When Mitch Morrison asked me to write a column on the topic of authenticity, I had to write numerous drafts. The problem was, I wasn’t happy because my drafts were not authentic enough. What follows are my personal thoughts on authenticity based on my career journey.
Authenticity has become a popular word today in politics, business and life. Authenticity refers to being real, sincere and trustworthy. Authenticity is important to all customer segments because everyone, it seems, is seeking authenticity in today’s ever-changing world. Authenticity provides comfort and security.
As I thought deeper about the term, I realized that the companies I most admire are truly authentic, having planted the seeds of authenticity decades ago.
Let me first talk about the place I know best and where I have dedicated decades of my life to nurturing authenticity: Wawa. When I interviewed at Wawa more than 30 years ago, I knew the company was special. I could feel it in my first interview with its true servant leader, Dick Wood (then CEO, now chairman of the board), and Wawa’s “Minister of the Magic,” Don Price (his actual title then was executive vice president).
The spirit of commitment and passion was different than anything I had experienced in my career. Everything began to come together when I read a column Dick had written for our newsletter The Honker in 1986. Below is the column, as republished in our book “The Wawa Way.”
Thoughts From Dick Wood
“It is my job to create an environment under which each of us believes that we can make a difference. Recognizing the danger of controversy, the following is a laundry list of some of my random thoughts on the environment of the company:
- Disdain for flash
- Education and training are encouraged
- Far better to make good long-term decisions even if they lead to painful short-term consequences
- No assigned parking spots or executive dining rooms
- Company’s intelligence is in the front line, not in the executive suite; ideas should bubble to the top
- When in doubt, disclose information
- Don’t tell others what to do … say why
- Preference for promoting from within
- Hard to know who’s who in the pecking order
- Our company is more frenetic than others
- Our informal environment could drive others nuts
- Must hang onto energetic, enthusiastic habits
- Decisions should be made at the lowest possible level
- It’s OK to make mistakes; progress is not possible without them
- We must remain vigilant to the “wants” of our customers
- We should strive to be the best, not the biggest
- The most important person in our company is the one ringing the cash register
- Our system may not work for others, but it does for us
If we believe we can make a difference, we can achieve results that others would find impossible.”
The Wawa World
Dick’s thoughts are clearly authentic and placed a sturdy foundation for Wawa to “fly in friendly formation,” which is how we refer to our culture and the way we work today.
I had the privilege of succeeding Dick as CEO in 2005. My most important task, helped by talented associates, was to develop programs that fertilized the “seeds of authenticity” to flourish and provide a competitive advantage. We used recognition programs, celebrations, associate meetings and briefings to provide life and breath to our authenticity.
Wawa is what I refer to as the “Cheers” of c-stores—a place where store associates know your name, a place to meet friends, a place you call a neighbor. Wawa aspires to be a place where customers hold the door open for each other and are extremely polite in this hectic, time-starved world. It is a place that transcends its nomenclature, such that Philadelphia magazine has referred to the Philadelphia marketplace as “a Wawa World.” If that’s not authentic, I don’t know what is.
Howard Stoeckel is vice chairman of Wawa Inc. Reach him at howard.b.stoeckel@wawa.com.
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