WFF Virtual Events

Building High-Performing Teams From The Ground Up

Lessons Learned by a Legendary Leader: A Conversation with Doug Barber, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

If you missed this event and wish to purchase the recording please call or e-mail Olivia VanCleave at 972-770-9102 successtalks@womensfoodserviceforum.com. There is no charge for this recording.

Throughout the course of your career, you’ve inevitably been on teams that were very strong as well as teams that left a bit to be desired. What if there were skills and techniques you could learn that would help ensure the teams you lead are the type of teams you look forward to being a part of?

Episode Recap and Wrap Up

In this episode of Success Talks, Doug Barber, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store shared insights about building and sustaining strong teams. Doug leads with the principles of trust, care, commitment to excellence, mastering the combination of inspirational leadership with inspirational guidance, and supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Among Doug's key insights:

• He reminded listeners to put ourselves in each other’s shoes to learn how to interact. We have to believe people have positive intent and to help them focus that intent on achieving their objectives.
• It is important to give aspiring leaders defining moments and transfer responsibility to them.
• Doug talked about having to step out of his comfort zone when he attended his first WFF event; this was a defining moment that required him to take action and remove barriers for others.

Doug defined authentic leadership qualities:

• Be consistent and be true to your personal values or people will not follow you.
• Live your principles every day.
• Reach out to your team and build relationships.
• Ask “What else can I do?”

Doug also provided and defined his four core principles:

• Build trust with your Team
• Let teams know you care about them and they count.
• Have a commitment to excellence
• Practice “inside-out” leadership.

Doug made it clear, a boss is not a friend, but is friendly. We need to keep perspective on “building a business” and “building a friendship”. To keep the lines clear, we need to make sure measurements for performance are clearly defined and objective. Decisions need to be made based on having the right people in the right seats.

Doug wrapped up the conversation by sharing three leadership principles. When leading large teams, leaders must:

• Simplify
• Clarify
• Execute

Doug made it clear that as a leader, you are either building or destroying confidence. Leaders must help people find their passion and support them on achieving that passion.

About Doug Barber

Doug has more than 30 years of restaurant experience, most of it in operations and executive leadership positions. His successful career in the restaurant industry is founded in his commitment to building and strengthening diverse teams. Joining the industry as a bus boy, Doug quickly advanced to management positions in recognition of his talent and his energetic ability to motivate others to excellence. He champions diversity and inclusion, and he continually develops opportunities so that talented individuals may advance their careers. He has been very actively involved in WFF, and was the recipient of our Board of Directors’ Outstanding Service Award.

Doug builds positive relationships and excels at fostering high-performance teams and brings amazing insight and valuable experience into managing a diverse range of personalities to maximize his teams’ efficiencies.