Since the beginning, First Rate has had an emphasis on spiritual growth. We don’t pound people with it. Rather, we ‘sneak up on it’ through relationships.
Yet, as committed as I was to spiritual growth, I didn’t want it led by ‘The Boss.’ It needed to come from someone else.
At a conference, I heard Norm Miller, the President of Interstate Battery. While speaking, he mentioned his company had a fulltime chaplain. He spoke enthusiastically of the value that position brought.
Growing up in a military family, I immediately remembered Chaplains as an important part of our life. If the military had Chaplains, why couldn’t businesses?
That’s how it began. So recently I had a talk with our Chaplain:
“Jud, what have you learned about doing your job?”
“In business it’s so much more about relationships than it is about words. I am here to serve.”
“What’s a typical day?” I asked.
“There is no typical day. Each day is different with a different set of demands and opportunities.”
“Such as?”
“I plan and organize special events. I oversee the contribution program, so there are forms to fill out, communications to be made, a fair amount of office work.”
He paused. “Yet, there’s always someone who comes to my office, just to talk. And more often than not, the subject turns serious.”
“Give me an example,” I asked.
“We have an employee whose son plays football at a university in Massachusetts. Her son contacted her to report that his roommate—another football player—had just died. It was a profound shock and loss to that family. When she came to visit me, we simply talked and prayed. That’s what was required. Talking and praying.”
I asked one final question. “The role of Chaplain extends beyond the walls of First Rate. You also have impact on our customers, who in turn have impact on our community, correct?”
Jud nodded. “That’s true, Dave.”
And that’s the topic of our next blog.