Why Great Leaders Eat Their Own Burgers
And What Every Leader Can Learn From a Viral CEO Moment
A short video is circulating online. In the clip, CEOs from major burger companies take a bite of their own burgers on camera. No fancy marketing language. No boardroom strategy talk. Just executives eating the “product” their companies sell every day.
Companies like McDonald's, Wendy's, A&W, and Burger King appeared in the trend.
And somehow the internet couldn’t stop watching.
Millions of views. Thousands of comments. Endless comparisons.
At first glance, it seems silly.
But it revealed something deeper about leadership.
Because the moment exposed a question every organization eventually faces: Do the leaders actually believe in what they’re serving?
Let’s unpack this (and this is one of the most fun Leader Letters I’ve ever written).
The Internet Is Hungry for Authentic Leaders
People are exhausted with polished messaging.
They’ve seen the commercials. They’ve heard the slogans. They’ve watched the corporate press releases.
But when a CEO takes a bite of their own burger, something different happens.
The moment becomes real.
Viewers watch carefully.
Not the burger.
The reaction.
Does the leader smile? Do they look surprised? Do they look proud?
Or do they look like they’ve never eaten their own “product” before?
That tiny reaction tells the audience everything.
Because authenticity is the currency of leadership right now. And the internet can smell fake from a mile away.
The Leadership Distance Problem
Many leaders drift away from the work they lead.
Not intentionally.
Just gradually.
At first, they are close to the mission.
They know the customers. They understand the "product”. They feel the experience.
But over time, leadership shifts into meetings, reports, dashboards, and strategy documents.
Soon, the leader understands the organization through numbers instead of experience.
That distance creates blind spots.
And blind spots create decline.
Great leaders fight that distance.
They stay close to the work.
The Leaders Who Stay Close Always Win
The strongest leaders in history stayed connected to their product.
Steve Jobs obsessed over product design.
Howard Schultz spent time in stores observing customer experience.
Walt Disney walked through his parks watching how guests interacted with rides and attractions.
They didn’t lead from distance.
They led from experience.
Because when leaders experience the work firsthand, they see things reports will never reveal.
The Real Leadership Lesson
The viral burger moment revealed something simple, but powerful.
Great leaders eat their own burgers.
In other words:
They experience the thing they ask others to deliver.
They feel the product.
They test the systems.
They observe the experience.
That proximity produces clarity.
And clarity produces better leadership decisions.
What This Means for Church Leaders
This lesson translates directly into ministry.
Many church leaders unintentionally drift away from the experience of the church.
They plan services.
They design systems.
They review attendance numbers.
But they rarely experience the church the way a guest does.
That distance creates blind spots.
Great leaders regularly step back into the experience.
Not as the pastor.
Not as the leader.
But as the participant.
Try This Leadership Exercise
If you lead a church or organization, try this once a quarter.
Experience your organization like a first-time guest.
Start in the parking lot.
Walk the building.
Sit in a service anonymously.
Watch the volunteers.
Listen to the announcements.
Pay attention to how people are treated.
Notice what feels warm.
Notice what feels confusing.
Notice what feels disconnected.
You will learn more in one hour of observation than in ten
hours of meetings.
Because experience tells the truth.
Leadership Reflection Questions
Every leader should wrestle with these questions.
Would I enjoy the experience my organization provides?
Would I recommend this to someone I love?
Would I be proud if a guest experienced this today?
If the answer is uncertain, the solution is simple.
Get closer to the work.
The Leadership Principle
Here’s the lesson hiding inside that viral video.
Distance weakens leadership.
Proximity strengthens it.
The closer leaders stay to the experience, the better they lead.
Because leadership is not just about vision.
It is about awareness.
And awareness grows when leaders experience the work themselves.
One Final Leadership Thought
Want to know how to stay close to the experience the right way? Start with three steps:
Experience the work like a guest.
Listen to the people closest to the process.
Fix what you notice immediately.
Leadership improves when awareness increases.
And awareness grows when leaders are willing to take a bite of their own burger.
ChurchLeaderOS Coaching
If you’re a pastor or church leader trying to strengthen
systems, culture, and leadership clarity in your church,
this is exactly the kind of work I help leaders walk through
every day.
Healthy churches don’t happen by accident.
They happen when leaders stay close to the mission, the people, and the experience.
See you next Saturday!
Eric V Hampton
Whenever you're ready, here are 4 ways I can help you:
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