By Evan Hackel
Success in business is often seen as the product of relentless action – more innovation, more hustle, more growth. But there’s a lesser-acknowledged skill that distinguishes great franchise leaders from the rest: the ability to stop.
Yes, stop.
In the ever-evolving landscape of franchising, where trends, technology, and consumer expectations shift rapidly, knowing what to stop doing can be even more critical than knowing what to start. And yet, many leaders resist this idea. Why? Because stopping feels like quitting. It feels counterproductive, and in the business world, where perseverance is often celebrated above all, letting go can feel like failure.
But here’s the truth: stopping isn’t failure. It’s strategic clarity.
The Franchising Trap: Doing More of What No Longer Works
Many franchisors and franchisees fall into the trap of repetition. A process or campaign that once worked well becomes the sacred cow – untouchable, regardless of whether it’s still effective. Systems that served the business in its infancy are carried forward into maturity, even when they no longer align with current goals or market realities.
This inertia is dangerous.
Franchise systems thrive on consistency, but that doesn’t mean they should be stagnant. Whether it’s a marketing approach, a training module, a supplier relationship, or even a leadership style, what got you here won’t necessarily get you there.
Take training programs, for example. In recent years, younger franchise workers – especially Millennials and Gen Z – have demanded more engaging, interactive, and tech-integrated learning experiences. Still, some franchises cling to outdated training manuals or clunky PowerPoints. Why? Because “that’s how it’s always been done.”
The same applies to internal communication. Many franchisors continue to rely on long-winded newsletters or sporadic memos, even when they know most franchisees would prefer short-form videos or collaborative communication platforms. The fear of changing a routine often outweighs the potential benefit of stopping and rethinking.
But clinging to outdated methods doesn’t create success. It breeds disengagement. And in franchising, disengagement is a silent killer.
The Courage to Cut: Making Strategic Subtractions
Stopping isn’t a passive act – it’s an intentional one. It means you’re willing to examine your habits, assumptions, and systems with a critical eye. It requires courage, especially when a slight loss in profit would incurpride, or tradition are involved.
Here’s a truth worth repeating: success doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from doing the right things well and having the discipline to stop doing the wrong things, even when they feel familiar or safe.
Take a cue from high-performing franchise brands that regularly audit their processes, solicit franchisee feedback, and cut what no longer serves the mission. When done well, this creates a culture of continual improvement – an environment where change is not feared but expected.
Enter Ingagement: Real Change Requires Real Inclusion
Stopping the wrong things and starting the right ones doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens through Ingagement – a leadership approach centered on involving the entire organization in dialogue, decision-making, and transformation. Ingagement goes beyond traditional engagement by prioritizing involvement: actively listening to franchisees, staff, and franchisee employees and including their input in shaping the future.
The best changes, especially the ones involving stopping entrenched practices, don’t come from the top down. They come from inclusive leadership. When you use Ingagement to surface what’s working and what’s not, you generate a wealth of insight. Frontline franchisee employees often spot inefficiencies long before corporate does. Franchisees know what their customers are saying, what their teams are struggling with, and what resources are actually being used.
When a franchisor genuinely includes the community – staff, franchisees, and team members at every level -in conversations about stopping outdated practices, something powerful happens: you build trust. You move from mandates to momentum.
When to Stop: Signs You’re Holding on Too Long
So how do you know when it’s time to stop? Look for these signs:
- Declining results despite increasing effort. If something used to work but now requires significantly more time and energy for diminishing returns, it’s time to reassess.
- Low engagement or interest. If franchisees aren’t showing up to training, attending conventions, or responding to communications, it might be because the format no longer resonates.
- Inconsistent alignment with your brand vision. Every activity and system in your franchise should support your brand’s core identity. If a process is misaligned, it’s a candidate for stopping.
- You hear “but we’ve always done it this way” more than “how can we do this better?” The first of those statements is a red flag for complacency.
Recognizing these signs is the first step. Acting on them – through collaborative dialogue and data-driven analysis – is the real challenge.
How to Start Stopping
Stopping isn’t about making rash decisions or burning everything down. It’s about thoughtful, strategic evaluation. Here’s a simple process you can use:
- Audit Regularly. Schedule time every quarter or year to review systems, tools, campaigns, and programs. Involve your whole network.
- Measure Value. Ask: What’s the ROI on this process or activity? Is it achieving the intended outcome? Could the resources be better spent elsewhere?
- Gather Input Through Ingagement. Talk to franchisees. Poll staff. Ask franchisee employees directly. Use councils, surveys, and informal touchpoints to hear what should go and why.
- Identify Opportunity Costs. Every hour and dollar spent on something ineffective is an hour and dollar not spent on something better.
- Communicate Changes Clearly. When you decide to stop something, explain the rationale to your team and franchisees. Let them know what’s replacing it – or if it’s simply being removed to create more space.
- Celebrate Smart Subtractions. Too often, we celebrate what’s new and overlook what’s no longer dragging us down. Making it a cultural norm to acknowledge when stopping leads to better outcomes.
Stopping in Action: A Franchise Success Story
Consider the story of a franchise that struggled with stagnant growth. Despite pouring money into national advertising, franchisee sales remained flat. Instead of doubling down, the leadership team paused and conducted a full review, this time involving the entire franchise community through advisory councils and feedback sessions.
They discovered their digital presence was outdated and traditional media weren’t resonating with customers. With input from franchisees and their staff, they cut legacy advertising programs and shifted to localized digital campaigns powered by real-time customer data.
The result? A 40% increase in lead generation and a 20% increase in systemwide sales within a year.
They didn’t succeed by doing more. They succeeded by stopping the right things and listening deeply through Ingagement.
Final Thought: Subtract to Multiply
In the end, stopping isn’t just a management tactic – it’s a mindset. It’s a commitment to clarity, courage, and continuous improvement. And it works best when paired with Ingagement: when decisions to stop are informed by the people closest to the action.
So ask yourself: What are you holding onto that no longer serves your mission, your team, or your franchisees?
And more importantly: Who have you asked about it?
When you stop doing what’s not working – and involve others in helping decide – you create space for what can. That’s where transformation lives. And that’s where franchise success truly begins.
About Evan Hackel
As author, speaker and entrepreneur, Evan has been instrumental in launching more than 20 businesses and has managed a portfolio of brands with systemwide sales of more than $5 billion. He is the creator of Ingaged Leadership, is author of the book Ingaging Leadership: The Ultimate Edition and is a thought leader in the fields of leadership and success.
Evan is the CEO of Ingage Consulting. Reach Evan at ehackel@ingage.net, 781-820-7609 or visit www.evanhackel.com.