As I thought about what to write today I perused the 2008 Fortune 500 rankings from 1955-2008. When it comes to all things 500, Fortune Magazine seems to have a corner on the business rating business. Wow! Can you guess what company is at the top? Walmart, good ole Wally World, the super market of the red neck world.
It's no wonder that Walmart is now on top, their company strategy is to provide the best product for the lowest price. Their company motto is "Save Money. Live Better."
It doesn't matter what you think about Walmart (and I know there are haters out there) you can't help but see them as an amazing company that has risen from a mom and pop dime store to the nation and maybe even the world's largest retailer.
How does it happen and why? I remember reading a book several years ago written about the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton. In the book it chronicled a man who put customers first and the desire to provide the best product at an affordable price. He view his competition as vultures robbing from the good people in American cities all across America. Their company model was to open new stores in small cities and bring about a competitive marketplace that would drive value.
So what can we learn from the top Fortune 500 Company, Walmart?
1. People matter - On Sunday as we host the largest crowd ever at Fellowship Church, we need to remeber that people matter, because people matter to God. When we relegate our world down to just numbers and forget that behind every number is a person in need of a deep relationship with Jesus, we have missed the greatest opportunity to change our world. Sam Walton believed in people and invested in much in making sure people were cared for.
2. People matter - That's not a typo, Sam Walton treated not only his customer's right, but he treated his employee's right. Rather than calling them employee's he referred to those in his stores as associates. The title associate give ownership and responsibility. This coming Easter Sunday we don't have a lot of people just doing jobs we have partners investing in the future of Fellowship Church. Each one plays an important part in the success we see.
3. Value is important - Behind people Sam Walton believed that value was vital and in the beginning provided only American made products. Unfortunately and against what some may think Mr. Walton realized that sometimes value in American products was hard to come by. Mr. Walton had to turn from an important principle to provide the best for his customer. It seems the American work force choose the dollar over quality and it showed. Thankfully this change in direction has caused some manufacturing in American to rethink quality to be competitive in today's market place.
4. Competition is not your enemy - We often think in church that we are in competition with other churches. Mr. Walton believed that competition made everyone better. I need to be careful here so that some of you don't mis-understand, we believe in good competition, not competing for people, but against the enemy. When Fellowship Church grows and makes a difference in the community other churches will begin to believe they can do it to. As one friend likes to say, "When the lake level raises, all the boats raise to the same level. For us to see Kingdom work happen in our community we need to raise the lake. Raise expectation from the community leaders and residents.
5. Criticism is normal - Why would we think otherwise? When you are doing something that no body else is doing, people will be critical. We just have to keep doing what we believe God has called us to do.
6. Larger is OK - In the last few years Walmart has moved from a small mom-and-pop center to the SuperCenter model. In churches we see a mentality that small is good, but at Fellowship Church we believe that large is pleasing to God. If we ever forget that God desires us to grow, we are doomed.
I am sure there are other things we can learn but that is the quick list. I also found this online, Sam Walton's Ten Commandments of Business, its good:
10. Avoid Conventional Wisdom
9. Swim Upstream
8. Control Your Expenses Better Than Your Competitors
7. Exceed Your Customers Expectations
6. Appreciate What Your Associates Do
5. Listen to Everyone in the Company
4. Communicate All That You Know
3. Motivate Your Partners
2. Share Your Profits
1. Of Course...Commit to Your Business
Til tomorrow, 500 is the goal, see ya Sunday
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