Michael Gerber's Franchise Prototype Rule to Win #2: People

Gerber, p. 100, says:

2. The model will be operated by people with the lowest possible level of skill.

At first reading, he seems to be saying hire only unskilled labor, an egregious assertion in an era when so many people are up in arms against undocumented aliens, illegal immigrants, whatever you want to call them.

But Gerber's not saying this. The key word in that sentence is "possible." You wouldn't want a heart transplant surgeon working at MacDonald's. "It's been said, and I believe it to be true, that great businesses are not built by extraordinary people but by ordinary people doing extraordinary things." (See p. 100)

But for this to happen, Gerber says,

A system--'a way of doing things'--is absolutely essential in order to compensate for the disparity between the skills your people have and the skills your business needs if it is produce consistent results. (p. 101)

Just think how much money this country spends for "job training." The assumption behind this expenditure is that people's skills aren't up to the challenges businesses require of them.

Then think how much money would be saved and how much better business would be if those who designed their businesses designed them in such away that the people we have could do them and produce what Gerber calls "exquisite results." I'm not saying job training isn't important. Having people trained to do what is needed is important. There are certainly a lot of people who aren't well trained. But, we would be better off if we paid heed to what Gerber is saying.

I will resist the impulse to quote more Gerber with the caveat that you will go to the book and read it.

What do you think of this? I'd like to know. Post comment

Entrepreneurship informs all of my professional activities. Entrepreneurial ideas are their life's blood. For my ideas on entrepreneurial real estate go to www.yourstopforrealestate.com/blog and for my ideas on writing and publishing, go to www.kearneymusicschoolmurders.blogspot.com