In today’s episode, we cover business leadership with Robert Rosenberg. Robert was the chief executive officer of Dunkin’ Donuts for thirty-five years from 1963 to 1998 and is the author of Around the Corner to Around the World: A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts.
About Robert M. Rosenberg
Robert Rosenberg was chief executive officer of Dunkin’ Donuts from 1963 to 1998. He took over the family business at 25, then led it through its public offering in 1968 and decades of growth. He’s the author of Around the Corner to Around the World: A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts. Since leaving the company, he has taught at the graduate school of Babson, served as a trustee there, and advised CEOs on public and private company boards.
Key takeaways
- Narrowing your focus to one clear niche helped Dunkin’ Donuts win early, and drifting too far afield usually brought trouble.
- Early success can become an obstacle, because shooting from the hip stops working once a company grows and needs processes and measures.
- Pick a few measurable goals and four or five levers to pull, since no one has unlimited people or money.
- Test new ideas small, keep them quiet and expensed, and pull the plug quickly if they don’t show promise.
- When hiring, define the assignment clearly, build on strengths instead of fixing weaknesses, and match the culture.
- If you’re the leader, you take the blame when things go wrong and share the credit when they go right.
Leading a team well is a social skill as much as a business one, and it’s something you can practice. If you’re curious how that looks in a guided setting, take a look at how we train it.
Running a business can teach anyone a lot about themselves and life, so what can we learn about leadership skills, social skills, and business management skills from the CEO of one of the most successful American businesses?
What to Listen For
- What can you do to develop leadership skills coming out of school and entering the business world for the first time?
- How should you view failure when starting and running a business, and why can a fear of failure lead you away from success?
- What can you do when stepping into a leadership role to earn the respect you need to be a great leader?
- How did Robert M Rosenberg develop his excellent leadership skills during his successful career as the CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts?
- What 3 hiring lessons can you take away from the CEO of one of America’s most successful businesses so you don’t waste time and money hiring the wrong people?
- How important is culture when making hiring decisions and what can you do to make sure someone is a fit for your company culture?
- Why is it important to be willing to take responsibility for the mistakes in your company regardless of who might be directly at fault?
Running a business can teach us a great deal about ourselves and life. A business owner must prioritize his business as well as the people he surrounds himself with. Just like in life, running a business requires consistent application of focus and cooperation with others who share your values. In addition, just like life, you must be willing to take risks and fail in order to become successful.
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Resources from this Episode
- Around the Corner to Around the World by Robert M Rosenberg
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Best quotes from Robert M. Rosenberg
“don’t be afraid of failure, failure is part of the game, if you’re not failing you’re not trying”
Robert M. Rosenberg, 19:30
“it’s persistence that really wins the day in the final analysis”
Robert M. Rosenberg, 24:00
“define the assignment very carefully, the more clearly you define the assignment the much more likely you are to pick the right person”
Robert M. Rosenberg, 34:30
“if you’re the top person you take the blame, you take the responsibility, there’s just no other way around it”
Robert M. Rosenberg, 37:30
“It was my teammates, they were a large extent responsible for the success of what we had in business”
Robert M. Rosenberg, 45:00
FAQ
Who is Robert Rosenberg of Dunkin’ Donuts?
Robert Rosenberg was CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts from 1963 to 1998. He stepped into the role at 25, when his father’s company ran several businesses, and helped refocus it on Dunkin’ Donuts. He wrote about it in Around the Corner to Around the World.
How did Dunkin’ Donuts get started?
In this episode, Rosenberg explains that his father and uncle ran an industrial feeding business and opened a donut shop called Open Kettle in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1948. It was relaunched as Dunkin’ Donuts in 1950 after a redesign and a new name.
What hiring advice does Robert Rosenberg give?
He gives three tips. Define the assignment carefully, pick people for complementary strengths instead of someone good at everything, and match the person to your company culture. He also recommends bringing in a strong HR person once a company reaches a certain size.
How does Rosenberg think about failure in business?
He says failure is part of the game and that if you’re not failing, you’re not trying. He suggests testing ideas on a small scale, pulling the plug early if they don’t work, and calling them setbacks instead of failures.
Related reading
- Why being liked isn't the same as being respected
- Building executive presence
- Building resilience and grit
- Influence skills for career development
If Robert’s stories about trust, teamwork, and taking responsibility got you thinking about your own presence and connection with others, see how our 90-day program works, which starts with a 1:1 onboarding call with Johnny and includes weekly group coaching.
