Practicing Principles... in Business?
At this, I perked up because I wanted to know the answer to this question, too.
“You
may want to check out Chuck C.’s book, ‘A New Pair of Glasses’” one
old-timer volunteered. “Chuck had a very successful business in
sobriety for many years and in his book [pp. 93-105], he describes
exactly how he ‘practiced these principles’ in all of his affairs –
especially business,” he continued. “But, Chuck also describes that he
discovered this the hard way: by NOT practicing these principles.”As Chuck’s obituary describes it, he was “He was active in real estate and supermarket development before buying City Refrigerator Inc. in 1956. He and a son, William of Anaheim Hills, ran the business for 14 years.”
City Refrigerator (which made the big walk-in refrigeration units used in supermarkets) is also the business that Chuck was fired from in 1945. He got sober in 1946 and went back and bought the business in 1956, running it successfully until 1970.
In an attempt to make amends to his co-workers and his customers in business, Chuck explained, he just started “helping people do things that they needed to have done because I wanted to, and by necessity giving my entire interest, attention and love to the thing at hand.”
Chuck describes going to see one of his biggest former customers who was planning to build out a new location – and who was not happy to see Chuck’s face again. Here’s how Chuck describes it:
“He
told me what I was going to have to do to get his business. It took him
about five minutes to tell me and when he got through, I said, ‘Morris
I think you’re wrong. You’re talking like I came out here to sell you
something. I didn’t. I came out here to help you, if I can, and if I
can’t, you’re busy and so am I.’
And Morris leaned back in his chair and he said, ‘I know it, Charley.’ And so, I put in his market [equipment] for him, some $75,000 worth.”
And Morris leaned back in his chair and he said, ‘I know it, Charley.’ And so, I put in his market [equipment] for him, some $75,000 worth.”
A
dozen years later, Chuck explained, his business was short on cash, but
he believed there were at least five deals he could close that week, if
he just went out and collected them. But one after another, the deals
evaporated until there was only one left to close.Since Chuck had done all the planning on that deal, he believed the owners owed him that much; he just had to get the contract signed. But when he tried to close the deal, the owner told him, “We heard you were going through a hard time, Chuck, so we gave that deal to your competition!”
Crushed by these failures, Chuck found he couldn’t drive back to his plant and had to pull over to collect himself and try to understand what had gone so wrong:
“Everything
had just evaporated right in front of my eyes. I finally came to see
that I had gone out for the first time in years for the sole purpose of
getting some business. Twelve years before, I’d started making 12-Step
calls in business; helping people do things they needed to have done
because I wanted to. And here, there was a pinch and I had to go get
some business… and it all evaporated.
Then I said to myself, ‘Can’t get any worse. Why don’t you start making 12-Step calls in business like you did twelve years ago? Let the chips fall where they may.’
So, I gave the business back to my Partner [i.e., Higher Power] and started making 12-Step calls. Then, something happened next that every one of you know is impossible.”
Then I said to myself, ‘Can’t get any worse. Why don’t you start making 12-Step calls in business like you did twelve years ago? Let the chips fall where they may.’
So, I gave the business back to my Partner [i.e., Higher Power] and started making 12-Step calls. Then, something happened next that every one of you know is impossible.”
Chuck
then describes going back to his office and getting a phone call from
one of his other customers, who says, “I heard you might be going
through a rough patch at the moment, Charley. I’m going to Miami
tonight to attend the big supermarket trade show and I’ll be gone for a
week.But I wanted to let you know there is a check sitting here made out to you and your business in the amount of $50,000 – if you need it. Consider it a no-interest loan you can pay back at your convenience. I just want to make sure you’re still in business when I get back because I depend on you.”
Chuck insists that he never needed to go pick up that check – though he told the customer he’d never forget his thoughtfulness – because by the time the man returned from Miami, “I didn’t need it. The place was filled up and it was full until I sold it.”
Here’s how Chuck sums up his (very successful) business philosophy:
“So,
my business is to go about His business, and it’s His business to take
care of me. That is not my business, that’s His business. Now, what is
His business that I’m going about? Helping His kids do things they need
to have done because I want to. A 12-Step call in business. A 12-Step
call at home. A 12-Step call in A.A., a 12-Step call in play. Just
going about our Father’s business, that’s my business. It’s His
business to take care of me, and He’s done an infinitely better job
than I ever did, and I’m most grateful.”
Hearing this explanation, I was reminded of the time in my first year of sobriety when I was looking for work and at an A.A. meeting, I confessed that I was afraid.
“We
have a prayer for that,” a woman said. “It’s on page 68 of our Book:
‘God, please remove my fear and direct my attention to all You would
have me be.’”When asked what I was afraid of, I answered I was afraid of not finding a job. “It’s not your job to find a job,” she said. “Your job is to look for a job and God will find you a job -- the right one.”
“Besides,” she continued, “You’re in Alcoholics Anonymous now so you always have a job. Your primary purpose is to ‘stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.’ And if you do that well, God will make sure you always have a roof over your head and you always have enough to eat.”
I never forgot that advice and years later, when I was let go from another (much better) job, I went home to hesitantly tell my wife the news. All she said was, “That’s great; let’s go celebrate, because it means something even better is coming.” Stunned, I asked her where she believed the money was going to come from and she replied, “Well, from wherever it is right now.”
She was right. About a month later, I got a call out of the blue about a new opportunity and I was in that business for over 20 years, until I retired.
And thankfully, I am still sober and still busy practicing my primary purpose, too… thanks to the grace of a Higher Power and the lessons I’ve learned from the people in Alcoholics Anonymous.
-- Michael Powers
