David Novak Teaches The Secret Weapon Of Every Leader
Long before he helped found and served as the CEO of Yum! Brands, David Novak learned about the power of recognition while playing Little League in Kimball, Nebraska.
In a recent interview, Novak recalled how his father, who coached his Little League team, turned an unathletic teammate into a vital part of the team by recognizing his potential.
“He had very little athletic talent, but my dad turned him into a catcher,” said Novak, who’s YUM Brands serves as parent to KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. “He just sat back there. I would pitch and I’d fire my fastballs in there, and almost knock him down. But my father believed in him and believed that was his spot, so he stuck with him.
“I love the fact that my dad took this athlete—who wasn’t an athlete—and made him a viable part of the team,” Novak said in the interview. “He contributed to the team and he did a good job. He was never the best player, but I loved how my dad invested the time in him to coach him and to help him feel like he could really contribute—and he did.”
This lesson of focusing on people’s contributions and fostering their growth became the cornerstone of Novak’s leadership philosophy. “As a leader, your job is to help people succeed,” he said.
Novak applied this principle to his professional career, making employee recognition a central part of Yum! Brands’ culture. While serving as president of KFC, Novak implemented a unique recognition program involving rubber chickens, hand-written notes and cash rewards. Novak made it a point to travel to KFC restaurants around the globe and seek out employees who excelled, then present them with simple rubber chickens and a note, then posed for photos together. The framed photo was a visible reminder in Novak’s office of the employee’s contribution and of the celebration of that employee. His message to employees was clear: “You’re what makes our business tick.”
This commitment to recognition extended beyond symbolic gestures. Novak embraced spontaneity and personalization, ensuring that his actions felt genuine and heartfelt. He described recognition as a “secret weapon” for leaders, emphasizing that it must be done authentically to resonate. “I wanted to make recognition the number one behavior that we would execute around the world,” he said.
When he led Pepsi, Novak saw for himself how powerful recognition can be for employees. Novak’s “aha moment” came when he was at a bottling plant in St. Louis and was asking who was a model of best behaviours. Everyone offered the same name. When Novak looked at the employee, he noticed he was tearing up. The employee, Bob, then told Novak he had no idea his teammates felt that way and was sorry he was just learning that. “I’ve been in this company for 47 years, and I’m going to retire in two weeks,” Bob said. “I didn’t know people felt this way about me.”
Recalling Bob’s words, Novak said they “hit me in the gut.” This experience profoundly impacted Novak, inspiring him to prioritize recognition in all the teams he ever led. “When you recognize people, and you do it sincerely, and you do it genuinely, you give away a piece of your heart to someone else,” Novak said. “You also don’t wait for the ‘right time’ to do it.”
Other notable CEOs, including Barry-Whemiller CEO Bob Chapman, and Garry Ridge of WD-40, have also embraced innovative and heartfelt recognition practices, further validating Novak’s approach. Recognition, when done sincerely and consistently, not only boosts employee engagement but also fosters a culture of appreciation and mutual respect. That’s the case with American Fidelity Assurance Company which has been praised for recognizing employees through travel-based incentives.
Experts like Larry Dunivan, a Human Capital Management strategist who served on the Forbes Business Council, advocate for leaders to actively seek out opportunities for recognizing small but meaningful accomplishments. By doing so, leaders can create an outsized impact on morale and performance. Like Novak, Dunivan urged CEOs offer a personal touch when they recognize their employees who excel and never overlook smaller accomplishments.
“If you want to up your game and be massively more effective in recognizing employees, you need to be constantly on the lookout for small moments where you can proactively have an outsized impact,” Dunivan advised. “It’s fine to have the people team support your efforts here, but by taking on more direct personal responsibility, it will most certainly be noticed. And your people team will be delighted, too.”
Novak’s career demonstrates that recognition is far more than a management tactic—it’s a deeply human practice that strengthens connections and drives organizational success. By making recognition a priority, leaders can inspire their teams to achieve greatness while ensuring everyone feels valued and appreciated.
“I didn’t want to have any more Bobs in our company,” Novak said.