This has long been the prayer that has successfully guided millions through 12-step programs. Well it occurs to me that Franchisees, franchisors and 12 steppers have a lot in common.

The goal in a 12-step program is to successfully overcome obstacles, using a proven system, which when wholly executed with the same spirit, diligence, rigor, and intent and the designers, produces a desired result (sobriety). The goal of a successful franchisee is to create a desired lifestyle, overcoming obstacles, using proven methods also created, tried and improved by those before him.

 

1. Admit to ourselves that we are powerless and our lives had become unmanageable. Isn’t that why franchisees start businesses? Their lives and careers are in the hands of others and they have become powerless. Whatever got them to where they were isn’t going to get them where they want to go next. They are on a path to nowhere in particular.

2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Well, once franchisees and franchisors realize that they don’t have all of the answers, but they are available somewhere in the marketplace, calm and sanity can be brought to the business and the franchisee-franchisor relationship.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care God as we understood Him. Franchisees take a giant leap of faith, trusting their dreams and resources to the trust and care of the franchisor. Franchisors take a giant leap in faith, trusting the brand to the care of the franchisee. That is not to say that the franchisor or the franchisee is God, but when one steps backlooks at everything which is unknown and could go wrong and doesn’t, he or she often is left with the experience that a loving, caring hand is guiding the way.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Franchisees have to do rigorous self examination, understanding the knowledge, skills, and habits they are bringing to the equation and identifying what they are missing. It is up to the franchisee to fill in the gap with the help of the franchisor.

5. Admitted to God, ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Franchisees and franchisors have to shoot straight with each other about their own limitations. Franchisees and franchisors must work together to create a community of trust. They must understand and accept each others limitations and help each other win.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Once a franchisee and franchisor acknowledges their limitations, system shortcomings, scarcity of resources, what does and doesn’t work with themselves and the system, they will be ready to take this step in all humility and positive intention.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Remember we all have shortcomings. The goal of franchising isn’t to have the franchisor be always be right or look good, or to dominate franchisees. The goal is somehow find a way where the franchisor, franchisees, customers, and suppliers can all win together. Franchisors need to put ego aside and remember the prize and what is at stake.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Be rigorous with your memory. Who did we harm? What did we do? What was the impact? What could we have done differently? The unwritten promise of the franchise agreement is to leave franchisees better off than they were when they found us. Who did we break this promise with?

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Recognize all messes can be cleaned up. With gentleness and wisdom, how can we make amends without exposing the system, franchisor, and other franchisees to unnecessary risk?

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. This is an ongoing pursuit in the life of a franchisee and franchisor. Personal responsibility drives franchising. Correctly identifying and acknowledging problems is the first step to correcting and overcoming them. Owning your own results (good and bad) restores power.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Franchisees and franchisors need to give themselves time to reflect on their life and business or the franchise can consume them. They have to schedule time to remember who they are, what they stand for, and why they are in the business in the first place. They have to give themselves time to remember that they own the business and the business doesn’t own them. But prayer and thinking isn’t enough. They have to skillfully execute the high priority activities which generate most of the results.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. After practicing and mastering these steps franchisees and franchisors should give back others and help them get theirs.

Just remember, the program works if you work the program!