Chapter 20
“It’s a great day at Chick-Fil-A, this is Chris, How Can I Serve You?” How can I serve you? No words ring truer as this is our company’s mission statement. Today marked my last day at a place that welcomed me in as family. Why do I have to leave you ask? Well, it’s all about the timing I guess.
Taking a look back one year ago, the world was lost in the outbreak of a global pandemic. Unlike anything we have ever seen before. I was in my fifth year of being a substitute teacher and High School Coach… and everything just stopped. Stopped. The world came to a grinding halt except for fear pushing us all downward. People lost their jobs and livelihood, including myself. Absolute fear shook the hearts and minds of every person on the face of the earth. The only jobs that were open were first responders and places that provided food. Because this fear struck so deep, many people who could work, did not want to because there was much left to the unknown. In my family’s situation, I was losing a full time paying job. My wife, who is a nurse, was the hero of our family because without her, we would have floundered. I still needed to accept my responsibility as husband and father, and despite whatever risks, go out into the unknown and get a job. Enter Chick-Fil-A.
From growing up in the Atlanta area, many of those close to me know my affinity for the company. As much as companies get certain publicity in the media, I understood what CFA truly stood for and just prayed that they would select me to become a part of their team. In full transparency, how does the idea of a 43 year old man look in the eyes of everyone going for a fast food/quick serve job that paid minimum wage? In normal circumstances, it is unheard of. These weren’t normal circumstances, and after my journey with Chick-fil-A, I learned they are not a normal company.
In the most humbling experience of my life, I joined the ranks of other 15, 16, 17, and 18 year old high schoolers amongst a few other late teen and early twenty year old student employees at Chick-fil-A. Many people in this world on pride alone would not choose what I did, but Chick-fil-A blessed me and welcomed me as one of their own. I was accepted, treated with dignity and respect, and allowed to be myself. We were all on the same level, the same playing field, with mutual respect. The Operator of my location is known throughout the company for his Leadership Framework, which entitles everyone a chance to excel and succeed with his system. It is designed to have every employee to grow at their own pace and allows for mentorship by the leaders in the store. What an opportunity for anyone who is looking to grow and gain experience in the workplace to be able to participate in part of this framework. In my case, I was nearly double the age of everyone I was working with, and my professional experience far supersedes some of the span of their lifetimes. Being completely honest, I believe that in some miraculous way, the Lord presented this opportunity for me. As I stated before, Pride is such an enemy to someone who is naive to serving others instead of themselves. In all transparency, I was a victim to pride and a victim to my own success over the past five years. In the previous five years as a High School Coach, I managed and coached teams that won 7 straight League Championships and three consecutive seasons into CIF Playoffs. I even won Coach of the Year in that time frame as well. I was so egotistical. I can openly admit it. That type of mentality is not true leadership, and I am guilty for that type of selfishness.
Throughout the preliminary events of the pandemic, things changed. Coaching was literally stripped away, the classrooms shuttered, and my identity was wiped away… or at least I thought. Coming aboard to Chick-fil-A is probably one of the greatest gifts in my life and I will be forever changed because of it. Learning how to let go of identities and selfish thought, and instead learn how to lead by giving, not taking. This lesson is something that Chick-fil-A provided for me. The culture inside is of love, care, and empathy towards others. How can you be the best servant towards others especially when the world is such a struggle for so many? Honestly, people want to know why Chick-fil-A is so popular and has an extreme following. People who don’t know, don’t get it. I will tell you it’s not about the Chicken Sandwich. It’s about how you are treated with decency and respect, and how whoever is serving you will go out of their way to make you feel like you are the most important person in the world. After understanding this type of mentality and culture, the chicken sandwiches just sell themselves.
Just because we are sweet and caring on our outwardly appearance, don’t let the kindness fool you for weakness. Chick-fil-A employees are fiercely tough. From navigating the extreme work pace of pushing on average 200 cars an hour through the drive-thru, some of those cars having double orders, while employees in the parking lot navigate the intense traffic that flies through, on the flip side, the rest of the team working at an un-humanely pace of speed on the inside to fulfill all those orders. Imagine the cooks, preps, and kitchen staff pumping out all that food while the rest of the team is on the other side of the line bagging, preparing, and making thousands of drinks per hour! We normally pull a $2000-$3000 hour consistently all day long, hour after hour. Do the math. I challenge anyone to name me a company that is serving their guests in the numbers that we achieving. No one. Chick-fil-A is the fastest growing food business in the world, eclipsing Mcdonalds and the other heavy hitters in the industry. This past year Chick-fil-A made the top five list for highest producing quick serve company in the world. If you don’t believe it, read the business reports. They will verify the evidence. Within this madness, our Chick-fil-A team deals with thousands of customers a day face to face – each dealing with their own set of problems and life stories. This is where the “Chick-fil-A Magic” happens. Each person is treated like family. It is such an amazing culture to be a part of. While each transaction may be momentary, but being in that moment is so different than what other companies are doing with their guests. I can’t truly explain it, but it is one skill that I will be using for the rest of my lifetime. You are special. It’s not about the food. It’s about how you are treated. Even if the guest is grumpy and rude, our Chick-fil-A family shows grace and strength in trying to alleviate the day’s problem. Elsewhere… you are just a dollar bill. From my experience, and let me tell you – there are some pretty crazy stories about what happens in the drive thru – you mean something to us and we try to go out of our way to be the better person and lead with love from the heart. I have been around the block, and having been a part of this experience where “Love Works Here”, truly has changed me forever. Other companies don’t go as far as what we are encouraged to do at Chick-fil-A. It is what makes us special.
“Would you like any ketchup or condiments?” It’s our way of asking you what sauce you want with your order. It’s also a great analogy to explain how Chick-fil-A gives their love freely away expecting nothing in return… because technically the sauces are free. So is the love. Knowing that we made an impact in someone’s life in our day, that we potentially contributed to helping another soul… our company calls it Unexpected Opportunities. The one thing I learned is that everyone is an unexpected opportunity. No matter who you come into contact with, at any given moment, you have this unique ability to make an impact. Everyone deserves it. Imagine how our world would be if we just worried about positively impacting the very next person you see? Because every person we see is the next person.
Working at Chick-fil-A and understanding the physical, mental, and emotional demand it takes to execute your role as a part of the team is complex. It’s not just another minimum wage job. It’s intentional and you have to want to own it. Putting on that red shirt means something because of what Chick-fil-A represents. But now, it is time for me to take the red shirt off. I leave as I journey towards my next step in life – becoming a teacher. I start student teaching in a little over a month. Being a teacher requires so much of what Chick-fil- A has helped me improve within myself. Despite my previous education experiences, my time at Chick-fil-A was one giant lesson on how to help and serve others, which is a central theme in being a teacher. I have always been patient, but was given so many opportunities to learn how to be even more accommodating and understanding. Despite never ascending to a manager role in my short time at Chick-fil-A, for the first time in my life I realized what it meant to lead from serving. I just hope that these lessons will make me a better human and that I can use it to reach my future students in a classroom. My experiences here have taught me more things than grad school ever has in how to reach others and no matter what your age – whether you are a teenager like most of my incredible peers or a 43 year old man just trying to stay afloat proving age is just a number – that showing respect and care for every single person you come into contact with is the true measure of impactful leadership and servitude. I am humbled, not because of my age, but because I have had the honor of working with some amazing teammates that have taught me more things than I would ever thought possible. It has been a privilege to have worked along side of everyone of you. I appreciate everything you have done for my life and my future.
“It has been my pleasure” to attempt to make you proud and live up to the standards of Chick-fil-A.
John 13:16-17
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Written By Chris Hulme ( aka – Coach Hulme ) #CoachHulme #ChrisHulme
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