Mass Readings Audio
https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2020-11-29-usccb-daily-mass-readings

First Sunday of Advent – November 29, 2020

Welcome to the one hundred and fortieth episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life.

My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.

Planning for Your Departure

In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for the First Sunday of Advent. (Year B) I’ve done a lot of work with family-owned businesses over the years and like any business, one of the greatest keys to success for the long term is effective succession planning. But unlike publicly owned firms, in which the average CEO tenure is six years, many family businesses have the same leaders for 20 or 25 years, and with these extended tenures, many put off planning for their departure, as if that day may never come.

We live our spiritual lives in the same way, putting off preparing for our departure from this world as if by ignoring it, we might delay it. But in our Gospel on this First Sunday of Advent, Jesus tells us that it could come at any time. He said, “Be watchful! Be alert!” (Mk 13:33)

Whether you lead a business, department, team, or yourself in your current role, one thing is certain, you’ll not be in that position forever. The #1 job of any leader is to develop his/her people. The top priority for ongoing success in any business is to prepare for the next generation of leaders to take your place. So, what are you doing to prepare for your departure, whether it be from your current position at work, or from this life in general?

Principles, Not Policies

A few years ago, I wrote an article for Two Ten Magazine about Dale and Angie Payne. He was a creative and outgoing environmental engineer, and she was a steady and supportive accountant. Together they founded A American Containers and working side-by-side, they grew the business into a respected provider of containers for secure, on-site storage. With Dale’s talents as an engineer to guide the company, they expanded from container rental and sales to providing modifications and accessories that serve a wide variety of industries and customer needs. After 10 years in the business, under Dale’s leadership, A American Container was at the forefront of “Mom and Pop” container businesses.

Dale was an active outdoorsman, skydiver, scuba diver, and martial arts man, but ten days after his 45th birthday he had a heart attack that took his life. When Angie described the loss of her husband and the father of her two young children, she said, “The hardest part besides surviving his death, was taking Dale’s place as the leader of our company. Dale was so intelligent, confident, and humble. I didn’t know how I could even begin to fill those shoes.”

Angie poured herself into the business, trying to figure out what Dale did at work for 70 hours a week. Whether he knew it or not, Dale had prepared for his passing and for Angie to take over leading the company. While searching for some documents one day, Angie discovered Dale’s hand-written notes that were filled with guiding principles that keep her grounded to this day. He wrote,

“Keep your eye on the prize. This requires force of will to make all the mistakes required to get to the right answer. There can be no ego to get in the way. Otherwise, you will not acknowledge your mistakes.”

Code of Values

I wrote another article for the same magazine about another woman who was unexpectedly thrust into the role of CEO of The Dwyer Group of franchise businesses when her father’s life was cut short at age 60. Just as Dale Payne had done for Angie, Don Dwyer Sr. left his daughter Dina Dwyer Owens with the grounding principles he used to run the company he built. Like the hand-written notes that Dale passed onto Angie, Don Dwyer Sr. left behind his Code of Values which were founded upon his Catholic faith, were the principles he lived, and upon which he built and grew his business.

The Dwyer Group Code of Values states, “We believe…

… in superior service to our customers, our community, and to each other as members of The Dwyer Group family.

… in counting our blessings every day in every way.

… success is the result of clear, cooperative, positive thinking.

… that loyalty adds meaning to our lives.

… management should seek out and recognize what people are doing right and treat every associate with respect.

… challenges should be used as learning experiences.

… our Creator put us on this earth to succeed. We will accept our daily success humbly, knowing that a Higher Power is guiding us.

… in the untapped potential of every human being. Every person we help achieve their potential fulfills our mission.

… we must re-earn our position every day in every way.

… in building our country through the free enterprise system. We demonstrate this belief by continually attracting strong people to The Dwyer Group.

Dina always credits the Code of Values at The Dwyer Group for fostering the environment that makes the company unique. At every opportunity, Dina passionately shares the Code with employees and franchisees throughout the company. She said, “I am certain that successful growth of the company has been and will continue to be founded on the Code of Values.”

After holding the position of CEO for 15 years, Dina handed those reins over to another amazing and capable leader who had been with the company for more than 30 years and continues to lead the business today. She took on the title of Executive Chairwoman and her primary responsibility was the culture of the company. She said, “My number one priority is making sure that we live The Dwyer Group’s Code of Values no matter how large we get.”

I thought about the legacy these two men left for those who would carry on after them. It wasn’t so much that they had developed clear processes and procedures for others to follow, although they likely did that. What was of greatest value were the foundational principles that would guide their successors regardless of the challenges they would face. And I think the principles that have guided these two companies and our readings this First Sunday of Advent share similar messages that will benefit us as we enter the Advent Season.

Don’t Rest on Your Laurels

First, let’s not forget that the purple of Advent reflects that it is a time of penance and a time to spiritually go to the place where we acknowledge our failures and need for a Savior. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah acknowledges our propensity to sin crying out, “You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever. Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?” (Is 64:16-17).

I think Dale Payne recognized this human condition when he wrote, “There can be no ego to get in the way. Otherwise, you will not acknowledge your mistakes.” And the same principle is reflected in Don Dwyer Sr.’s Code of Values where he said, “We believe challenges should be used as learning experiences.” And “our Creator put us on this earth to succeed. We will accept our daily success humbly, knowing that a Higher Power is guiding us.”

Greatness through Humility

In addition, the Prophet Isaiah realized that pride was an obstacle to growing in holiness and both of these men realized that humility, not pride, is required to succeed in business. As the Prophet Isaiah lamented in our first reading, “all our good deeds are like polluted rags.”(Is 64:5) Reflecting on this verse, Bishop Barron said, “Everything in us is tainted by sin, even the best things we accomplish.” We can’t rest on our laurels. We shouldn’t allow pride in our accomplishments to get in the way of our need for continuous improvement.

Dale Payne said the same thing when he wrote, “Keep your eye on the prize. This requires force of will to make all the mistakes required to get to the right answer.” The Dwyer Group Code of Values echoes the same thought saying, “We believe we must re-earn our position every day in every way.” We cannot be so satisfied with what we have already achieved that we make no further effort. We can’t rest on our laurels at work, nor should we in our spiritual life.

What Will You Leave?

When we think about succession planning we are simply acknowledging that our lives are not about us. Just as others who came before us shared their knowledge, experience, and their faith with us, we are obligated to continue the succession with those who will take our places. Just as Don Dwyer believed “in the untapped potential of every human being. Every person we help achieve their potential fulfills our mission.”, we too are expected to pass it along.

So, as we enter this Advent Season, let’s remember that it is not about the shopping, decorating, the lights, songs, or the food. It is about preparing our hardened hearts for the coming of the Savior that we badly need because even though we do not know the day or time, we will be departing sometime so we must “Be watchful! Be alert!” (Mk 13:33)

Let’s use these principles to guide us. Let’s keep our “eyes on the prize.” Let’s keep looking for the “right answer.” Let’s hope in the “Higher Power that is guiding us.” And let’s allow ourselves to be clay molded by the Father’s hands (Is 64:7), asking our Father to help us:

Father, our faithful Creator, help us to continually remember you are in control. When we are anxious about our work, remind us that we are in the palm of your hand. May your grace flow over us, helping us to recognize our failures and grow from our mistakes. Help us to prepare our minds and hearts for the gift of your Son and share this gift with each person we encounter throughout our days. Amen.

And may God bless you abundantly this week and may you glorify the Lord by your life.

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