The Real Measure of a Life Well Led

Over the years, many people have asked me why Etech’s Vision Statement is so focused on making a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and our communities. The answer has never changed.

The Greatest Compliment You Can Receive

I often ask myself what the true summit of human achievement looks like. What is the greatest compliment another person could ever give you? It isn’t your title. It isn’t the size of your bank account. It isn’t the awards on your office wall or the recognition you receive from your industry peers.

I believe the greatest achievement any of us can experience is knowing we made a lasting, positive difference in the life of another human being. That is why our Vision Statement matters so much.

There is an old saying that people may forget what you said and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. I believe there is tremendous truth in that.

Two Leaders, Two Legacies

Several years ago, I read about the CEO of a large technology company known for leading through fear, a practitioner of the command-and-control management style. Every decision was measured by efficiency. Employees were viewed as numbers on a spreadsheet. During an economic downturn, thousands of people learned they had lost their jobs through an automated email.

The company remained financially successful. The CEO retired with industry accolades and glowing speeches. Yet something was missing. Very few former employees reached out simply to say, “Thank you. You changed my life.” He built a successful company, but he failed to build meaningful human impact.

Now think about Etech during one of the greatest crises any of us have experienced. When COVID arrived in early 2020, more than 95% of our workforce came to work every day in one of our contact centers. Overnight, the world changed. Leadership is easy when everything is going well. Character is revealed when everything is falling apart.

Character Revealed

Rather than asking, “How many positions can we eliminate?” we asked, “How do we protect our people?” Our teams worked around the clock to transition nearly 3,000 employees to work-from-home in just a few weeks. We enhanced safety and sanitation protocols across our centers. We continued serving our customers without interruption. We protected as many jobs as possible because we knew every paycheck represented a family depending on us.

At the same time, Team Etech stepped outside our walls. We sponsored food drives. We donated much-needed PPE to first responders. We offered virtual wellness events to support our communities during an uncertain time. And while all of this was happening, in March of 2020, Etech delivered the highest revenue month in our 17-year history.

That wasn’t an accident. It happened because thousands of remarkable people chose to put others before themselves. We didn’t do those things because we were required to. We did them because they reflected who we are.

In the time that followed, I received countless emails, phone calls, handwritten letters, and messages from team members, parents, customers, and community leaders thanking Etech for making a remarkable difference during one of the most difficult seasons of their lives. No award I’ve ever received compares to those messages.

The Legacy Worth Leaving

As we begin another week, I encourage each of us to reflect on what it truly means to be a leader at Etech. One day the laptops will close for the last time, the corporate email account will be deactivated, the business cards will disappear, and the titles will belong to someone else. When that day comes, none of us will be remembered for the meetings we attended or the reports we completed. We will be remembered for the lives we touched.

If even one person breathes a little easier because you chose to lead with compassion. If one teammate grows because you believed in them. If one customer feels valued because you cared enough to serve them well.

Then you have accomplished something remarkable. That is success. That is leadership. And that is the legacy worth leaving.

Here’s to another week of making a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and our communities.

Until next time… keep making a difference you matter!

Do you want to become a part of Etech’s journey of making a remarkable difference? Join our team now!