CEOs of restaurant chains typically spend a considerable amount of time visiting stores to chat with employees about what they’re seeing, hearing and feeling. Kelli Valade, now CEO of Denny’s, shared a trick she used while president of Chili’s to make sure the time investment isn’t wasted. Tattoos, she explained at a Black Box event, are a “gift” in that respect. Valade would ask a staff member about a tattoo they were visibly sporting. Usually, she said, there’s a story behind it. An instant connection is made, and the staff member tends to open up.