Don’t Spend $10 Million on Fruit Salad
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I want to share one of the most interesting transformations I’ve ever been a part of.
I worked with a large retail bakery chain. They brought me in to unstick a change effort that just wasn’t working.
Catering was the big bet. General Managers were supposed to be pushing it like crazy.
But they weren’t.
In fact, they were doing the opposite.
One thing I learned as a CIO: observation error is everywhere in business.
It’s a consulting term for when leaders make bad decisions because they’re clinging to the wrong hypothesis.
Operations thought GMs lacked incentives.
HR thought the staff wasn’t engaged.
IT blamed the catering system.
And the CEO? She was ready to spend $10 million on a brand new one.
But before she signed the check, I ran a Transformation Pulse Check. A process I use to diagnose stuck transformations in just 5 days.
This isn’t a survey. It’s a direct, honest, anonymous conversation with the people who feel the pain: the frontline. In this case, thousands of employees.
Here’s what we found.
GMs were shutting the catering system off at night.
Why? Fruit salad.
They weren’t confident they’d have enough fresh produce to fulfill orders that came in overnight. And if they couldn’t deliver, it was a scramble and a reputation risk.
That’s it. That was the blocker.
Not incentives. Not engagement. Not the system.
Just fruit salad.
The fix? A new “We Got Your Back” menu was rolled out for any order placed less than 12 hours in advance. No fruit salad. Just a simple promise: Tell us how many people are coming. We’ll take care of the rest.
What used to be a liability became a brand moment. A way to save the day for last-minute planners.
All without spending $10 million.
Here are 5 things you need to know about solving the right problem:
I.
Talk to the Frontline
Use anonymous, open-ended questions. Not surveys. Surveys don’t work. They don’t tell you how people feel. They only tell you what people feel about the options you give them.
II.
Be Aware of Observation Error
Your team will see the problem through their own lens. But the real issue might live outside their field of view.
III.
Don’t Fall in Love with Your Solution
Stay open. The answer may be something you’ve never considered—or something incredibly simple.
IV.
Independent Analysis Can Build Trust
Just like board members offer CEOs an external check, an independent expert can give your team the confidence to act. They are less susceptible to politics and will give you the straight talk you want.
V.
Fix the Fruit Salad
Before you make a big investment, make sure you're solving the right problem.
Ever seen something like this in your world? Hit reply—I’d love to hear the story.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. ♻️ If you’re facing a stuck transformation, we can help. Our Transformation Advisory team gets to the truth in 5 days—so you can move fast, avoid waste, and lead with confidence. Just say yes, and we’ll do the rest.
