3 Ingredients of Effective Leadership: Dare. Serve. Measure.

At age 21, Cheryl Bachelder’s father took her on business appointments in China, Japan, and Korea after threatening to quit college. Her college education no longer served her interests, and she saw no purpose. Her father’s investment changed her life.

As CEO, Bachelder led a historic turnaround of AFC Enterprises, the parent of Popeye’s Louisiana Restaurants. 

In ten years, Bachelder increased the stock price sixfold by changing the brand, the culture, and franchisee profits. Then she wrote a book on how she did it, “Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others.”

Bachelder never saw the glass ceiling. She never worried about it. She focused on achieving results her entire career. And for that, she was consistently recognized and rewarded.

A lifetime student of leadership, she developed an effective leadership recipe. It included: 

Be daring - Have high aspirations
Servant-leadership - Help others be on their purpose
Achieve results - Measure the first two on financial results

This interview speaks directly to how she made it to the top as a woman executive: her leadership interest and relentless pursuit of bringing everyone along with her to the winner’s circle.

Lots to learn here for women in business. Even more to learn for all entrepreneurs about growing your business by being a dare to serve leader.