Here are 7 signs that you might be bubble wrapping your franchisees.
- You sugar-coat bad news or dip it in Purell.
- You water down critique so as to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.
- You buffer reality because someone might get their panties in a twist.
- You worry a franchisee’s negative attitude will spread like the flu in winter.
- You are bringing more tasks in-house because that dog won’t hunt.
- You are finding the cost of franchisee training and support rising like a spire.
- Your franchisees are dogged about deflecting and dodging responsibility.
Avoiding confrontation, sugar coating bad news, or buffering reality may provide a band-aide to an awkward situation, but the long-term consequence is weak, unhappy, codependent franchisees.
7 Reasons Why You Should Not Bubble Wrap Your Franchisees:
- It prevents franchisees from building an immunity to problems and challenges. They will become easily overwhelmed and unable to cope or adapt.
- It prevents franchisees from building the inner strength to do battle, solve problems, or take action. They will fear competition and will often lack grit.
- It will cause franchisees to delay decisions or make poor decisions. Their critical thinking and strategic planning skills will weaken or fall by the wayside.
- It effects self-confidence and ability to take risk and initiative. Franchisees may become anxious, worried and view their business with less optimism.
- It can cause franchisees to feel out of control, manipulated or even consider themselves victims rather than agents in their own business and life.
- It creates a pass the buck culture within your franchise system. When you ignore issues, franchisees will ignore or overreact when the issues inevitably surface.
- Most importantly, bubble wrapping your franchisees is expensive!
If you are a franchise development pro or in franchise operations you might be thinking: it’s not us it’s them. You might argue that some of your franchisees are hyper-sensitive or super defensive thus making it impossible for you to provide feedback. Others chase shine objects or change directions as often as Texas winds. Some although cute and adorable are hesitant sloths or skittish wombats. I feel your pain; I hear similar stories from other franchisors.
That’s where Zoracle Profiles can help. Our Emotional and Social Intelligence assessment measures: commitment, focus, drive, optimism, adaptability, confidence, initiative, competitiveness and even decision making ability. Give it to your prospective franchisees to see if they have what it takes to be successful within your organization.
Here’s a Sample Report. Check out the last few pages.