Denny’s CEO Christopher Bode shares advice from a mentor who continues to shape his leadership approach. Denny’s CEO Christopher Bode says the lesson from a lifelong mentor has become a guiding principle as he works to transform the iconic restaurant chain. Bode, who took the helm of Denny’s this year, told FOX Business that he follows a simple phrase he learned early in his career from former Dunkin’ Brands CEO Jon Luther: “Manage what you must, not what you can,” Bode said. The Denny’s boss said he now shares that advice daily with his leadership team to keep the company focused on the priorities that can have the biggest impact. DENNY’S TARGET 500 RESTAURANT UPGRADES AS DINING CHAIN INVESTS IN AI, NEW TECH: ‘PROJECT GRAND SLAM’ Denny’s CEO Christopher Bode told FOX Business that a lesson from a lifelong mentor has become a guiding principle. (Denny’s) “I talk to my team about this every day now, because what it means is that there are a lot of things you can manage, but this is what you have to manage in order to change the trajectory of the business that you’re running,” Bode said. “So we routinely stay focused on that.” Bode said organizations can fall victim to “organizational creep” when they take on too many projects and lose sight of what they need to accomplish. “That’s what really leads to the demise of organizations, because they try to be too much, too much, and accomplish too many things in a short period of time,” he said. RESTAURANTS Bode said staying focused means keeping the company focused on the five key pillars of “Project Grand Slam.” (Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images) At Denny’s, Bode said staying focused means keeping the company focused on the five key pillars of “Project Grand Slam,” its broader turnaround strategy. “We keep the team focused on that every day, and we don’t let bad things come in,” Bode said. Bode said humility and listening are also critical to leadership, particularly when working with franchisees who have millions of dollars invested in their businesses. “We have people investing millions and millions of dollars, and you have to listen with a very good ear,” Bode said. “Those are the people who have taken on all the risk. They sign the bills, they pay the people, they have utilities, they have all this stuff, all that pressure on them. I get a paycheck every week. They don’t.” For aspiring entrepreneurs and other business leaders, Bode said his advice is to stay humble. CHICK-FIL-A RUNS ORDERS WITH AI DRIVE-THRU AS FAST FOOD RIVALS EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY Bode said humility and listening are also critical to leadership. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) “Relationships with franchisees are important and you also have to stay humble at the end of the day, especially as your career continues to evolve over time,” he said. “Don’t forget where you come from.” CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO Bode said another phrase guides his approach to leadership. “It is the power of ‘we,’ not of the individual ‘I,'” he said.
