BUILDING A WINNING CULTURE-DAVE SKOGEN

Dave Skogen is Chairman of the Board of Skogen’s Festival Foods, a family owned company originally founded as Skogen’s IGA by his father and mother in 1946 in Onalaska, WI.  Dave has been involved with the company since he was 4 years old and continues to be the driving force in leading the company.  There are currently 18 stores and they employ more than 5000 associates.  Dave believes is building a winning culture.  In doing so a company’s mission statement should tell you: How do you plan to win at that business.  There are 2 parts of building that winning culture.  There is Management and Leadership.  Management is what we do and leadership is who we are and the ability to inspire.  He believes we are all in the same profession, to enrich and serve the lives of others.  When Festival Foods is looking to hire a new associate they look for character, it is a must have.  This goes above and beyond hiring someone with experience and friendship.  He also said that Festival follows the 4 E’s:  Energy, Energize others, Execute and Edge and also they look for passion.  Dave went on to tell us that we all have “stuff”.  On each performance review the manager asked, “How am I doing as your boss?” “What would you change about me?”  He has learned on his own performance review that he is not a good listener.  He uses these results in his everyday life such as work, home and church.  Another great piece of advice Dave mentioned was holding people accountable for excellence.  Celebrate these actions and applaud those employees.  Work is such a big part of our lives not to be celebrated.  Also, make sure to communicate to your employees.  Leadership is influencing and inspiring and you need to put others needs in front of your own.  To become a better leader we need to practice behaviors until they become habit and we need to push people to become better…people need friction.  He ended with this:  Are you ready to change something?  You got stuff, everyone’s got stuff.  Bring it every day and get out of your comfort zone and do not worry about the friction.  Hold people accountable and make people better than they came.

The Guy in the Glass by Dale Wimbrow, (c) 1934

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Who judgment upon you must pass.

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass?

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end,

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,

And think you're a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the guy in the glass.