Leadership Lessons

They came, many if not most of them, to hear Anthony Munoz. But the presentation that struck me most was from the other main guest of the afternoon.
The event was the annual Leadership Luncheon today, sponsored by Cincinnati Christian University. NFL Hall of Famer and former Cincinnati Bengal Anthony Munoz told about his rough upbringing in Los Angeles and the transforming power of his decision to become a follower of Jesus. "I could stand up here for three hours and tell you football stories," he said. "But I wanted to tell you what is most significant. The biggest decision of my life was inviting Jesus into my life."
It was a wonderful testimony from a man who has used his celebrity as an opportunity to do good and tell about Jesus in one situation after another.
But the first guest of the day gave one practical example after another to show how a committed Christian can transform a whole business and the thousands of lives it touches.
Dee Ann Turner is vice president of talent at the Chik-Fil-A corporate office in Atlanta. She is a CCU graduate and a wonderful spokesperson for the company's mission to glorify God through its business.
Her title comes from her conviction that "human resources" focuses on having enough people. "Talent" focuses on having the right people. She shared founder Truett Cathay's conviction that "if you select the right person, that takes care of the other problems." Chik-Fil-A seeks to hire key operators who will stay with the company for 30 or 40 years, she said, not 3 or 4.
She shared the company's acronym for developing great leaders. They are those who
See and shape the future.
Engage others; work as a team.
Reinvent themselves continually; they're lifelong leaders.
Value results and relationships.
Embody our values: 1) integrity, 2) generosity, 3) loyalty, and 4) excellence.
Lest all this sound too warm and fuzzy, she made clear that "without profit, we don't have people." Expectations for each store are high. "Our strategy is to create raving fans," she said. "We have to have great product, or saying 'It's our pleasure to serve you' won't mean much."
Expect to see some of this in a future Christian Standard editorial, because the implications are so manifold not just for every business, but for every local church as well.