You know that sinking feeling. Everything runs like clockwork when you're on shift, crisp execution, smooth flow, standards that would make corporate proud. But the moment you step away for a break, take a day off, or heaven forbid, try to take a vacation, you come back to find things have slipped. Not catastrophically, but enough to notice. Enough to worry.

Welcome to the Mirror Manager Trap, where your presence becomes the only thing reflecting your restaurant's true standards back to your team.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. It's one of the most common struggles I see among Chick-fil-A Operators, and it's slowly stealing your freedom while exhausting your energy. The good news? It's completely solvable once you understand what's really happening and how to fix it.

Mirror management happens when your personal presence becomes the primary driver of performance standards. Like a mirror, when you're there, everything looks perfect, your team reflects your energy, attention to detail, and urgency back at you. But remove the mirror, and there's nothing left to maintain that reflection.

The solution isn't to lower your standards or accept mediocrity in your absence. Instead, it's about creating what I call "healthy tension"—systems that maintain performance pressure without requiring your personal presence to generate it.

In leadership, the goal isn't always about finding the perfect solution—sometimes, the real win is empowering others to grow by letting them lead. In my latest article, I share how embracing the Minimum Viable Solution (MVS) helped me shift from solving problems to developing future leaders. Discover how allowing others to own decisions can build trust, confidence, and long-term success in your Chick-fil-A team. Click to explore how the MVS approach can transform your leadership style and boost your team's potential!