Undercover Boss: The Missed Opportunity

After viewing a couple of episodes of the new series Undercover Boss, I decided that I would do a little investigating on my own to see if the series would have an impact on one of the businesses featured. The other week, after the segment featuring the CEO of Hooters aired, my family and I decided to have dinner at one of the local restaurants

On my way to the bathroom and all throughout the restaurant there were fliers promoting the CEO’s appearance on the new show, so I decided to ask my server a few questions while we waited for our food to arrive. I was curious to know if the images portrayed on the show were accurate, you know… the one where one of the managers, Jim Bob, subjected the woman to a line up to make sure they looked “hot” enough, wore the right make-up, etc. Our server stated that they did.

I also inquired if it was true that all of the shirts came in sizes such as xx-small and small only and she indicated that they did but there was once a server that wore a large. I asked are they made to play humiliating games in order to leave early for the day and she said that although they are not subjected to the extremes highlighted on the show such as eating beans off of a plate with your hands behind your back, they too were subjected to these types of games similar to what they show highlighted.

As a female and mother of two young girls, although I love the food at Hooters it appears to me that they are in desperate need of not only sensitivity training but they also are in need of more effective leadership. I watched the way the CEO attempted to address the manager Jim Bob concerning his degrading treatment of his employees and frankly, I felt that the reprimand fell a little short in my book.

If I were to have walked into the restaurant and heard that yes, the workers were being treated with little to no respect but after the show aired had made a commitment to change as was indicated in the staged ending/pep rally, then I would believe that the show would serve a worthwhile purpose in invoking real change in an organization. Being highlighted on the show, of course, is an opportunity to showcase your organization and let people know who and what you do, but the opportunity to make a real difference and change for the better is the biggest opportunity and that seems to have been a missed opportunity in this case.

Undercover Boss: Maybe More Leaders need a “Whiff of Reality”

I am not a big fan of reality shows (ok, there is one that I am completely addicted to… The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but don’t tell anyone!) but there is one show I am looking forward to seeing when it debuts.

The series premiere of “Undercover Boss” will have cameras following Larry O'Donnell, the President and C.O.O. of Waste Management, while he cleans port-a-potties, picks up roadside trash and empties garbage cans.

Mr. O’Donnell was recently interviewed by a reporter, Christine Hall with the Houston Business Journal and based on his comments it is safe to say that Mr. O’Donnell walked away with a whole new perspective and more importantly, lessons that can be passed on to new and upcoming leaders. A few insights I took away:

• The ones at the top are only as good as those who are not. Rarely does a company executive get an opportunity to dig in and get their hands dirty while performing the work that others are performing on behalf of their companies. Getting in the trenches, stepping out of the confines of the corner office provides a real view from the top.

• Your decisions really do impact others- It is easy to make a decision and never follow the trail to see where it ends up. Making decisions and seeing the reality of them will provide invaluable insights as to how grateful we should be to those doing the work day in and day out.

• You set the tone for how people enjoy their jobs. Waste management is just that, dealing day in and out in waste. In this case, regardless of the task, employees were able to approach their jobs with a positive attitude and a desire to do well.

It is rare that an executive seizes an opportunity to get a “whiff of reality,” but as leaders (and more importantly for those new and upcoming leaders), it’s important to stay grounded, in touch with the realities going on in your organization and to never lose sight of the people that are working hard every day to make your company great.