Max Smith

Background

About Max Smith

After graduating from the O'Neil School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University - Bloomington, I now live in Avon, Indiana and have continued pursuing my passion of becoming a Chick-fil-A Operator. Through many years with Chick-fil-A and my bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, I have gained a strong work ethic, honed my team management skills, and fully embraced the importance of values in staff culture. Work Ethic: As a recent alumnus of Indiana University, I had to balance a hectic school schedule, balancing 18 credits in each of my last two semesters to graduate a semester early. I was also part of a Campus Ministry called Christian Student Fellowship while being a brother of a Fraternity called Beta Upsilon Chi. I had the opportunity to balance my time with these two organizations, while keeping up with my studies. I would help with recruitment for both, which included volunteer work and philanthropic outreach. Team Management: Chick-fil-A has always been a company built on the principles of working as a team. I learned this from the very beginning, working in Elk Grove, California at Chick-fil-A before moving to Indiana. I initially had limited confidence at my job. However, as I matured and received a fast promotion to Team Leader, I learned what it meant to be a leader at Chick-fil-A. I assisted the manager and learned to truly work as a team. The shift cannot be directed or managed by just one person. It takes the entire team. I now realize that I could never lead a shift on my own. The Team Leaders and Team Members carry out the lion share of the work. My goal as the Assistant Director of Leadership Development is to help Team Members become better leaders not only in the marketplace but also in their personal lives. Importance of Values: Chick-fil-A was created on Christian values which is extremely important to me. Working under these consistently promoted values has taught me how important it Is to work with people who believe similarly as you. I have also been able to help apply these values to my own life. Employees at Chick-fil-A are seen as some of the hardest working employees in the industry and their customer service is incomparable. I believe this deliverable comes from the strong values set by the Franchise and the Operator. I intend to carry these out every day. I am currently working full-time at Chick-fil-A as the Assistant Director of Leadership Development, while also learning the ins and outs of the company which should help me immensely when applying for the Leadership Development Program.