Yesterday, I wrote about my five big reasons for leaving the corporate world: (1) emotional, spiritual, vocal support from my wife, (2) financial stability, (3) responding to a life calling, (4) staying in my strength zone, and (5) understanding that there is a finite amount of time and energy to devote to serving others. Today, I write about why I am overflowing with gratitude for my experience in the corporate world. Perhaps people will assume: “But how can you be grateful for something that you are leaving?” Well, every job that I have had taught me specific lessons that I carry with me; those lessons shaped me and helped me as I moved forward. My experience in the corporate world is no different.
1. Relationships
Never will I forget the words of author and speaker Gordon Ferguson; “What is the most important part of all of life? Relationships.” Just recently, I was informed that a peer of mine passed away. I was in the presence of another leader and one of my closest friends from Nationwide, Chris. Seeing me hurting, he told me: “We should pray.” And we did. Filled with sadness, I cried. Over the years, building great friends in the corporate world has been one of the most wonderful experiences in life. Friends are my favorite. No doubt: My life has been immensely blessed because of the friendships made during my tenure with Nationwide.
2. Development Investment
Author and speaker Max Lucado shared a concept that the best of all friends will love you just the way you are, but refuse to leave you that way. Nationwide was this kind of friend to me. Tallying up Nationwide’s investment in my education equals well over $25,000! The story of the CFO talking to the CFO about developing their internal talent resonates with me. CFO says: “What if we invest in our internal talent and then they leave us?” CEO responds: “What if we don’t invest in our internal talent and they stay?” Investment is a risk worth taking! Never will I forget the investment Nationwide made in me.
3. Leadership
One meeting I remember vividly from 2014, my boss’ boss’ boss’ boss was in town – Ted Jordan. When the meeting started, Ted walked up to each person in the room, greeted them personally with a handshake or hug, and then offered to go grab them a water bottle: seemingly small gesture of service. But this small gesture created a big impact in me. Later in the meeting, I asked about the culture of the leadership team at Nationwide. He said, “We base our culture on servant leadership.” My time at Nationwide showed me servant leader after servant leader. I never reported to an average leader. Someone once said: “Your words are what is taught, but your example is what is caught.” Each leader gave me something that changed me forever. Kevin taught me SMART goals; Kassi showed me the security of empowering her team; Andrea displayed a hunger for growth coupled with exemplary personal discipline; Camille showed an incredible example of relatability; Amy gave me an example of perpetual excellence; Jereme emphasized capturing personal stellar contributions while prioritizing enjoyment in the work place; Yolonda asked great questions that inspire transformation; Robyn led with humility and empathy while strategically gathering best practices to share. Phenomenal servant leaders changed my life.
4. Uncovering and Showcasing My Greatest Strength
My friend Brandon Clayton taught me the value of always being prepared for three speaking occasions: 5-10 minute speech, 15-25 minute speech, and a 20-30 minute group discussion. This simple principle always looking inwardly and outwardly for stories, principles, and lessons. Nationwide paid for me to discover my strengths, but then opened up doors for me to use my greatest strengths. Because of Nationwide, I had the opportunity to refine my speaking craft in the corporate world. Previously, I spoke in church-centric environments, where it is the norm to read, quote, and refer to Scriptures. However, in the corporate world, I learned to use insightful quotes, captivating stories, and punchy principles (I call pearls) to help people learn and apply principles to enhance their personal growth, relationships, and leadership.
5. Financial Stability
Considering a career change is frightening. For me, the major reason is that the corporate world provides financial stability: a guarantee of a paycheck month-after-month. One day I was talking to my Grandpa. I admired the way he provided financially for his family over all these years. He told me they bought their house for like $6000 back in the day! Anyway, I asked him: “How much money do you think would be sufficient for someone to be successful in the economy today?” He responded, “If you were able to make $50,000 or more a year, you should be just fine.” An answer like this can shape a person, but even anchor a person. In other words, if someone is focused on $50,000 a year and they attain that amount in their twenties in the corporate world, then why ever change? The corporate can provide that stability and more, and there is nothing wrong with that.
6. New Skills
A list of the skills I developed in a corporate leadership role would include: interviewing talent, data analysis, maximizing every 15-minute window on your calendar, creating and delivering executive summaries, terminating direct reports, navigating FMLA and disability situations, keeping attendance, and providing virtual leadership. It is one thing to develop these skills, it is a different matter to have these skills refined on an ongoing basis. Courtney Rodriguez and I were interviewing a candidate together. We decided that I would facilitate and she would scribe – take the notes. After the interview, I asked for feedback. She said: “You ask a lot of leading questions instead of open-ended questions.” This was a life changer. When I say life changer, I mean LIFE CHANGER. Every relationship has benefitted from this change in approach: my marriage, my neighbors, my friends, and my family.
7. Character Cultivation
When I had an idea I wanted to implement with teams at Nationwide, one of the first questions I would be asked, “Have you attained buy-in from your peers?” In other words, are you the only one who thinks this is a good idea or do other people think so as well? This cultivated the value of humility displayed by collaborative strategic thinking. One of my leaders overheard a conversation that I was having with a direct report and told me that I spoke with a condescending tone. Wow. I never want to speak to someone and make them feel beneath me. This cultivated sobriety and empathy that I needed to work on.
Reviewing the above reasons, you can tell that I attained immense value in the corporate world. I thank God for that season of my life. By the way, I am – by no means – done with corporate involvement. Believe that I plan to work with organizations to add value to them in a meaningful manner. As usual, below you will find a few questions to help you apply the concepts described above.
Application Questions:
Gratitude: Have you listed out what you are grateful for in the job situation you are in now? What are the top five reasons that you are most grateful?
Share: Have you told people you work with your favorite quality about them? How would your relationship be enhanced by asking: “My favorite quality about you is…”
Improving Culture: Who is around you that you can share new ideas, uplifting quotes, and try new activities with?
Learning: What lessons are you learning from the leaders around you? What example can you imitate to attain greater growth?
Skills: In your job, what additional skills can you develop and refine? Who can you ask for feedback in your use of those skills?
Character: How is your character being molded by your circumstances? What lessons can you only learn right where you are?