Welcome to our March issue of BIC Magazine — your Business and Industry Connection.
In reviewing last year’s highs and lows with my partner and father-in-law Earl Heard, one of the things that stood out in the year was we were particularly proud of the service our company and its employees gave. We could do much better, we agreed; and we have set a goal to do more in 2014. But compared to the previous year, it was a major improvement.
I was very impressed late in 2012 when a local chemical plant manager told me his company allowed each employee two workdays each year to perform community service. Now that is putting your money where your mouth is. I felt challenged and within two business days, BIC Alliance adopted a similar policy (one of the joys of working in a small company is nimbleness). We decided to begin with one day per employee per year to see how it worked. In order to facilitate team building, we also required a paid day off for community service must be performed with at least two other employees.
The policy was met with great appreciation when announced, but several months went by and no one availed themselves of this “perk.” Finally, someone from the office decided a group of us could go buy, prepare and serve lunch to 80-plus residents of our local battered women’s shelter. I felt like the project was going great. Employees from different departments who normally don’t spend much time together were laughing and chatting, working side by side over an industrial sized griddle. Some, side by side, served the hot lunch to very appreciative women and children. We sat and ate with the residents after the last were served and got to hear stories together of bad luck but also of great hope in a better future.
Now understand, BIC Alliance has provided several “team building” opportunities to its employees over the years: company parties, alligator swamp tours, laser tag competitions, bowling tournaments, you name it. But to a man, all the employees agreed, performing this simple act of service together was the best thing we had done as a team. Teamwork was necessary and readily identifiable because of the scope of the project, but the project also filled within each of us a need common to all people: a need to serve others. So satisfying was this act of service that a group of us returned to prepare and serve breakfast before the work day started at BIC. This time, no incentive of time off from work was necessary. The joy of generosity to others was enough motivation for people to voluntarily give up their own time (and sleep)! Ancient wisdom says it is better to give than receive, and here was some proof.
BIC has also been involved in service partnering with NCCER and others to recognize U.S. veterans and help them find jobs when they return home through the Boot Campaign and the Lone Survivor Foundation. We have also participated in beach sweeps, been active supporters of the Oilfield Christian Fellowship and have even started a non-profit dedicated to non-financial generosity to support charities in Houston.
But I don’t believe generous service to others should be limited to non-work activities. Generous service at work will help one rise to the top of any profession. I am preaching to myself, because I need and want to be better at it. We can serve without being generous in spirit. An employee may perform only the bare service required to keep his job. Alternatively, an employee who works generously (harder than required) is surely to be recognized over time, and will progressively be given more responsibility, compensation and advancement. A boss may only interact with employees as little as required to keep the wheels on the bus. Alternatively, a boss who serves his employees with a generous attitude will be rewarded with harder work, loyalty and harmony. Last example, one may merely belong to a professional association acting as a consumer of its services. Alternatively, I have seen over and over those who serve generously in professional associations are rewarded with establishing an excellent network of friendly contacts, an honorable reputation and leadership opportunities.
The Christian faith extolls its followers to become more Christ-like. I would argue we are never more like Christ than when we generously serve others. But Christians by no means have a lock on generous giving or its benefits. Bob Dylan once wrote, “You gotta serve somebody.” If the best team building is centered upon generous giving, and if advancement at work and in one’s profession is centered around generous giving as well, I’m with Bob and suggest you give it a try.
I want to thank those who generously gave their time and talents to put together the great content in this issue of BIC Magazine. You will find insight from BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley; Robert Barger, plant manager of the DuPont plant in Ingleside, Texas; Philip Morel, managing partner of T.A. Cook Consultants; and Dave McArthur, executive director, North America Sales and Marketing at MSA.
We also bring you the latest on topics including the ban on oil exports, developing a safety culture, work force demand, incident response and more.
