Leadership

Leadership Qualities – Styles, Traits, and Skills of Ray Kroc

by Ratul Sinha

Ray Kroc is one of the most outstanding people to exist in the business world. The second position was never an option for him. A leader who has changed the concept of a fast-food restaurant chain. The person who walked into McDonald’s door to sell a milkshake machine and walked out with a French contract in his hands at the age of 52. He made McDonald’s what it is right now. A struggling salesperson who changed the game of fast food over the whole world with his sole vision and dedication towards success. Analyzing the leadership approach of Ray Kroc will make you love this business leader the way you love to order your happy meal from McDonald’s. 

Leadership Qualities – Styles, Traits, and Skills of Ray Kroc

Combination of Optimism and Confidence

Being hopeful about your own words and plan is extremely important in the business world. Ray Kroc was both optimistic and confident about his approach. He was smart, confident, and optimistic about his actions. Apart from being optimistic, he was thoughtful. He had one psychology, “Win it or win it”. So he only used to think about contingency plans and solutions to organizational problems. 

Being Visionary

As Ray Kroc single-handedly changed the face of the food chain industry around the globe, we can say he had his priorities straight. He was thoughtful and he wasn’t just optimistic about his plans. As a great leader should do, he learned till his last day in the business He wanted to take McDonald’s to a state where people will love having it and he did that quite perfectly. 

Commitment

Vision and optimism can only take you to the next step. The main key is to stay committed. He was a man of his words. As he was a salesperson before so he knew how to sell. So he was devoted to his business and committed himself completely for his vision with his enthusiasm. Being wise and smart he made sure he stayed focused throughout his time in McDonald’s. Ray Kroc was actively helping the company even after he retired and that shows how committed he was. 

Honest and Integrity

As we learned earlier, Ray Kroc was a man of his word. He had the vision of the eagle looking for opportunities. But one thing he had himself was honest. He was transparent with his actions and had full integrity with his work. Being a bit strict on the employees was mandatory for him as he had to ensure the quality of the food and the service is top-notch. Ray Kroc tried to keep his business within his good morals. As a business leader, we should all learn and practice this quality of his. 

Attention to Detail

As Ray Kroc had to maintain the quality of the food in every branch of his business, he always made sure he had given everything enough importance. McDonald’s was initially famous for its great services and no waiting for the food theme. So Kroc wanted to maintain that and that made him very cautious about his steps. This quality of his has made him successfully make McDonald’s big. 

What is Ray Kroc’s Leadership Style?

Even though he was always open to suggestions, McDonald’s core leadership style was autocratic. Ray Kroc took all the decisions with his top management. No feedback from the employees was taken. He had an ambitious mindset and was ready for changes even when he wasn’t looking for it. He ensures that only the right decisions are being made. Apart from being a crowd’s favorite one, he took his leadership approach very seriously. He used to take decisions according to the autocratic leadership style where the end decision is always taken by the leader. Even though he was one of the autocrat leaders, every one of his employees respected him for making the right decision at the right time. 

Leadership Traits of Leader Ray Kroc

Vision and Purpose

Ray Kroc was an excellent visionary leader. When the founder of McDonald’s didn’t see any future of the restaurant, he had a clear picture of the potential of it. He was a visionary person and his purpose was to be the best. For that, he always made sure that everyone is giving their hundred percent and going towards the organizational goal. 

Commitment and Passion 

As he was visionary, he made sure he was totally committed to his work. He did his part of the job so passionately that this quality made him one of the best traits. He used to give his everything and for a 52-year-old, he was more optimistic than anyone of the youth in the modern generation. This quality of his made him one of the best leaders of the whole world. 

Decision-making Capabilities

Let’s ask ourselves some questions. Who would have thought about signing a contract with a company who failed their previous business expansion approach? Who would even want to buy his boss’s company for $2.7 million? You guessed it right, Ray Kroc would and he did. Not only this, but he has also shown his excellence in the decision making process over the years as the CEO of McDonald’s.

Other Leadership Traits and Characteristics of Ray Kroc

Apart from his major three traits in leadership, this gentleman had his other leadership qualities on point. He was honest about his actions since he had the confidence to win every time. The important part is he only cared about being the best and that inspired a lot of people around him. He is known to be one of the greatest communicators the world has ever witnessed as he was clear and honest about his actions.

Leadership Skills of Business Leader Ray Kroc

Patience

Ray Kroc was a patient guy. As he conducted business with a spreading mindset, he always tried to stay calm around everyone. It took him 6 years to make the company his and waited for the right opportunity and brought the company from its former owners. So he had the skill of being extremely patient about situations. 

Positivity 

Ray Kroc was an enthusiastic and optimistic person. At the age of 52, he started his new life. He was positive about his approach and had a clear vision. That made him the person as we remember him now. Everything starts with something and Ray Kroc’s life changed with the sense of positivity he had in him while conducting business. 

Team Building

As a business leader, building one’s workforce is important. Our financial engineer formed his teams around the globe in such a manner that the service and the quality of the goods they get are exactly the same. This is what helped McDonald’s grow and sustain. And Raymond Albert Kroc created a tradition among the business where the team is close and efficient. 

Risk-Taking

One of the finest qualities that Ray Kroc had was his risk-taking ability. The first day he walked into McDonald’s door, he walked out with risk in this hand. A contract that changed his life. He borrowed money from people to conduct business and that task made him one of the most important people of the century.

Bottom Line

As entrepreneurs, everyone has a lot to learn from him. He didn’t stop even when he wasn’t looking for any new opportunity. Ray Kroc was a business icon. He started from the bottom with a sudden plan on his head. But he was confident enough to pursue it. As a business leader, he was a 360 all-rounder with the capacity to win every time he competes. The way a person who wanted to sell a milkshake machine built a billion dollars worth industry with his simple plans speaks for his excellence. He may not be with as at the moment, but what showed us with his leadership is worth remembering. 

Related

Resources

  • https://brandongaille.com/mcdonalds-founder-ray-krocs-leadership-style-and-traits/
  • https://www.restfinance.com/Restaurant-Finance-Across-America/June-2017/Not-The-Founder-But-A-Financial-Engineer/