McDonald’s Franchise

The franchise owner of four McDonald’s restaurants in Sweden was facing a major challenge in 2015. This challenge was due to increased taxes and social costs that were threatening to destroy the profitability of the entire business. To solve this problem, restaurant leaders knew they needed to increase the size of the average sales check. They decided to conduct an experiment in one of their restaurants. For 24 hours, they ran their normal shifts with only their top performers, and customer turnover increased by 18 percent, a positive metric in the restaurant industry. This led to the realization that engagement from their employees and changes in staff behavior would be crucial to overcome their challenge. Several initiatives were implemented in order to create engagement and change, including a large-scale bonus system. Unfortunately, nothing worked. They realized the results they wanted were only going to happen with both a change in behavior and a change that would become common practice in the organization. To do this, the restaurant leaders needed help.

McDonald’s connected with FranklinCovey Sweden in 2015 and quickly learned about the 4 Disciplines of Execution® (4DX®), a proven methodology to create engagement and accomplish business results.

It all started with a kick-off meeting where Ivan Ström, the franchise owner, introduced the 4DX methodology to his management team. Following this, the management team read the book The 4 Disciplines of Execution. FranklinCovey then facilitated a two day Execution Design workshop where the team determined their Wildly Important Goal® (WIG®) for the first year. This was a daily and weekly goal to which all the teams and individuals were committed for the next year. The McDonald’s franchisee chose a WIG they all could influence: increased sales.

Following the WIG session, the building phase started with a two day workshop where both senior and junior leaders participated. This was when the important lead measures were agreed upon.

The team implemented My4DX.com, FranklinCovey’s online execution system, to keep them focused on their WIG. Visible scoreboards for the teams were created and information
meetings with employees about 4DX were held throughout the organization. The 4DX process was now officially launched in all the restaurants. The process that followed included reviewing and adjusting lead measures, and coaching leaders and employees to make the 4 Disciplines a consistent practice.

After two-to-three months, the company conducted a check-in to review and adjust the lead measures. FranklinCovey facilitated reinforcements with shift leaders and coached them on how to conduct productive WIG meetings (short meetings where teams and/or individuals make weekly commitments towards the WIG).

After six months, there was a quarterly check-in where the leaders looked at the results to date, discussed what had gone really well, and who the top performing individuals and teams had been, and what needed to be adjusted. After 10-to-11 months FranklinCovey facilitated a new Execution Design workshop to make decisions on a new WIG, following the same process.

For two years, the McDonald’s restaurants that have been working with 4DX have been among the top-performing restaurants in the entire Swedish McDonald’s chain, increasing their sales six percentage points above the national average. In 2017, these restaurants still have the best growth in sales in the entire Swedish McDonald’s organization.

4DX gave these McDonald’s restaurants the opportunity to play a winning game where everyone was seen as an important part, and created a big boost of engagement for the organization. “Employees who had previously been under-performing became top-performing; meetings became more positive, focused, and collaborative; and there was a new energy in the restaurants that did not exist before,” says Ström. The engagement also created real business results.

“Employees who had previously been under-performing became topperforming; meetings became more positive, focused, and collaborative; and there was a new energy in the restaurants that did not exist before.”

Ivan Ström, Franchise Owner