“Fantastic work culture” with Andrew Alfano resident and Chief Operating Officer of The Learning Experience

As a part of my series about about how leaders can create a “fantastic work culture”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Alfano. Andrew is an executive leader with over 25 years experience in the retail, hospitality and restaurant industries. He is now the President and Chief Operating Officer of The Learning Experience, the nation’s fastest growing academy of early education for children. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the United Way, New York City, Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish, South Florida and Board of Fellows at the Culinary Institute of America.

He most recently enjoyed an impressive 15 years at Starbucks Coffee Company having joined them in their earlier days of 1999. During his time at Starbucks he served in a number of executive roles most recently as Senior Vice President, US Business.

Andrew was a pivotal leader that helped architect the company’s rapid growth, specifically in some of the country’s more high profile complex markets. Markets that included Chicago, Boston, Washington, as well as Starbucks flagship market of New York. During this time these markets saw record growth in same stores sales and profits. He was also a key member of the leadership team that helped lead the US Business out of the company’s downturn in 2008.

Throughout his tenure Andrew consistently demonstrated the ability to build high performing teams, has key strengths in developing talent, org design, brand building, market strategy and had direct P&L responsibilities with revenue in excess of $3B.

He is a high energy, driven leader that motivates and encourages others to exceed expectations while valuing individual contributions, unique backgrounds and experiences. Beyond his people legacy, he has developed a strong reputation for building brands in both new and existing markets while consistently increasing shareholder value.

Andrew grew up on Long Island and it is also where he and his wife raised their three children. He still maintains a home on Long Island, but currently resides in West Palm Beach, Fl.

Please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My first entree into the world of business and life education was a monumental foundation for all that followed. I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and beyond food, I learned planning and organizing, prioritizing, how to inspire and motivate others, and many other competencies that ultimately equate to LEADERSHIP. In hospitality, the main priority is to create a world-class experience for both customers and employees. These competencies are highly transferable across all industries whether culinary, coffee…or in my current world, children.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

The most interesting and important story at The Learning Experience is happening as we speak. Recently, we were at a critical inflection point where strategic growth was about to accelerate, new stakeholders were joining, and culture that already existed needed to be integrated and broadened. In order to accomplish and accommodate these goals takes tremendous effort, planning, and execution but mostly it takes the right people working in unison. The work we have laid out is proving now more than ever to be successful.

Are you working on any exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We have always been at the forefront of advancements in each area of our sector. However, one initiative is our recent launch of BubblesU.com. Inspired by The Learning Experience, the sole mission is to use personalization throughout books, apps, and other tools to inspire and assist families raise happy, healthy, and curious children. We assist parents in helping their children overcome everyday life challenges with unique, entertaining, and engaging tools.

Ok, let’s jump to the main part of our interview. According to this study cited in Forbes, more than half of the U.S. workforce is unhappy. Why do you think that number is so high?

There is a big difference between leadership and management. Too often, people are being managed and not led. This can be smothering, minimizing, and marginalizing. Leadership taps into a worker’s potential and inspires them to reach heights they couldn’t see for themselves. Additionally, a leader places people in a position for success by understanding strengths and weaknesses. People want and yearn for opportunity and responsibility. They also want a safe opportunity to make decisions and grow from the success or lack of success of each action.

Based on your experience or research, how do you think an unhappy workforce will impact a) company productivity b) company profitability c) and employee health and wellbeing?

While I do not know the exact statistics, I know many studies have been done that model out the impact of unhappy workers in the form of reduced productivity and profitability. One person’s opinion, but I suspect unhappy workers are likely more anxious and stressed, and it seems obvious, but far too many ignore one area that can have the greatest impact for change: culture. People do not expect work to be “fun,” but they do expect and deserve a work culture that cultivates happiness, inclusion, concern, and mindfulness.

Can you share 5 things that managers and executives should be doing to improve their company work culture? Can you give a personal story or example for each?

Engage — never miss an opportunity to formally or informally engage with your people.

Listen — Take the time to listen. While they certainly want your perspective, more often than not, employees want to be heard. Ensure you are mindfully present.

Act — Let them know what you heard, and where/when appropriate, let them know what actions you will be taking on their behalf.

Re-engage — More important… follow up and re-engage a little further down the road and see how things are going.

Measure — Ensure you put a measurement tool in place to keep everyone, including yourself, accountable and give credit when due. Always measure what matters, especially when people spark positive change.

It’s very nice to suggest ideas, but it seems like we have to “change the culture regarding work culture.” What can we do as a society to make a broader change in the U.S. workforce’s work culture?

I don’t believe workplace culture is society’s problem. Workplace culture is the a company leadership problem, and that burden of responsibility falls squarely on company leaders’ shoulders. Culture is NOT a soft skill. It is the skill that can be the difference between good to great and great to excellent or, in reserve — without it — excellent to extinct.

How would you describe your leadership or management style? Can you give us a few examples?

Fair, but firm

Inspiring

Highly engaged, but at the same time, I lead and get out of their way and leave room for growth

I create a culture where everyone knows the sooner they surface a problem, the sooner we can fix it and move on. The same problem twice isn’t good, but you don’t want employees feeling like they have to hide a problem.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many. I am a very big believer in having and leveraging a robust network. I have had the great fortune to have many leaders I have worked with and worked for invest in my development. That manifested itself in a myriad of ways, both formally and informally. I have never had just one mentor. Rather, I look back fondly upon the many great individuals who helped me take another step forward. I not only continue to keep my network alive and well, but it continues to grow and has been invaluable to me personally and professionally.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Hopefully, there have been people I have touched who are better today as a result of our connection. Also, I am philanthropic, and I sit on various boards of directors for charities.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I’ll give you two…both help keep me grounded during tough times.

“Good news… on your worst day, it’s not as bad as you think. Bad news… on your best day, it’s not as good as you think. It’s always somewhere in the middle… stay balanced and keep things in perspective.”

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

― Theodore Roosevelt

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

With success, big or small, it comes great responsibility. You must pay it forward.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you continued success!