Godly Leadership - Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A

I recently had the opportunity to go to a leadership conference at Highlands College and got to hear three great speakers give some thoughts about godly leadership. The speakers were Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A, well-known author/speaker John Maxwell and Pastor Chris Hodges from Highlands. I thought that I would share some highlights from each over the next three weeks on the critically important topic of leadership. First up - Dan Cathy.

We all have great respect for CFA. We know that they serve great food but we also know that they have a culture that might be even more impressive than their food. This doesn’t happen by accident. CFA has been built over decades with godly leadership by godly people who operate under godly principles. As a result, they have been voted as the best fast food restaurant in the US for the umpteenth year in a row.

Here are three key thoughts about leadership and culture that Dan Cathy shared:

Caring shepherds smell like sheep. CFA has a culture of caring. This starts at the top of their organization and plays out all the way down to the point of service with their customers. This is the difference that we see each time we go. Each employee in encouraged to think of themselves as shepherds. Executives shepherd managers, managers shepherd staff, and staff shepherds customers. The concept of “smelling like sheep” helps make the point that in order to be an effective shepherd, one must care enough to be amongst their flock. You can’t shepherd from a distance.

Make the second mile - second nature. Going the “second mile” for others is based on the verse in Matthew 5:41 Whoever asks you to go one mile, go with him two. Doing more than expected wins customers for life. It also has a multiplication effect by setting a godly example for others to go and do the same. The Second Mile a powerful principle that shines brightly in a world that mostly wants to do just enough to get by.

Balancing Biblical values that never change with a world in constant change. CFA doesn’t rest on their laurels. They have 3000 locations and are in 48 states along with Puerto Rico and Canada. Yet, they are now headed to Singapore in 2024 and are making a big investment in technology to be able to do so. CFA is not afraid of progress, yet they are going to hold fast to the timeless Biblical principles that have guided them this far. While many other organizations have drifted away from their spiritual roots, CFA is just as grounded as ever to their guiding principles to take them forward.

I believe this prompts some key questions for each of us as we enter the new year:

1. Who is in your flock that you need to get closer to for you to effectively shepherd?

2. What does the “second mile” look like in the shepherding process for you?

3. Do your growth plans allow you to effectively adapt to the changing world around you but also maintain a Biblical foundation as the platform for your growth?

   Stay Hungry,

   Big E

   Matt. 5:6