Jan 14 2008
While saving a life is not in Nate McGary-Myers' job description, his training as a foreman for RAINSHIELD, Inc. ensures he has the skills, knowledge and self-direction to do so. On December 5, 2007, Nate saved the life of a tenant at the apartment complex he was renovating near Safeco Field in downtown Seattle, Washington.
Nate met "The Colonel" during this renovation project, which involves removing and replacing walls and windows. Nate recalls fondly how, "The Colonel and his wife would shuffle sodas to the crew, accompanied by words of appreciation," and his feeling of sadness upon hearing that the Colonel's wife, who was the caretaker of the couple, had taken a fall resulting in hip surgery. The Colonel was waiting for nursing assistance from the VA.
On December 5, the crew needed to enter The Colonel's apartment for interior work. They received no response to the doorbell. Ed, the apartment manager, agreed that help was likely needed. Once inside, Nate and Ed found The Colonel lying on the floor, barely conscious. According to one paramedic, "The Colonel probably had only an hour to live, if they had not been called."
Part of Nate's job at RAINSHIELD is to know company standards, policies and procedures -- for installation quality, customer service ... and safety. There is tons of paperwork and continuous testing, year after year, at all levels.
Lori Evans, a performance consultant recently introduced to RAINSHIELD's practices, is not surprised by the level of excellence exhibited by a RAINSHIELD foreman. She explained, "The ability to engage and gain commitment (within the RAINSHIELD workforce) is far beyond what I've seen in most work environments, and I've seen a lot, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies and across many industries. RAINSHIELD employees must weave company standards into their daily work." And she added, "Customers are getting much more than they realize (from this roofing crew)."
Nate looks at this not as a heroic event, but as part of his job, stating humbly, "I just decided to stay the course and trim out the Colonel's windows that day, and in doing so I was lucky enough to help out a man that needed it."
For many workers, quantity and speed are the only measures. A foreman working for one of these companies would have pushed on to another project. RAINSHIELD puts the customer first. And for most of their projects, it ensures a minimum of a job well-done. In this case the job went far beyond well done. A foreman was empowered to stay on course for the customer -- and save a life.