The 3 Pillars of Franchise Leadership Excellence

Episode Summary for The Advisory Board Podcast

Welcome back to another episode of The Advisory Board Podcast, where we dive deep into actionable insights to help franchise owners and business leaders build thriving systems. This week, Dave Hansen hosts Iris Grimm, founder and CEO of Leaven Zest, who brings over two decades of experience as an executive and leadership coach. Iris’s unique journey from East Germany to the United States and her passion for unlocking human potential set the stage for a thought-provoking discussion on leadership, relationships, and success.

Episode Highlights:

Iris shares her incredible personal story, growing up in East Germany during the Cold War and navigating life-changing events like the fall of the Berlin Wall. With nothing but determination and two suitcases, she moved to Western Germany, and later to the U.S., where she eventually discovered her calling as a coach. Her experiences, including her early career in corporate America and her decision to leave it behind, reflect the entrepreneurial spirit and drive to help others that fuel her coaching philosophy today.

The heart of the episode revolves around leadership as a set of behaviors rather than a role. Iris emphasizes that true leadership requires an equal commitment to relationships and results. Leaders must inspire trust, foster growth, and create environments where teams thrive. She offers a fresh perspective on leadership by drawing parallels to her work training competitive dogs. Iris explains how both people and animals respond best to environments of trust, positive reinforcement, and clear expectations—a concept that applies seamlessly to modern organizations.

Dave and Iris explore the three pillars of effective leadership. Iris argues that leaders must prioritize their own personal growth, serve as coaches rather than micromanagers, and master the art of meaningful conversations. Leadership, she asserts, is about more than getting results; it’s about building the relationships that drive those results. Leaders who embrace this mindset create high-performing teams and lasting organizational success.

Iris shares fascinating anecdotes, including her observations of how trust and distrust manifest in teams and how these emotional dynamics can make or break a workplace. Drawing on neuroscience, she explains how leaders set the emotional "thermostat" for their teams, shaping workplace culture through their actions and attitudes.The discussion also touches on the unique challenges faced by franchise leaders, who must juggle the dual responsibilities of running their businesses and managing relationships with franchisees. Iris’s advice? Build trust and prioritize conversations that nurture mutual understanding. By investing in relationships upfront, leaders can unlock better results and long-term success.