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David Plait regularly sends his team members in their Hungry Howie's shirts to community events where they hand out pizzas and chat with parents and kids as they pass by.
It looks like simple marketing, but it's something more for Plait, a veteran Hungry Howie's multi-unit franchisee based in Michigan. Such events are deliberate opportunities to push young team members outside their comfort zones and show them what they can do.
"The best way to see the potential in a human being is to challenge them to get outside their comfort zone," he says.
For today's younger workforce, that's not always easy. Plait notes that Gen Z team members often arrive at work with real anxieties. Growing up online means mistakes feel magnified, and the fear of failing in public can make them hesitant to try new things. At work, that can translate into staying quiet, playing it safe, or avoiding responsibility.
Plait sees it as his job to break that pattern. The first step, he says, is building a safe base where team members feel supported. Recognition, encouragement, and mentoring let them know they belong. From that foundation, he introduces challenges designed to stretch them. It could be volunteering in the community, representing the brand at a school event, or simply handing out slices to strangers. Each act nudges team members past what feels familiar.
Getting out of the comfort zone, Plait explains, is what unlocks potential. And the rewards are clear.
"You show people they can do more than they think, and then you see the confidence carry over into the store," he says.
Team members who once hesitated to take on responsibility start volunteering for new tasks. Those who were shy about speaking up begin contributing ideas to improve operations. What begins as a small stretch can become a turning point.
Some team members discover they love it. Plait says many not only rise to the challenge, but start craving the next one. What begins with handing out pizza at a fundraiser can lead to organizing events, managing teams, or mentoring others. The result is a stronger business and stronger people.
Plait says he enjoys seeing formerly shy workers eagerly volunteer to go out into their communities and take pizzas to the people. It's a reminder that his approach works: Give young people a safe base and then nudge them outside their comfort zones. That's where growth happens, and employees become team members.