Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant emphasized that a manager’s true strength lies in acknowledging what they don’t know rather than trying to be an expert in everything.
As the first Black CEO of Taco Bell, Tresvant brought with him extensive experience from previous executive roles at Nike and Sports Illustrated. He took over as CEO of the fast-food chain in January, after just three years with Yum! Brands, Taco Bell’s parent company.
Speaking on LinkedIn’s podcast This Is Working With Daniel Roth, Tresvant shared, “One of the best pieces of advice I received when moving from chief brand officer to CEO was to not try to be a black belt in everything.”
For Tresvant, who had a marketing background, this advice was a key lesson in his transition into leadership.
“Become a black belt in marketing and a brown belt in everything else,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of recognizing one’s limitations and seeking out experts when needed. Afterward, it’s about asking the right questions and being able to support the team effectively.
He gave the example: “I know I’m not a CFO, but I have an excellent CFO who can lead the business.”
Tresvant believes that teams struggle when leaders try to do it all, micromanage, and fail to delegate responsibility to their teams.
This view aligns with that of other top executives, such as Beth Ford, CEO of Land O’Lakes, and Calvin Butler, CEO of Exelon, as noted in a Fortune report.
This approach, Tresvant explains, works better in the long run, as micromanaging often diminishes employee morale and drains a manager’s energy and time, according to psychologist Mark Travers in Forbes.
