Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture

Chapter 7. Teachers Are Everywhere

Nancy smiled. She knew everything Grandma said was true, yet she was surprised to hear such great advice coming from her. She was hesitant to talk about Soup, Inc., but she couldn't disagree with what Grandma was saying. In her heart of hearts, she felt she was different and could do a better job than her predecessors, yet her lack of experience as a leader frightened her. She asked herself a million times why she had ever accepted the job, but something had compelled her to do it. She had always believed that teachers are found everywhere, and she tried to learn from everyone she met. She considered herself a lifelong learner. It was a lesson she had learned from her father, who had been an NFL coach, and it was something she carried with her throughout her life. But she had to admit that the kitchen of a soup house was the least likely place she expected to find the solutions she sought—and Grandma was the least likely of teachers.

"So, how do you know so much about running a successful business?" asked Nancy.

Grandma laughed. "Oh, I don't know much about business. That's Peter's department. But I know about food. I know about people. I know about parenting. And I know about life. The same principles apply. Besides, I think if more people in the business world listened to their grandmothers, they would do the right things, and this would lead to success, not to mention a better world. Grandmas keep it simple. Simple is the key to success."

Nancy ...