Core Value Blog Post: “Our standard is giving more than what is expected.”
Many weeks I find myself writing about the core values with a childhood story of mine or an example of a great TLC employee story or even a reflection on current events. Still, today I am writing about an old friend that is no longer with us here at TLC.
Today I was amazed to learn that our core values touched a former employee of TLC. Even though he has moved on from TLC, he still uses the core values he learned here and became a fan of TLC in his daily life and his new business venture.
His name is Erick Haro, and those of you that work at TLCHQ may remember him. If you recognize the last name, you will probably also realize he is related to a few of our current family here at TLC.
Several months ago, Erick Haro found himself in the same position as millions of other Americans in the USA. The pandemic had changed everything, and suddenly Erick found himself temporarily out of work, and he took a job working with us in the shipping department here at HQ to keep his income stream going. Maybe it was supposed to happen so he could make his way to TLC even if it were only a temporary stop in his life.
During Erick’s time here, I had several interactions with him. Most of those were when I would deliver the message of the day throughout the building. Sometimes, later on during the day, he would mention to me how those messages made him reflect and see things differently and how he enjoyed them. I, of course, was always grateful to hear that at least one person was impacted positively with something that I had said.
Our conversations were always very positive, and Erick always seemed to want more discussions about our core values, personal development, and life in general. So, of course, most of you know that if someone is willing to listen to me, then I am always ready to talk, maybe sometimes a little too much.
Erick’s time at TLC recently came to an end, and it was time for him to make a decision. He had debated in discussions with me if he was going to go back to his job that he with or if he was going to change course and go into the landscaping business with his father. He eventually decided to take the chance and go into business with his Dad, and he credits his time here at TLC with helping him make that decision.
There was something about spending three short months with us that challenged him to push himself into facing his fears and trying something new. When Erick left TLC, it was a bittersweet day. I knew we were losing a great member of our team, but I also knew whatever he did next, he would be successful at so I wished him well and encouraged him to do great.
Today Erick reached out to me and sent me this message:
“Our standard is giving more than what is expected” is a lesson that I learned from a great mentor of mine. Often we get so caught up in our routine that it makes it easy to forget always to give back. It shouldn’t always be about what we’re getting in return. Today, I decided to do just that – to give back. With so much negativity in this world, there is just as much positivity, and I wanted to spread it. Due to the pandemic and other factors, the New Baltimore Police Department was forced to reduce their budgets; therefore, they were unable to maintain their landscape. I reached out to the New Baltimore Police Department and offered to clean up their landscaping at no charge and to provide them with lunch. The entire staff was very grateful, and that was more of a reward to me. I felt honored to give back to my community. What’s my “why” for doing this? Because I want to inspire others to give back! Coach John, thank you for inspiring me and many others that you may interact with. You moved me not to lose hope and to keep fighting to reach my dreams.”
Erick Haro, today we celebrate you and thank you for making someone smile and reminding the people you helped that there are plenty of great people in this world and by telling all of us the same. Erick mentions me directly in this message, but I promise you that when anyone says Jack Fallon or John Licari individually, they also mean TLC as well.
Since TLC is an energy and not a company and you are all part of that energy, then he is thanking all of you! Those of you that do what you do every day and continue to push to make this world a better place is what inspires people like Erick to do the same every day in this world, never forget that! It is just like Jack always says, “we are all connected,” and we must engage, challenge, and inspire each other whenever we can, and we must share our love and the world.
At TLC, “our standard is giving more than what is expected,” and it inspired Erick to do the same. Who are you inspiring today? And which core value are you encouraging them to follow? Hopefully, all of them!
