizational culture so your company can go with the flow. Flexible Strategies The future isn't clear. Experts, scholars, and even economists did not predict the dot.com bubble burst, the [...]
Moving From Average to Extra-Ordinary
The definition of discipline is “an exercise that develops or improves a skill or habit.” It is the missing ingredient in building the personal and organizational “muscle(s)” that leads to exceptional performance. Most of us who recognize the value in building those muscles are sometimes reluctant to make the effort, either because we don’t want to work that hard or because we just do not know how to break away from the old habits that keep us chained to being “average”. If you fall into the latter category, then this article will give you the recipe for becoming more self-disciplined, [...]
How and When to Turn Over the Reins
Depending upon whether you want to sell the business, transition leadership/ownership to a family successor, or outside management - the following steps will set you up for success. The sooner you begin this process, the sooner you protect your life's work and be able to begin climbing other mountains. Decide what event(s) will trigger your decision to begin formal succession planning. The triggering event can be any one or more of several conditions: business size and growth; a certain age (pick a specific year); a specific level of wealth accumulation (choose a figure); or the proverbial offer you can’t refuse. [...]
