On March 2, 2014 movie stars and all who are a part of film making will gather at the 86th Academy Awards to find out who will win the Oscars for “best” work in last year’s movies. Another award will be given called the “Life Time Achievement Award” to honor exceptional career achievement and be inducted into that Hall of Fame. Such greats as Steve Martin, James Earl Jones, Paul Newman, and Sophia Loren have been among the recipients.
There is another “Hall of Fame” that many may not know about. It’s Fortune’s Best Company to Work For Hall of Fame. This award is given to those companies who have been on Fortune’s Best 100 Companies to Work For every year since it began in 1998. Only thirteen companies have achieved this, and TDIndustries is one of those companies.
How does TD do it? Their leaders are serious about investing the time, energy, and money into creating a culture that produces excellence for both their Customers and the Employee-Partners.
We at AMCA have had the privilege of partnering with TDIndustries for 38 years to provide servant leadership development classes. One of the keys to success has been the involvement of senior leaders and supervisors. Every class is opened and closed by a senior leader. And, a midlevel manager/supervisor sponsors the class by attending with the participants and offering their insights.
Have you heard the trite expression, “Walk the Talk?” Well, it isn’t so trite at TDIndustries. It is very real. When TDPartners hear the Senior Sponsor explain why TD invests so heavily in teaching every Employee the skills of servant leadership, they listen and know they are trusted and empowered. Ed Reeve, Executive Vice President and Project Executive for UT Southwestern’s new hospital did it this week. He pointed to the wall of dozens of retired Partners each of whom have served TD for more than twenty years. “They are counting on us to deliver good profits for them. And each of them laid the foundation of continuing success for us to enjoy.” TDPartners feel a part of an important legacy that it’s their job to continue.
Having a manager or supervisor working alongside you in a classroom speaks volumes in terms of the value TDIndustries places on training and development. Class Sponsors participate in activities, share stories from the field, and even create their own Action Plans.
David Bates, Pre-Construction Business Development, sponsored a class on Tuesday. David provided specific business examples of each new skill so participants would understand how servant leadership awakens extraordinary teaming and higher quality work. When leaders are committed to making sure each of their team members succeed at the highest levels possible, there is no limit to each potential success.
Whether it is the Country Music Hall of Fame or the ProFootball Hall of Fame, the Oscars, or TDIndustries….they all have one thing in common: They all are about excellence and achieving results. Maybe this is one key reason why TD has been selected for the 17th year in a row as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
Senior Sponsor, Ed Reeve and Class Sponsor, David Bates, commending TD Partner, Shonda Lampkins with her certificate of completion for Introduction to Servant Leadership.
Contributed by Duane Trammell
