Janesh K’s Post

#CoffeeWithCEO: Brewing Ideas and Blending Wisdom 🌟 Open Culture, Open Conversations 🌟 Today’s #CoffeeWithCEO was more than just a caffeine boost—it was a testament to our open culture and approachable leadership. In a room where fresh trainees and seasoned professionals with over 25 years of experience came together, we saw the power of diverse perspectives. 🔹 Approachable Leadership: Our CEO’s open-door policy isn’t just talk; it’s coffee talks. It’s about being accessible, listening, and valuing every team member’s voice. 🔹 Contribution at All Levels: From interns to executives, every idea is a shot of espresso to our strategy. Your insights matter, and here, they’re heard. 🔹 A Blend of Experience: Imagine the richness when youthful innovation meets decades of wisdom. That’s our secret ingredient for an exciting workplace. Join us, where every day is an opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow. #OpenCulture #Leadership #Innovation #Teamwork #Growth# Great Place to Work For

Throwback to this fine day in February at the Fresh Global Leadership offsite in Seattle! So fun and energizing to spend time with all my coworkers and leaders in person, many of whom have become great friends, mentors, and trusty commiserators. As many of my co-workers know, I am passionate about offsites and what they can do for a team (shout out to the OG Fresh Retail Marketing team where I found this passion). A good offsite 1) has clear goals, 2) gets everyone on the same page (about priorities, team charter, how to approach a challenge you’re all facing, etc), 3) allows for live connection, 4) gets people out of their comfort zone, and 5) has good food. The last one is arguably the most critical! My team is often asked to help with functional offsites. Here are my favorite simple, effective, and free activities for your next one: 1. The Agile Ball Game: an eye-opening physical activity to see how your team works together. Kind of like a simpler version of an escape room but you don’t need to go anywhere and you can see how your team can adapt and iterate. Do a quick youtube search for some previews. https://lnkd.in/dxNftJnW 2. A Career Development Panel: invite 2-3 leaders from your organization and ask them about their career journeys. How did they get to where they were, what challenges did they face, what advice do they have? We often don’t talk about our personal journeys and the relatable dilemmas we all face throughout our careers.  3. Leadership Chat (emphasis on the informal ‘chat’): do your people know your leader(s) personally? Do they have the opportunity to hear their perspective on the business and ask questions? Getting a better understanding of your leader helps build trust and getting the balcony perspective is super helpful for those on the dance floor. Don’t sleep on this one!

What does innovative leadership look like to you? I find that I learn so much more when I see real-life examples of an idea. Definitions are great, but stories? They bring ideas to life in technicolor. I’ve been inspired by Will Guidara’s innovative leadership and the stories in his book, “Unreasonable Hospitality.” At just 20-something, he became the General Manager at Eleven Madison Park (EMP) in NYC. Alongside Chef Daniel Humm, they aimed to make EMP the best 4-star fine dining restaurant for the next generation. Their journey was all about bold innovation and leadership. Guidara’s process stood out to me: Recognize, Research, and Renew. Here’s how he applied it: #1 He’s Only in His Twenties Recognize: Will knew he was very young to be managing a 2-star fine dining restaurant. Research: His youth gave him fresh eyes to question the status quo. Renew: He used his fresh perspective to innovate and achieve EMP’s mission. #2 Hire in Groups to Change Culture Recognize: New hires often quit after a month. Research: There was tension between the “old guard” and the enthusiastic new hires. Renew: Will started hiring in groups, like college classes, to build camaraderie and support, transforming the culture. #3 Be a Cross-Disciplinary Learner Recognize: A review said EMP needed “some Miles Davis.” Research: Will learned how Davis continually reinvented himself by collaborating outside his genre. Renew: They adopted 11 words inspired by Davis’s qualities as their roadmap: cool, endless reinvention, inspired, fresh, collaborative, spontaneous, vibrant, adventurous, light, and innovative. This guided them to their goal. In 2016, EMP was named the #1 restaurant in the world! Action Plan: Let Will Guidara’s innovative leadership inspire you. What challenge are you facing as a leader? Try his process: Recognize, Research, Renew. Go make your company and our world a better place! #Leadership #Innovation #Inspiration #WillGuidara #UnreasonableHospitality #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #InnovativeLeadership #FineDining #TeamCulture #CrossDisciplinaryLearning #MilesDavis #LeadershipLessons

What does innovative leadership look like to you? I find that I learn so much more when I see real-life examples of an idea. Definitions are great, but stories? They bring ideas to life in technicolor. I’ve been inspired by Will Guidara’s innovative leadership and the stories in his book, “Unreasonable Hospitality.” At just 20-something, he became the General Manager at Eleven Madison Park (EMP) in NYC. Alongside Chef Daniel Humm, they aimed to make EMP the best 4-star fine dining restaurant for the next generation. Their journey was all about bold innovation and leadership. Guidara’s process stood out to me: Recognize, Research, and Renew. Here’s how he applied it: #1 He’s Only in His Twenties Recognize: Will knew he was very young to be managing a 2-star fine dining restaurant. Research: His youth gave him fresh eyes to question the status quo. Renew: He used his fresh perspective to innovate and achieve EMP’s mission. #2 Hire in Groups to Change Culture Recognize: New hires often quit after a month. Research: There was tension between the “old guard” and the enthusiastic new hires. Renew: Will started hiring in groups, like college classes, to build camaraderie and support, transforming the culture. #3 Be a Cross-Disciplinary Learner Recognize: A review said EMP needed “some Miles Davis.” Research: Will learned how Davis continually reinvented himself by collaborating outside his genre. Renew: They adopted 11 words inspired by Davis’s qualities as their roadmap: cool, endless reinvention, inspired, fresh, collaborative, spontaneous, vibrant, adventurous, light, and innovative. This guided them to their goal. In 2016, EMP was named the #1 restaurant in the world! Action Plan: Let Will Guidara’s innovative leadership inspire you. What challenge are you facing as a leader? Try his process: Recognize, Research, Renew. Go make your company and our world a better place! #Leadership #Innovation #Inspiration #WillGuidara #UnreasonableHospitality #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #InnovativeLeadership #FineDining #TeamCulture #CrossDisciplinaryLearning #MilesDavis #LeadershipLessons

Why OD? In the last week alone I’ve co delievered a leadership day, designed another, had several coaching & mentoring conversations, seen our Flexible Working Campaign on digital screens, had onboarding catch ups with a new team member, promoted another, had a big event cancelled but used the time to reflect with the team & have a great discussion with a busy Chief, talked all things retention & engagement as we prepare for sharing staff survey results, advised on & finished some papers on improving inclusivity, flex opportunities & restorative culture, celebrated some great team achievements & firsts, held reflective practice space…and more. That’s why. Variety, challenge, connection, improvement. 🔥

🌟 Exciting Conversation Alert! 🌟 I recently had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts on the challenges restaurant owners face in today's dynamic business landscape, as well as the invaluable lessons I've learned through my journey with two Milwaukee-based organizations: Diverse Dining and Turning Tables MKE. 🍽️ Diverse Dining: Cultivating courage, compassion, and connection through meaningful dialogue and training that dissects biases and impacts change. 🔄 Turning Tables MKE: Transforming the restaurant industry by creating positive cultures and pathways from diversity to inclusion. 💡 Business leaders, it's crucial to recognize the hurdles our beloved restaurant owners navigate daily. From supply chain disruptions to staffing challenges, the resilience they demonstrate is awe-inspiring. 🌈 Through my experiences, I've gained an even greater appreciation for the need for business leaders to champion positive cultures and pave clear pathways from diversity to inclusion. It's not just about surviving – it's about thriving together! 🚀 Let's continue this dialogue! What challenges have you observed in the restaurant industry, and how do you see businesses fostering inclusive cultures? Share your thoughts below, and let's build a community of insights and solutions! 🌍💬 #BusinessLeadership #InclusionMatters #DiversityandInclusion #RestaurantIndustry #LeadershipInsights

From leadership insights to elevating your career, PepsiCo's Ram Krishnan discussed his strategy and provided great advice for fellow leaders in an interview with Fortune's Massimo Marioni. If you haven't already, be sure to check out their new 'Champion Mindset' interview series!

I’m excited to help SHRM Northern California unleash the future of work! You’ve probably heard Peter Drucker’s famous quote: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Here’s what he didn’t say, but you know from experience… “An entangled culture eats your leadership team for lunch and your CEO for dinner.” When an organization pushes strategies on a tangled-up culture, it backfires. The more you push, the more the culture resists—leading to what we call "strategic gridlock." But here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to be that way. An Emergent Culture is the antidote to all of that. While some organizations struggle, others thrive—and they do it by creating world-class cultures that unite their teams and unlock success. It takes intentionality, discipline, and heart, but it’s absolutely possible. I can’t wait to dive into these ideas with you on September 29. Let’s unleash the future of work together!

Culture eats strategy for breakfast, right? But... breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it's crucial to make time before your culture starves :) All joking aside, this concept aligns two things I enjoy Parkinson’s Law and Good to Great by targeting ‘activity’ as a poor aspiration. Sometimes it is important to get distance from the 'urgent' to make space. If Strategy Is So Important, Why Don’t We Make Time for It? (hbr.org)