The Leadership Habit That Could Be Costing Your Franchise New Recruits

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The most crucial factor in a successful franchise recruitment effort is leadership engagement.

The Executive Sponsor is the key driver of alignment and credibility in turnkey recruiting efforts.

Leadership engagement done right enhances brand reputation and builds a more aligned network.

If you're unfamiliar with the term "Executive Sponsor," allow me to enlighten you by first sharing what it doesn't mean. This term isn't a reference to paid media in exchange for brand exposure, nor does it describe the mentorship provided by an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) support coach.

In the world of franchise recruitment — and beyond — an Executive Sponsor is a senior-level leader within the organization who makes an intentional effort to engage in the pursuit of a goal. But this isn't to say an Executive Sponsor is a micromanager; far from it. Rather, it's a role that requires an active commitment to provide the team with the tools, resources and support necessary to ensure success.

An Executive Sponsor brings strategic alignment to the initiative, removes barriers, obstacles and challenges, oversees the risk management factor and plays an active advocacy role. Their responsibilities range from the tangible, such as managing the allocation of manpower and budgetary constraints, to the intangible, such as explaining the "why" behind the stated objective or goal.

It's about being present — having the ability to connect the vision with the execution . Executive Sponsors and the initiatives they champion apply to all industries, business channels and sectors. But as you'll see, this advocacy role has become an increasingly important factor in determining the direction, oversight and eventual success of franchise recruitment campaigns.

Show me a brand that isn't hitting its recruiting goals, and the first question I'm asking is, who's leading the charge? If I had to guess, it's probably the manager in the big corner office who snaps to attention once every quarter and frantically calls for an all-hands-on-deck meeting to review the numbers. And guess what? He's shocked — shocked, I tell you — that the brand once again missed its recruiting goals.

In rapid-fire succession, he'll go around the table peppering his subordinates with questions about the process, where things broke down and why corrective action wasn't taken at the time — usually while maintaining a look of incredulity on his face. Never mind the fact that there were plenty of blinking red lights in the months leading up to this depressing roundtable. He simply wasn't paying attention as the pipeline dried up and candidates who were once engaged in the process fell by the wayside for one reason or another.