KFC’s Neil Piper would ‘go for a drink with every single person’ in the company

It’s a blazingly hot day in the middle of a UK heatwave when I sit down to talk to KFC’s Neil Piper. In the friendly preamble to our conversation, we discuss the heat and I’m amazed to hear that KFC’s sales suffer in this weather because “people don’t buy fried chicken, they barbecue”.

After joining KFC at 25 as an area coach, Neil has risen through the ranks and now seeks to inspire others as an openly LGBTQ+ leader in an international corporation. Here, we discuss leadership styles, diversity, and his favourite KFC dish.

Have you always been a people person?

I think so, yes. I’ve worked in operations, which, in essence, is people. I’ve worked in
the people and culture function, which, of course, is people. Now I’m in a broader general management role and it’s really all about people. But even before then, I’ve always been sociable and had an intuition and emotional intelligence that has served me very well. And I’ve always been interested in leadership and teams ever since my teenage years playing rugby.

What kind of leadership style gets the most out of employees?

Creating an environment that is helpful, collaborative, and that thrives on authenticity. We’ve got a very authentic founder — Colonel Sanders was a real person with an incredible story. So, it’s deeply embedded. What works very well is where this quest to be ourselves gives us permission to be vulnerable. Being in an environment that allows an individual’s thoughts, hopes, dreams, and fears to surface as their character is showing up is very healthy.

Are people surprised that Colonel Sanders was real and not just a logo?

It’s hit-and-miss. There’s a cult-like quality to him. People are surprised that he’s real. But there are some absolute myths in there.

You’ve been with KFC for 14 years. By today’s standards, that’s a long time.

I agree and yet 14 years has gone by in the blink of an eye. I genuinely hope I never leave. There’s a rich diversity of people here, all held together by similar values. I’d go for a drink with every single person I come across at work. It feels like we’ve all graduated as friends and got a job at the same place. It’s collegiate, helpful, it has a spirit of boldness and courage. Ultimately, that and the career promise keeps KFC magnetic.

Has it always felt inclusive?

I’ve seen an attempt to change in two aspects. One is figuring out where we’ve got more work to do. Just by looking at that through recruitment is naïve. If you’re going to welcome more people at the table, you need to make sure it is set for them. There’s no point going after representation if someone arrives and thinks, ‘There’s no one else like me.’ Secondly, creating ways that employees can form their own sense of community. We’ve got an LGBTQ staff group called Kentucky Fried Pride, for example. You create this space that says, “We want the best of everyone, and we’d love it if you want to help us do that.”

Have you always been out at KFC?

I’ve always been out in the world of work and I’m always coming out. That was my biggest observation when I went to the US; I had this plethora of onboarding meetings in Texas and people were asking, “What’s your wife’s name?” There are those micro-moments of coming out constantly, which are another way for me to be visible and create a sense of normality about it.

How else did the US differ from the UK?

Same brand, same product, same mission, and yet very different. My partner and I never felt unsafe in Dallas. At the same time, we felt far more conscious that we were ‘different’ than we did in the UK.

Have you ever felt that being LGBTQ has impacted you professionally?

I think LGBTQ people can’t assume certain things that the heteronormative world can — that means you navigate around something more consciously. And that gives us this inherent sense of resilience that can be a really positive thing. I’m always blown away by listening to stories of overcoming barriers — that is really inspiring. And if you can channel that, we can turn some bumps in the road into a superpower. I definitely feel that sense of confidence and resilience.

Have you ever come across homophobia in the workplace?

No, and I’m very grateful to say that. I definitely experience curiosity about my experience, and “When did you come out?” That’s a double-edged sword. When you have this culture of authenticity and vulnerability, and you tell your story, you’re asking people to put their hand up and say, “I’ve got a question.” So, you need to be prepared to answer them. The experience of some of our restaurant employees does humble me. I definitely experienced rejection from my father, and lots of our team in the community are experiencing some of that, whether it’s family or friends. You’ve got this contrast of tough experiences outside of KFC, and family at the restaurant. It was incredibly powerful to hear that this fried chicken shop could actually be a safe haven for people when they need it.

What’s surprised you most about your job?

The breadth of the role. It’s the first time I haven’t been actively involved in one part of the jigsaw. Now I’m working with amazing people building the whole jigsaw. That’s been an awesome learning experience. It’s definitely stretched me. My working week is equal parts ‘I don’t know,’ and ‘I know more than I thought I did.’ There’s always going to be stuff you don’t know. But you go and empower people to tell you because they do know. And that breeds more self-confidence and curiosity and empowerment.

How did you feel about stepping into the interim general manager position?

It was quite a quick transition, so there wasn’t much time to analyse. I felt really humbled and privileged. To be given the opportunity made me feel trusted, because of all the people, they chose me.

What role models have you had?

I haven’t had any gay role models in my career. I’m in a position that if I was entering the world of work right now, being able to see that our leadership team is 20 percent LGBTQ, that’s really important. I wish that in the companies I’ve worked for I could have looked up and seen someone like me in a leadership role.

What is the biggest achievement in your career so far?

I think the biggest achievement is doing the job I’m doing. I’m the interim general manager of an almost £2 billion brand in the UK. It’s only had three general managers in the time that I’ve been with the organisation, and I’m one of them. This company can actually create opportunity for people to gain self-esteem, confidence, life skills, training, qualifications, accreditations, career progression. That’s an absolute privilege, and it doesn’t escape me. I’m proud of that, I feel emotional telling you. I haven’t really thought it through like that before.

How do you challenge any self-doubt you may have?

I have the least self-doubt right now than I’ve ever had. First, this concept of impostor syndrome. We’re all impostors in some way. Really understanding why I do the things I do, why I think the things I think, being able to take my truth and the truth and challenge the gap between the two, and understanding what you’re good at, and not worrying about what you’re not good at — that’s important. Another thing is, not everyone’s gonna like you, but you don’t like everyone, either. Just be you. This notion of being the ‘work Neil’ and the ‘home Neil’ is not helpful.

How does ‘work Neil’ differ from ‘home Neil’?

He doesn’t now and that’s the brilliant bit. Do my kids see a different type of leader/father than my peers at work? Of course, but that’s about context. It’s not about me as a person.

Does working for a brand like KFC make it easier or more difficult to order takeaway?

Well, there’s certain takeaways I just wouldn’t ever order. It’s almost like working for Pepsi
but getting served Coke. If nothing else, that’s about a level of pride and passion for this brand. Whatever industry you work in, you become hypervigilant and critical of whatever it is you’re consuming. But it doesn’t make it particularly difficult to order a takeaway.

What’s your go-to KFC order?

I absolutely love a vegan burger. I think it’s been an amazing innovation and I find it really tasty but, honestly, I just don’t think you can beat original recipe chicken on the bone. I can eat a bucket of drumsticks and be very happy.

This article first appeared in the November/December 2022 issue. Get it here.