Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy died today at the age of 93.  It’s hard to imagine now, but Chick-fil-A wasn’t always a major brand or a nationwide enterprise.  Under the patient leadership of Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A grew purposefully to become one of America’s best known and most admired brands.

If all Mr. Cathy had done was to found and lead a successful company, that would have been a significant accomplishment.  I think, however, that Truett Cathy gave us much more than a hand-breaded, boneless fried chicken breast on a toasted bun with those two crucial pickles.  He also embodied some important principles that are worth recalling and worth emulating.

• Love God & put Him first — Truett Cathy sought to live his life and to operate his business on Christian principles.  This is called walking the talk.
• Innovate using what’s around you — Truett Cathy created the fried chicken sandwich, but none of the ingredients.  His contribution was the combination of familiar elements in a novel way.  Likewise, Chick-fil-A pioneered the modern-day food court by placing their restaurants in shopping malls — a great example of putting one’s product where buyers are.
• Be different and profit — Rather than offering a me-too hamburger into a crowded market,  Truett Cathy built his restaurant chain around his sandwich innovation.  Under his leadership, Chick-fil-A sales increased every year for 47 years.
• But don’t be ruled by money – Chick-fil-A grew while avoiding debt and remains family-owned to this day.
• Create a lasting brand by loving and serving people — Chick-fil-A’s culture  reflects Truett Cathy’s emphasis on being an asset to the communities where they do business.  Operators go out of their way to value employees and frequent customers alike.  One local operator challenges his employees to have a C.O.W. — an acronym for Change Our World — and empowers them to treat a customer who’s having a bad day.
• Strive for excellence in all things including generosity — Chick-fil-A restaurants are predictably excellent in terms of the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the store and the courteous service of the staff.  Beyond this, however, Chick-fil-A has given millions in scholarships to young men and women who have worked in their restaurants.
• Live your principles even when it costs you — Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sunday — a reflection of Truett Cathy’s devotion to his Lord.  This decision has no doubt cost the chain a great deal of money over the years, and some opportunities in malls that didn’t want to accept this commitment.  Chick-fil-A’s ability to recruit and retain quality employees, and to grow while remaining debt free has proved the wisdom of doing business in a principled way

“We didn’t invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich.” was Chick-fil-A’s slogan for many years.  Now Truett is meeting face-to-face with the Inventor of the chicken — the God he loved throughout his long life.

So how about you?  What lessons do you take from Truett Cathy’s life and work? Whom do you admire, and why? Add your comments below?

Note: I am not employed by Chick-fil-A, nor have I ever been.