What Chick-fil-A Could Learn From Marriott Diane Brady - Bloomberg News
go to original August 3, 2012

KFC Loves Gays with John Goodman - Our old pal, Colonel Sanders is back with a message for Chick-Fil-A and chicken lovers that is totally honest and not at all panderous. (FunnyOrdie.com)

Hearing polarizing rhetoric from the pulpit is one thing. Hearing it from a man whose business rings up $4 billion in sales each year is another. As an individual, Cathy has every right to express his point of view. As president, he has a responsibility to talk about how those views affect the policies of Chick-fil-A. Does this mean he won’t employ or sell franchise rights to anyone whose relationship falls outside a biblical definition of marriage?

Cathy doesn’t say, though Chick-fil-A’s website cryptically notes that franchisees set their own policies and handle all matters regarding employment. That presumably means a gay couple could become Chick-fil-A franchisees and set the brand off in a very different operation. What do Cathy’s beliefs say to Chick-fil-A’s fan base among college students, who typically have more liberal views and probably don’t like buying dinner from people who call them arrogant? It’s hard to know. Chick-fil-A’s president hasn’t hit the talk show circuit to elaborate on his statement, and the company did not return calls as of Thursday night.

Cathy and his father, Chief Executive Officer S. Truett Cathy, are no dummies when it comes to running a business. They’ve built Chick-fil-A into a powerhouse chain through tasty food and smart strategies. Just before Northeastern University canceled plans to open a franchise in February this year, Chick-fil-A issued a media statement from Dan Cathy that said “we have no political agenda, policy or position against anyone, especially the LGBT community.” Moreover, he stated, “we will not champion any political agendas on marriage and family.” Given Cathy’s comments of recent days, dusting off that statement must seem mighty tempting to his PR folks right now.

The controversy at Chick-fil-A is less about the beliefs in its C-suite than the judgment therein. Plenty of leaders have strong religious convictions that carry over to their corporate culture. Tyson Foods (TSN), Herman Miller (MLHR), and Interstate Batteries openly celebrate God in their corporate statements. Forever 21 has even put biblical passages (John 3:16) on shopping bags and Christian messages on T-shirts. Anyone who’s dined at In-N-Out-Burger sees evidence of its founders’ faith from the scripture on the cups and wrappers.

Steve Jobs was a devout Buddhist, as is John Mackey of Whole Foods Market (WFM). Muslim restaurant owners often adjust their hours during Ramadan, while some Jewish-owned businesses like New York’s B&H Photo close every Saturday for the Sabbath. Such beliefs can benefit everyone. I grew up hearing my Catholic father praise the Reichmann family’s practice of halting Olympia & York’s construction projects on Shabbat, because it meant contractors got to be home on a weekend with their families.

Bill Marriott talks about how his faith has shaped him as a leader. At one point, he was putting in 100-hour weeks because of the dual duties of being CEO and a bishop in his church. That meant weekends spent counseling other members instead of seeing his children.

“It taught me to listen, and I learned to be more compassionate,” he says. What business has taught him, it seems, is the distinction between personal beliefs such as one’s stance on gay marriage and corporate values like trust and inclusion. Leaders tend to perform best when everyone feels welcomed and valued.

If Cathy doesn’t see his stance on same-sex marriage as a reason for Chick-fil-A to discriminate against gay employees or customers, now is the time to say that. If he does, there’s more drama to come at Chick-fil-A.

Read more at Bloomberg News

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