CHARITY CORNER n SHAKERS & MOVERS
Outback Gives Back
By Laura Dorsey
M
ost organizations are known by
their mission statement. If you
research, there is no direct
mission statement for Outback
Steakhouse. When the organization was
developed, the founders wanted a place
with a casual atmosphere and a strong
focus on quality food and service. Over
the years, Outback Steakhouse quickly be-
came known as a place that served a great
steak at a reasonable price by people who
genuinely cared about the comfort, well-
being and joy of their guests. Without the
words, this is the mission that Outback
Steakhouse Kirkman/Universal Managing
Partner, Michael Crump embodies.
It is a known fact that corporate culture
matters. How management chooses to
treat its people impacts everything. Crump
knows that these words are true. If there
were words to describe Michael Crump,
they would come from a quote by Colin
Powell, “Fit no stereotypes. Don’t chase
the latest management fads. The situation
dictates which approach best accomplishes
the team’s mission.” If you ever walk into
his Outback Steakhouse, you would see
his every action replicate this quote. The
restaurant lists the fact that there are 66
employees with 179 combined years of
experience. What you will find is a family/
team that is committed to the unwritten
mission led by this extraordinary man.
There are a thousand details necessary to
operate this successful restaurant, but there
is a single goal. And everyone is committed
to that goal, especially Crump. You will find
him filling in for any employee where there
is a need. He is there on his days off, not
because he must be there, but because the
situation dictates, and he is the coach of the
team committed to the goal. He leads by
example through integrity and character.
His belief is that if he talks the walk and
walks the talk his team will astonish him
with high performance.
However important that performance is
in the restaurant business, Crump also
believes that to whom much is given,
much is required. Outback Steakhouse is
committed to being a strong contributor
to the communities they serve, and Crump
and his team embody this philosophy.
There is a platform where non-profits
can book restaurant fundraisers in their
locations. Crump explained how the pro-
gram works. Donation requests (including
requests for donations of gift certificates
and food) are submitted in writing to his
attention. Requests should be submitted
on the organization's official letterhead,
including the organization's full name,
address, phone, and fax numbers, stating
the donation request, when it is needed,
and how it will benefit the community.
Crump has team members that are
responsible for vetting the requests. Once
the requests are approved, then the fun
of fundraising begins. There are many
different types, but on this day, the idea
was that the organization promotes that
their supporters are encouraged to dine at
Outback Steakhouse at Kirkman/Universal.
A portion of the proceeds for that day are
donated to the requesting organization. In
addition, the non-profit can have a team at
the restaurant, explaining their organization
to customers who may not be familiar with
their cause. This is all done in a fun and
informative atmosphere.
The give-back does not only happen within
the restaurant. A toy-drive is a charity event
that collects toys or money for them to
be distributed to children that are less
fortunate. During the holiday season,
members of the Outback Steakhouse
Kirkman/Universal management team went
on a shopping spree buying toys for several
toy drives. Now the usual instruction is to
buy a small inexpensive unwrapped toy
for distribution. This team, in their usual
manner, went above and beyond. The toys
were larger than most of the small children
would have been able to hold without help.
Although unwrapped, each of the toys were
adorned with oversized bows and ribbons
giving them a very festive and Christmas
look. This author is not sure who had
more fun, the children receiving the toys
or Michael Crump’s Outback Steakhouse
team who did the shopping.
Outback Steakhouse Kirkman/Universal
also partners with other local non-profit
organizations in the community. The
NFL Alumni Central FL teamed up with
Journey Church to bring holiday smiles
throughout the Central Florida area by
adopting families from Harbor House and
sharing donations with One Heart Children
& Families. These organizations hosted a
Holiday Party and fundraiser at Novelty in
Orlando. The pièce de résistance for this
event was the steak and potatoes hors
d'oeuvres donated by Michael Crump’s
Outback Steakhouse Kirkman/Universal
team. The guests marveled at the steak
spires nestled in mashed potatoes. Crump
himself was there the entire time with
the help of not only his team, but as an
example to his children who were also
there to participate in the giveback to the
community.
Nothing proves a man’s ability to lead
others more than what he does day to
day to lead himself. Michael Crump
understands that leadership is not a title or
even his position, its is in his every action
and the example that he leads for others.
Matshona Dhilwayo said, “The real power
of a leader is in the number of minds that
he can reach, the hearts he can touch, souls
he can move and lives he can change”. The
team at Outback Steakhouse Kirkman/
Universal do not feel that they are unique.
Crump says that the same philosophy can
be found in any local Outback Steakhouse
in your community and if you have any
questions, you can contact him, or his team
and they will point you in the right direction.
Michael Crump does not separate the life
that he lives from the words that he speaks.
Crump represents more than Outback
Steakhouse, he represents a philosophy of
Giveback. n
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