A Year At Chick-Fil-A Changed My Life
In May of 2015, I stepped through the glass doors with "Now Hiring" signs on them at my local Chick-Fil-A. Exactly one year later, I clocked out for the very last time.Chick-Fil-A was my first real paying job, and I'm glad. I could have made more money working for the library, the car wash, or even Menard's. But I consider myself a better worker, a better team builder, and a better person as a result of working there.I was chatting with the barber as I got my hair cut a week ago, and began talking about my work experience. As I did, I was sorry to hear that she didn't like Chick-Fil-A, even though she admitted she'd only been there a few times. She was operating under the assumption that it's like any other fast food restaurant.If only she knew what goes on behind the scenes. The people there truly care about service, and working at Chick-FIl-A taught me three things about being a good worker.
What I learned at Chick-Fil-A
1. There's always something to do.
One time I was working at the register, and there was a particular lull in customers. As I was waiting for people to walk in the door, one of my managers, Wesley walked through the kitchen door and said, "What are you working on right now?"I was confused. I thought my job was to be running the register, and I told him so. He replied, saying that there weren't any customers at the time, so I could work on something else."Is there even anything else to do?", I asked."There's always something to do.", he replied.Those words changed the way I think about business. When you're on the clock, there should never be a point where you say, "I have nothing left to do." Whether you work for a fast food company, retail, or your own independent business, you should make it a point to not waste anyone else's time and overall, not waste your own time.
2. Attention and encouragement drive a team
There were many people on my team who I liked and who I disliked. I suppose that's the case no matter where you work. One individual at the top of the "good list" was Sam.Sam was a great team leader, if not the best team leader we had. He'd walk through the door and greet the dining room attendant while asking about her grandchildren, walk to the register to clock in while complimenting the guy at the register next to him on his new haircut, then immediately look at the schedule to find out who was working where. From there, he'd make sure everyone was prepared to work in their position, all while being attentive to guests and greeting everyone, and I do mean everyone with a warm smile.I didn't like Sam just because he was nice. He genuinely cared about each and every team member and was good at showing it. As long as it didn't get in the way of work, he was comfortable with asking you about your day, your life, anything to get to know you better.Not only that, but he would congratulate us on jobs well done. When we broke a record, it was cause for celebration. When we had a rough day, it was a chance to do better next time. He never blamed us for mess-ups, and he always brought attention to victories.Sam was the kind of guy who brought people together. Tasks, like taking out the trash or cleaning the bathroom, were undesirable in everyone's mind. But if Sam asked you to take care of it, it didn't matter. Sam's unconditional care and encouragement inspired unconditional respect in those around him. When Sam was on duty, it was always a good day at Chick-Fil-A.
3. Manage Yourself
Within four or five months of working at Chick-Fil-A, I had become a team leader myself. This was a whole new level of responsibility, and it came at the busiest time of all: The Holidays.New team members were arriving every week, and a lot of people needed training. Because of this, I was only given the basic training of team leader and wasn't fully trained in that position.I was a bit in over my head but realized that I wasn't fixing anything by doing nothing or by waiting to be trained. So I observed, watched the other team leaders, and purposed in my mind to learn exactly what it meant to be a team leader and how I could do that well.I worked in the position of team leader for over half a year before quitting my job to pursue freelance work and education at Praxis. My training was never completed, and I suspect that it's because I didn't need it. I learned everything I need to by trying. I observed what needed to get done, did it, and never believed it was someone else's job to coach me.
So, what?
In life, I hope to apply these lessons no matter what I do. These concepts apply to work, lifestyle, marriage, and also friendship. If we continuously work hard in whatever we do, encourage and build up the people around us, and take the initiative to improve ourselves in areas where we lack, there's no doubt in my mind that we'll begin to see real change and positive improvement in whatever we put our minds to.