“Leadership is self improvement,” Adamolekun said. “Understand yourself and what your strengths are and where you can be better. Because the stronger you are as a person, the more people are going to want to follow you.”
“So if you want to be a better leader, become a better person,” he continued.
Adamolekun has a proven track record for breathing life back into struggling restaurant chains, having steered P.F. Chang’s through a major turnaround after its 2019 buyout. He focused on store remodels, menu and tech upgrades, and tighter operations that boosted sales and profitability. Under his leadership, P.F. Chang’s started generating revenues of about $1 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association.
He’s bringing much of that playbook to Red Lobster.
“Customers “just want quality food in a comfortable setting and to connect with the history of the brand,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “That’s the first step.”
Although dozens of restaurants closed during the bankruptcy period, Adamolekun said the company intends to be done shuttering any more locations, and only plans “to grow from here in terms of the business.” They’re also planning to improve existing locations by fixing broken HVAC systems, torn carpets, and chairs, as well as streamlining menus.
But fully seeing through massive plans like this isn’t for the faint of heart. Adamolekun also advised on the How Leaders Lead podcast taking criticism is all part of the job of being a successful leader.
“The problem is most people are sensitive, and they don’t want to be criticized,” he said. “At some point, you have to not take it personally. It’s almost like you have to separate yourself from yourself.
Being self-critical is important, he said, “because that’s how you improve, right?”
