For the Organization Leadership Analysis Final Paper I chose Panera Bread. When you think about Panera you picture a quaint cafe with excellent food and a great atmosphere. You may not think about Panera Bread as a leader, that is fine as before this project I didn't either; however, Panera Bread is an excellent example of positive and effective leadership which all companies should emulate. Panera is one of the most dedicated and caring companies when it comes to giving back to the communities in which it operates in.
Summary (Mission):
Panera Bread strives to create a warm, friendly environment for people to enjoy their food and to also give back to the communities in which it operates. Panera's mission statement, "A loaf of bread in every arm," supports their goal of giving back to the communities in which it operates through its many programs targeted at feeding the less fortunate. Panera further clarifies its mission statement in its Bread Leadership Goal, "With the single goal of making great bread broadly available to consumers across America, Panera Bread freshly bakes more bread each day than any bakery-cafe concept in the country." The leadership goal further solidifies the company's dedication to being proactive in producing the highest quality products for its customers.
Key Points:
Challenge the Process
- First restaurant to voluntarily post calorie information at all its stores
- Dedication to providing the customer the highest quality food
- Innovative calorie tracker available for use free on company website
- Openness to give customers the power to make informed and healthy ordering decisions
- "Bringing your humanity to work"
- Donating over $100 million in unsold bread and baked goods annually
- Non-Profit cafes offering full menus and using a pay-what-you-can pricing model
- Day-End Dough-Nation program providing food to local charities
Why do you feel this organization is a good example of positive and effective leadership and how it relates to you as a leader?
I feel that this organization is an excellent example of positive and effective leadership, both in how it treats its customers and how it gives so much back to the communities in which it operates in. For a company to give back on such a large scale shows how Panera is dedicated to the betterment of the community and not just operating to make a profit which is a very positive quality for a company to possess. Panera also cares about the health of its customers and its commitment to provide the highest quality and freshest ingredients coupled with the information it provides on its products shows that the company has the best interests of the customer in mind.
The actions of Panera Bread are very influential and provides a great example of how an organization can have such a positive impact on the world. This would relate to me as a leader as it further strengthens my beliefs of giving back to others in leadership roles. I think that over the past year I have grown as a leader and am now more focused on my interactions with others than I am concerned with my own preoccupations. This is important as it is important as a leader to be someone that others will desire to follow, and it is through positive actions like those of Panera that followers will want to follow you in your pursuits as a leader.