Organizational excellence doesn’t come from a single initiative or annual strategy meeting—it’s built day by day, through intentional leadership, empowered teams, and systems that prioritize both performance and people. Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of leading restaurant teams for brands like Wendy’s, Chili’s, Freddy’s, and Jack’s Family Restaurants. Each role taught me that true success lies not only in meeting KPIs but in building workplaces where engagement, development, and cultural sustainability thrive together.
At the heart of my leadership approach is a deep commitment to team development—not just managing people, but mentoring and equipping them to grow in ways that align their personal ambitions with the broader mission of the organization. Through that alignment, we foster not only productivity, but purpose.
Engagement: Aligning People with Purpose
Employee engagement is often misunderstood as enthusiasm or buy-in, but in my experience, it runs deeper. Engagement stems from clarity, connection, and contribution. When team members understand the “why” behind the work and see how their roles directly impact the organization’s mission, they feel invested in the outcome.
I’ve implemented engagement strategies that go beyond the standard. Weekly one-on-ones, personal development plans, and values-based recognition programs all help employees feel like more than just a number on the schedule. By aligning individual goals with company outcomes—whether that’s advancing into a leadership role or improving guest satisfaction—we create a culture where every team member contributes meaningfully.
This level of engagement doesn’t just boost morale—it enhances operational efficiency. Teams that are emotionally invested in their work are quicker to adapt, solve problems collaboratively, and uphold quality standards without constant oversight.
Lean Methodologies: Doing More with Less, Smarter
Operational excellence requires precision. That’s why I’ve leaned heavily into lean methodologies in every organization I’ve supported. From reducing food waste and optimizing labor costs to reworking SOPs for smoother shifts, lean thinking has helped streamline operations without sacrificing quality or service.
For example, at Freddy’s, I introduced a visual workflow system in the kitchen that helped reduce bottlenecks and improve prep accuracy. By eliminating redundant steps and reassigning tasks based on skill level and timing, we cut our average ticket time by 20% in under two months. This wasn’t just about cutting costs—it was about maximizing value, both for the guest and for the team’s daily experience.
Lean also extends to how we communicate. I use daily pre-shift huddles not just for updates but for real-time feedback loops. This creates an agile environment where we constantly refine our practices, driven by input from the people closest to the work.
Empowerment: Building People-Centered Systems
Excellence isn’t sustainable if it comes at the cost of employee well-being. I’ve made empowerment a core tenet of my leadership, understanding that when we support the whole person—not just the employee—we create long-lasting, loyal, high-performing teams.
This looks like offering flexible scheduling options for parents and students. It’s about building promotion pipelines from within, so that team members see a future with us. And it’s about holistic recognition—acknowledging emotional labor, celebrating progress, and supporting mental wellness through open-door policies and peer mentorship.
These aren’t perks—they’re cultural sustainability practices. When people feel seen and supported, they rise. In fact, much of this philosophy is codified in the organizational development framework I created, called The Trustle Effect.
The Trustle Effect: A Framework for Lasting Excellence
The Trustle Effect is my blueprint for building trust-centered, emotionally intelligent teams. It emphasizes seven principles:
Talk – Foster transparent, two-way communication
Retain – Build loyalty through relationship-based service
Utilize – Lead with empathy, putting talent to work
Sustain – Create clarity through defined roles and systems
Trust – Develop psychological safety and reliability
Lead – Model the behavior you want to see
Elevate – Celebrate innovation and personal growth
Each principle reinforces both operational and emotional alignment. It’s a system I’ve applied across multiple units with measurable results: improved retention, higher guest satisfaction, and elevated team performance. More importantly, it turns teams into communities and shifts organizations from reactive to proactive cultures.
The Path Forward
Driving organizational excellence is about more than systems or slogans—it’s about consistency, connection, and care. I believe in developing people as much as processes and in creating environments where high performance doesn’t come at the expense of human dignity.
Whether managing a single unit or overseeing multiple teams, my goal remains the same: to empower others, streamline operations through lean practices, and champion cultures of engagement that make excellence not just possible—but inevitable.
Destiny Hancock is a hospitality operations leader and developer of “The Trustle Effect,” a people-first leadership framework rooted in emotional intelligence, lean methodology, and sustainable team empowerment.
