Michael Nichols | Leadership Made Simple

Leadership Made Simple

Leader Profile | Mark Miller

Leader-Profile-Mark-Miller

This week, I had a phone conversation with Mark Miller. Mark is the Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness at Chick-fil-A World Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

I first became acquainted with Mark through a session he presented at the 2010 Building Champions Experience.

Photo Credit: Paul Amodio

At the Experience, Mark talked in great detail about how he managed his calendar and email. I have implemented many of these disciplines I learned from Mark and have written about some of them previously:

Mark gave me some great information this week, so I asked him if I could share our conversation with you.

We’re also going to give away 20 copies of his newest book, Great Leaders Grow. You can find out more about the giveaway below.

Here’s our conversation:

What’s your story?

“I was very fortunate to grow up in a loving home. I experienced unconditional love. My parents challenged me to grow and provided appropriate accountability. Many people don’t get that kind of a start.

In my early 20’s I realized that teaching was my gift – I really discovered it by accident. Then I began speaking at events and conferences – most involved organizational growth for non-profits and churches.

In 1978, I became the 16th corporate employee at Chick-fil-A. We’ve learned so much about communications, marketing, and organizational growth at Chick-fil-A. So through the years I’ve taken these corporate, leadership, and team building principles and continued to share them with ministries and non-profit organizations.

Several years ago, Ken Blanchard asked me to write The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do with him. At first I wasn’t interested because it didn’t seem to fit with my priorities. He finally convinced me to do it.

I’m glad he did. Writing has become a way for me to expand my influence. Now I am able to influence more current and future leaders. And since I give all of the proceeds from my writing away – I am able to impact people and organizations that way also.”

What was a defining moment in your career?

“When I first understood that my capacity to grow would determine my capacity to lead.

This was about 30 years ago. Dan Cathy was my supervisor. For more than 20 years he challenged me to grow, resourced me, and gave me freedom to lead.

I drank the Kool-Aid. That’s really what Great Leaders Grow is all about.”

What’s your best leadership advice?

“It is really two-fold:

  1. Great leaders serve. They help people, teams, and organizations to succeed. And…
  2. Great leaders grow. In fact, a leader’s capacity to grow enables the leader to serve.”

What is your motivation to write?

“It’s the best way for me to influence and encourage more leaders. In the past I did a lot of speaking. I’ve begun writing more over the past few years.

In the future it may be something different. But the fundamental motivation is to serve as many people as possible in meaningful ways.”

Leadership strategies

Your role at Chick-fil-A has changed several times over the past 30 plus years. When you move to a new position or role, how do you decide what to focus on first?

“First, close critical gaps. Then, seize the best opportunities. When you are new to an area, you have the advantage of fresh eyes. So you see things that often go unnoticed by good people who have been in a position for some time. So I’m an advocate for leadership rotation.”

At what point did you realize that you were doing what you were made to do?

“With speaking, it became clear very early in my career. I remember being given a group of 6 people and being asked to build a group – just a few weeks later there were 60 in the group.

With leadership, it is a little more difficult to pinpoint. I’ve been in leadership roles since my 20’s. And at some point I realized that I was made for the leadership journey. But I still have much to learn about leadership.”

In your experiences with people over the years, what have you found to be the greatest need?

“I am convinced that everyone needs coaching.

The majority of people may not agree with me. And most people don’t have a coach. But a coach enhances one’s natural ability. A coach shows how to do what you can’t see on your own.”

Free Book

We are giving away 20 copies of Mark’s newest book, Great Leaders Grow! Here’s how you can get a copy:

  1. Leave a comment answering the question below. Include your mailing address in your comment.
  2. Then, Tweet a link to this post, or share it on Facebook. Use the hashtag #greatleadersgrow.

[It looks like we have 20 people – thanks for all the great feedback! The books will ship next week. Here’s something cool – Mark is signing your book for you! Please allow a couple weeks for delivery.]

Question: What is the best way that you have found to grow as a leader? Share in the comments.

Disclosure: Some of the above links are affiliate links.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mr. Nichols, Hi! I believe the best way to learn leadership skills is to become a parent. You have to be a disciplinarian, teacher, negotiator, stratigist, and very good at scheduling!! :oD PS. I love your chichen and the cow is adorable!! :o) GOD bless. 0:o)
    Tracey :o)

    Reply

  3. THE BEST WAY I’VE FOUND TO GROW AS A LEADER IS READ BOOKS ESPECIALLY ON LEADSERSHIP AND OTHER TOPICS OF INTEREST. THEN TRY TO APPLY THINGS/PRINCIPLES LEARNED FROM YOUR READINGS BOTH IN LIFE AND IN THE WORKPLACE. THEN TEACH OTHERS ALSO WHAT WORKED. GOD BLESS.

    BENJAMIN LUCAS
    benjiepl@yahoo.com
    L7 B6 HIMALAYAS EXT.
    MONTEVISTA HEIGHTS SUBD.
    TAYTAY, RIZAL
    PHILIPPINES 1920

    Reply

  5. This is a really great piece so thank you for sharing. I am a Proverbs fan and constantly seek wisdom through reflection and praying – that’s how I grow.

    Reply

  6. I agree David. You may have mentioned this before – it is truly important to apply relevant principles to your life and work as you become aware of them. This is a critical discipline that occasionally requires us to turn of the noise and evaluate if we are actually growing – improving decision-making and behaviors. Thanks my friend.

    Reply

  7. I found being in the habit of growing is important. Some habits include reading, listening to leadership audio, mentorship, and attending conferences. I would also say applying what your learning is also an important aspect of growth.

    I really don’t feel comfortable providing my mailing address but can leave my email danblackonleadership@gmail.com if I do win could you email me. Or if my name is on the list I can contact you to give you my email. I hope this is ok.

    Reply

  8. The best way to grow as a leader is to surround yourself with great people and to find good sources of information to help you on your journey. Following the adage of “Leaders are readers”, I try to stay on top of a growing list of books and articles of interest. Finding inspiration in what I read is another way that I find growth as a leader.

    Mark Lockhart
    PO Box 339
    Stafford, VA 22555

    Reply

  10. “Birds of a feather…” I’ve found that surrounding myself with people who constantly push themselves and have achieved more than I have motivates me to grow. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others who aren’t up to our level but it takes a lot of guts to consistently compare ourselves to those who have accomplished more.
    Stephen Owens
    2121 Rev Abraham Woods Jr Blvd STE 100
    Birmingham, AL 35203

    Reply

  11. Great idea Michael! Interviews can be so much fun as it gives a reader a different perspective.

    I find one of the best ways to grow as a leader is to make mistakes. Be willing to take the risk. You’ll either get a big payoff or you’ll have learned how not to do something.

    As for leaving my address in the comments section, that makes me a little uneasy. Can I shoot it to you in a PM or an email?

    Reply

  12. I completely agree with “Great leaders serve”. We do not have enough of that now days. Most leaders are waiting to be served. That is an area that needs major change.
    Scott Fernandez
    824 Percy Warner Blvd
    Nashville, TN 37205

    Reply

  13. Great article and I am a huge fan of Mr. Miller and his leadership lessons. Most of which we have incorporated into our government realizing great results. My answer: Regardless of your tenure as a leader, find a mentor or peer group outside your field and engage and listen intently to the feedback.
    Cory Godwin
    P.O. Box 510
    DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435

    Reply

  14. Be dumb. Ask a whole lot of questions, and make the majority of those questions “why questions” and not “how questions”.

    Matt Steen
    7 Abbey Ct.
    Plainview, NY 11803

    Reply

  15. The best way that I have found to grow as a leader is to grow as a person. I try to learn something new everyday, wether it be about myself, the organization I represent, my family, my friends, my faith, or my mentor. Learning and growing in myself is the greatest way I grow as a leader.

    Erica Beck
    395 Ruckle DR
    DeFuniak Springs FL 32435

    Reply

  16. I think the best way to grow is to read. Jim Rohn always said “readers are leaders.” You need to read the right books and apply them to your life. I usually take 3 things out of a book and try to apply it. I also subscribe to Leaders Book Summaries to get a summary of some of the great leadership books on the market.

    Chad Jackson
    13510 Lakewood Meadow Dr
    Cypress, TX 77429

    Reply

  17. The best way to grow? Read and watch, then go and do.

    And I’d love a copy of the book:

    Doug Hibbard
    PO Box 182
    Almyra, AR 72003

    Reply

  18. Great post. No matter how old we get there is still room for growth.

    Dianne Mills
    201 Irvington Springs Road
    Lynchburg, VA 24503

    Reply

  19. I have found that serving others has been most helpful in my growth as a leader. #serviceaboveself

    Lauren Taylor
    314 Braeburn Dr.
    Anderson, SC 29621

    Reply

  21. Hey Mike. I try to take away “something” from everyone I deal with whether it is a good trait or bad. Gleaning from each situation I face gives more perspective. One of the failures of leaders with longevity is when you try to replicate decisions from the past without discerning that each situation has it’s own parameters. That is the reason I feel that if you have gleaned from many sources, your “toolbox” will include everything you need for current decision you must make as a leader.

    Reply

  22. The best way I have grown as a leader is to be a good mentor. Mentoring someone makes you stay on top of your game, keeps you focused, and gives you a chance to see both the big picture (from your own perspective) and the snap shot (from your protege’s perspective) alike.

    Reply

  23. Michael, the best way I have found to grow as a leader is to pray for wisdom. I read a lot and listen to a lot of audio messages in my car, but I am convinced that God has given me unnatural wisdom beyond my years simply because I have sincerely asked for it. Following Scripture (2 Chronicles 1:7-12 and James 1:5-8) has been my most effective method.

    Chris Patton
    1402 Lafayette Pkwy
    LaGrange, GA 30241

    P.S. GREAT idea for a post! I loved it!

    Reply

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