Today’s blog post was originally published on November 8, 2018
Little things make a big difference – Yogi Berra
More than Chicken
When snow fell in January 2014 in Alabama, motorists found themselves stranded on the interstate highway for hours. With nowhere to go and no food, Chick-fil-A owner, Mark Meadows, and his staff stepped up to provide a helping hand. Armed with freshly cooked sandwiches, they braved the snow and risked falling on the slippery ice, to serve the sandwiches to as many motorists as they could get to on I-280. And it was free of charge. The generosity continued. They opened their dining room for shelter from the storm. In a bad situation, Chick-fil-A found a way to make a positive impact on the lives of others. This “second-mile” type of service is embedded in the restaurant’s core.
Chick-fil-A’s purpose is to “glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” They modeled it on that snowy day.
Key Indicators
What is the common thread in the stories above? It’s making a difference or turning around a hopeless situation. We can draw three indicators to use in becoming difference-makers in our world today:
Develop Other Mindedness
Walt Disney once said that there are three kinds of people:
- Well poisoners
- Lawn mowers
- Life enhancers
A well-poisoner always injects negativity and pessimism into everything. Interacting with them is toxic to your progress. They poison the well of your ideas and dreams with discouragement by trampling on your creative thoughts. They have all the reasons why something cannot be done. The best thing to do is keep away. A lawn mower is someone who does what they are supposed to do. They never see the need to help others. They only do what serves their interests. They ‘mow’ their lawn. They are well-intentioned but self-absorbed. They do not carry the care or concern to reach out to others. As long as their lawn is neat and clean, they are satisfied. A life enhancer or life enricher is others-minded. They reach out to others to see how to help. Their goal is to enrich other people’s lives through service, encouragement, and inspiration. They perform deliberate acts of service to enhance the lives of those around them. They make others better.
One such life-enhancer was a man named Albert Lexie. For 30 years, he shined shoes and charged $3 per shine. Every tip he received, he donated to a children’s hospital. Those tips amounted to $200,000 in donations at the end of his life. His name is forever etched into The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg as a life enhancer.
The Chick-fil-A staff became life enhancers when they saw motorists stuck and brought them food with no strings attached. Whether big or small, how can you become a life enhancer and create an others-minded environment? This will set you apart as an agent of change.
A life enhancer or life enricher is others-minded. They reach out to others to see how to help. Their goal is to enrich other people’s lives through service, encouragement, and inspiration.
2. Remain Centered
Since its inception, Chick-fil-A has not deviated from its core values. They remain closed on Sundays when food service providers make high-volume sales. Closing on Sundays allows employees time for rest and to attend worship services. Even during tough economic times and heavy competition, Chick-fil-A has never caved but stayed true to its values established by its late founder, Truett Cathy. The one time Chick-fil-A opened on a Sunday was on a request from Atlanta’s Mayor to provide food for passengers stranded at the airport due to a massive power outage. Again, the food was free.
Remaining centered on their values has kept Chick-fil-A outperforming their competitors year over year. Centeredness on values has also given employees working at Chick-fil-A a sense of meaning.
An article in the reputable Harvard Business Review observed that 9 out of 10 employees would willingly accept a reduction in pay to do meaningful work. Meaning or purpose is the new currency of the workplace. People will stay at a job longer when they know that their work contributes to the mission or vision of the organization.
What are your core values? Live them every day, and you will discover centeredness in your life that will always leave people better than you found them.
Final Thought: The lens through which you see the world around you will determine if you will be a difference maker or maintain the status quo. Whether it is a man who shines shoes for 30 years at $3 each and donates tips amounting to $200,000, or a restaurant that forgoes profit to help people stranded on a highway or airport, there are ubiquitous opportunities for us to become change agents. The question is, Will you take the first step when the opportunity arises?
Keep on Keeping on!
Notes:
https://hbr.org/2018/11/9-out-of-10-people-are-willing-to-earn-less-money-to-do-more-meaningful-work
Discover Your Treasure 