Today is October 3 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often do you stand by your principles amidst pressure to change?”
People who navigate the chaos often rely on a strong set of principles to help guide them along the path. S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, is one such person.
Cathy began tinkering with boneless chicken at his hamburger haven, the Dwarf Grill (now Dwarf House) in Hapeville, Georgia which opened in 1946 largely to serve nearby Ford plant workers. He spent four years devising the ingredients for his famous sandwich, which he began selling in 1961 before the ultimate formula was settled.
The motorcycle-riding, God-fearing Cathy resisted the temptation for an even bigger payday and choose to keep Chick-fil-A a private company.
He was afraid a board of directors would unload him for not maximizing profits.
And he wanted free rein on charitable ventures, which included sponsoring foster homes, summer camps and academic programs.
Cathy also didn’t want to change his policy of closing on Sundays. That started when he drew the shades at the Dwarf Grill once a week to preserve time for courting the woman he would marry. It is a policy embraced by his children — Dan, Don “Bubba” Cathy and Trudy Cathy — and is being passed to his grandchildren. With a bias toward action, Truett demonstrated the one maverick trait of sticking to his principles that sparked a revolution in the fast food industry.
The chicken chain grew to more than 1,800 restaurants in 39 states valued at about $5.5 billion. Cathy had a net worth of $1.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Cathy stuck by his principles and kept Chick-fil-A a private company that always closes on Sunday.
As Abraham Lincoln noted “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
Cathy remained true to his self. Do you?