MESSAGE FROM LHMSE PRESIDENT STEVE STARKS
GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY
In the tunnel of the Utah Jazz locker room,
there is a quote visible to everyone who
enters or leaves:
“Nobody laid down, nobody quit, nobody
left anything in the locker room. It was all
out there on the floor…I’ve always said to
our guys, ‘I’ll never ask you to win, but I
will ask you to give us everything you’ve
got.’” – Larry H. Miller
I love this quote because it is a reminder
that one of our core values is hard work
and giving your best every day. This
value of hard work is as relevant to each
of our 11,000 employees as it is to the
Jazz players. Whether you are selling
sports apparel at a Fanzz store, reviewing
contracts for Total Care Auto, or playing
point guard, you can leave it “all out there
on the floor.”
In the Who We Are booklet, Hard Work is
listed as Value #2. In this section we read:
“Hard work is a commitment to excellence.
It’s about applying fundamental disciplines
consistently. As we do so, we get better
every day.”
Getting better every day is a result of
consistent hard work. Ralph Waldo
Emerson said, “That which we persist in
doing becomes easier to do, not that the
nature of the thing has changed but that
our power to do has increased.”
took pride in his work. I was even more impressed after
meeting him and discovering that he worked part-time
having recently retired after a great career. He could
have walked past the fingerprints on the door frame and
nobody would have noticed but, instead, he was leaving it
“all out there on the floor.”
As we do the same, we find greater enjoyment and
fulfillment in our work. True satisfaction comes not just in
finishing, but also in exerting sincere effort. This is true in
our personal lives as well.
We are fortunate to have an organizational culture that
encourages both hard work and quality of life. I learned
this lesson in my third year with the group. I had been
working hard on several projects
without taking time off for more than
a year. One day in my office, Clark
Whitworth and Jay Francis asked me
when I last took a vacation. When I
explained how long, they were both
firm in encouraging me to take some
time away from the office and be
with my young family. They warned
me that if I failed to do this, I would
eventually burn out and become
ineffective at both home and the
office.
WE ARE FORTUNATE
TO HAVE AN
ORGANIZATIONAL
CULTURE THAT
ENCOURAGES BOTH
HARD WORK AND
QUALITY OF LIFE.
In the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies,
each of us is part of a team. Great teams put in the hard work
necessary for each member to learn their role, communicate
effectively, and learn together how to adapt and become better.
Championship-caliber teams in all industries place a premium on
teamwork and getting better every day.
Last year I was visiting one of our Megaplex Theatres in St. George
and noticed one of our teammates across the lobby cleaning a
door frame with a spray bottle and a rag. The man didn’t know he
was being watched, but it was evident how much he cared and
LHM Group’s Value #2: Hard Work. Events like the Tour
of Utah, the LHM 1000, an NBA or SL Bees season, or
even completing a college degree don’t just “happen.”
They take commitment and hard work, all while facing
constant challenges and surprises along the way. The
best kind of “hard work” happens when you put your heart into
it – when it transcends being a “task” and turns into a passion.
Satisfaction comes not just in finishing the project or reaching the
goal, but in exerting a sincere effort to get there.
This was a great life lesson for my
family and we are grateful for their
encouragement. Along the way, Gail
and Greg Miller have often reinforced
the need for all of us to be good at
work and home. I also encourage you
to strike a healthy work/life balance
because you will be better and find
greater fulfillment in your entire life.
As you continue to leave it “all out there on the floor,”
you will continue to grow in your career and be more
successful in your personal life. As we all continue to
work hard by leaving it “all out there on the floor,”
we will continue to be a world-class organization that
reaches new heights and enriches an increasing
number of lives. WS
Discussion ideas for managers, leaders and teams:
1. What do hard work and excellence have in common?
How do you (individually and as a group) measure
hard work and excellence?
2. How do you stay motivated to give your best every
day without becoming burned out? What’s the best
way to get/stay excited about the work?
3. What goals do you have (individually and as a group),
and what steps are you taking to make them a reality?