10 Years at Chick-fil-A: Why Employees Prefer a ‘Jerk’ Boss with Clarity Over a ‘Nice’ One Without | Jacob Karnes

Millionaire University

#293 Would you rather work for a jerk who offers clarity or a nice boss who leaves you in the dark? In this episode, host Brien Gearin sits down with Jacob Karnes, founder of Waves Business Coaching and author of Master Your First Job. Jacob shares valuable insights from his 10 years at Chick-fil-A, where he learned the importance of leadership, clarity, and managing people effectively. He explains why the most important quality for a leader is providing clarity — and why employees would rather work for a "jerk" who offers clarity than a nice boss who doesn't. Jacob also discusses hiring strategies, retaining top talent, and how to build a strong company culture rooted in leadership and clear expectations. If you're managing a team or thinking about hiring, then this episode is for you!

What we discuss with Jacob:

+ Why clarity is the key to leadership

+ Hiring for character, chemistry, and competency

+ Lessons from Chick-fil-A’s success model

+ How to retain top talent in today’s market

+ Managing Gen Z and millennial employees

+ Why customer experience starts with leadership

+ Setting clear expectations for your team

+ Building a high-performing culture

+ Overcoming early struggles in business coaching

+ Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

Thank you, Jacob!

Check out Waves Business Coaching at WavesBusinessCoaching.com.

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