Facility Rockstars | Mastering the Blueprint for Growth and Innovation - Drew Rees - Facility Rockstars

Mastering the Blueprint for Growth and Innovation - Drew Rees - Facility Rockstars - Episode # 030

October 3, 2024 / 33:35/E30

In this episode of Facility Rockstars, host Jay Culbert interviews Drew Rees, the Director of Facilities at Dutch Bros Coffee. Drew shares his insights on servant leadership, emphasizing its true meaning of setting conditions for success rather than doing everything for others. He discusses his approach to facilities management, including prioritizing quality, speed, and pricing based on circumstances, and the importance of right-sizing service providers.

Drew also talks about the growth of Dutch Bros Coffee, the challenges and strategies of managing a rapidly expanding facility network, and the implementation of innovative solutions like AI to streamline operations. The episode concludes with Drew reflecting on his career journey and the satisfaction he finds in fostering career development within his team.

Takeaways:

Servant Leadership: Drew emphasizes that true servant leadership is about setting the conditions for others to succeed, rather than doing everything for them. Leaders should focus on empowering their teams, much like the Sherpas who help climbers by creating favorable conditions rather than dragging them up the mountain.
Rapid Growth Management: With Dutch Bros opening a new shop every other day, Drew highlights the importance of agile management and the ability to pivot quickly. Leaders in high-growth environments should ensure they have robust processes and adaptive teams to manage the fast pace.
Initial Training for New Hires: When onboarding new team members, Drew advises explaining the fundamental trade-offs in the business. For facilities, it’s the balance of speed, quality, and price. Leaders should clearly communicate the strategic priorities and operational constraints to set realistic expectations and guide decision-making.
Right-Sizing Service Providers: Drew’s approach to right-sizing service providers ensures they are neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. Leaders should match the capabilities of their service providers with the needs of the business, aiming to be a top-priority client to ensure the highest level of service.
Automation for Efficiency: By automating simple but critical tasks (like lighting control), Drew saves money and reduces the cognitive load on employees. Leaders should leverage technology to optimize operational efficiencies and allow staff to focus on higher-value tasks.
Staggered Rollouts of New Technology: Drew advocates for a staged approach to technology rollouts to mitigate risk. Leaders should pilot new technologies with small groups to identify and resolve issues before wider implementation, ensuring smoother transitions and higher success rates.
Building a Foundational Culture: As Dutch Bros scales rapidly, Drew stresses the importance of creating strong foundational processes and culture. Leaders should establish and nurture a solid organizational foundation, giving team members a sense of purpose and ownership in their contributions.

Quote of the Show:

“This is the career quicksand you're never getting out of it. Once you're in facilities, you better just accept your fate and do the best you can, because you're going to be a facility manager until the day you retire.”

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