Seven Grandfather Qualities That Guide Me Through Work, Business, and Life

I have fond memories of my grandfather growing up. I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and my grandparents lived here in Wichita, KS. About once a year, they would make the trek out to Pittsburgh. One thing about grandpa was that he always wanted a project to work on when he came. I remember as a young boy watching my grandpa work around our house on many remodeling projects, ranging from a bathroom remodel to a room addition.  I was probably 7 or 8, and he gave me a hammer and some nails to “practice” hammering into a board. As I got older, he kept encouraging me in his kind and respectful way, letting me get more involved in the remodeling projects.

I believe I developed my love for woodworking, building, and remodeling from my grandpa. I was fascinated by it early on. He is a good man, and I still faithfully apply my grandfather's teachings and positive choices in my work, business, and life. Although today's world is different than the one that he grew up in, the grandfather qualities I observed in him still mean the world to me, and I have tried to take them on as my own.

In this post, I would like to share seven qualities my grandpa taught me about work, business, and how to live life that have shaped my character, given me wisdom, and ensured that I value honesty and respect in every project that I take on.

Seven Grandfather Teachings That Still Hold True

Use Straight Boards (Quality is Key)

We were working on a bathroom remodel, and I remember spending hours at Home Depot looking for the best lumber. He wasn't going to settle for warped or crooked lumber. We would eye down the lumber and go through so many 2x4s (I'm sure Home Depot was not pleased with us) until we had what we needed. He explained to me that this framing material needed to be top quality in order for our bathroom to turn out well.

Maintain Your Stuff

I'm not sure how many scoldings I received for leaving my bike or my shovel outside overnight. He was an advocate for taking care of your things. It revealed pride in what you had. As I got older he taught me the value of making sure your saw blades are sharp so they cut the wood nice and clean. It was one of his most unique traits, and I still try to take care of my own things now in honor of his teachings.

Work Hard

I'm not sure if I know anyone who was as hard a worker as my grandpa. He grew up in the Great Depression and had to work for everything. He had a small farm in his young adult years, and we all know how much work that is. In my teen years and college years I remember thinking, “Wow, he just keeps going!” He has great perseverance regardless of his age. In my early adult years, my grandpa in his early 80s, would still be coming over to help me on my house – roofing, demo, and carpentry. Unlike most older adults, he showed no signs of slowing down. He was a hard worker his entire life.

He has lived his life revolving around and being fulfilled by hard work. For him, someone displays disrespectful actions if they don't give it their all, and time spent working is time well spent. Even in tough times, inner strength, courage, and dedication should translate into an honest day's work, one that anyone -- from his peers to his children and grandchildren -- would recognize and be proud of.

Take a Break

When noon rolled around, Grandpa would be dropping his tools and his tool belt and heading for the house. Without fail, my sweet grandma would have the table set and food on the table for her man. This was a sacred part of every work day. Grandpa would always make sure he and I would be nourished and hydrated so that we could power through and “get it done” after lunch. And Grandpa I don't think, could take a long lunch. He had an urge to get back to work right at 12:30. He long ago taught me the value of taking a small break in the day to rest and rejuvenate, but not to linger too long.

Faith and Family are First

Grandpa has an unconditional love for his family, including my grandmother, my parents, and all of our family members. His faith and his family are what drive him. He would do anything for his kids and grandkids. He never worked on Sunday but would go to church in the morning, and then we would gather around the table for lunch. These are such wonderful times that I look back on with fond memories, times when we could just talk, listen, and be in the same room together. It's what for me is the good life.

His teachings mean the world to me, and he taught by example. From this one teaching, I learned to always try to face life with my priorities straight – it's hard to do that sometimes!

Be Helpful

I can't think of a more helpful person in my life than my grandfather. He is always on the lookout for ways to help people. He is known throughout his neighborhood for helping people--from catching rats in the basement to changing out a garbage disposal to picking up mail for his neighbors when they are away. He always stressed the importance of using his knowledge and abilities in service of other people. His attitude of helpfulness reminds us that life is better when you dedicate yourself to serving others. Of course it will be hard, but I hope that I can learn to be as helpful to others as Grandpa someday!

Serve Your Customer

After he retired, Grandpa had a few side businesses to keep him busy. Whenever someone called with a problem, he would call them back immediately and go take care of the problem. He always did a nice, neat job. He would communicate the problem and how he was going to solve it. His customers loved him and were constantly calling. He never treated them in a negative way, told lies, or spoke with anything but a clear sense of respect.

While other teachings have served me well in my personal journey through life, this one stands out in my business. I want the story of my company to reflect this lesson, stressing the importance of honesty, truth, and problem-solving in every client interaction. It's not only the right way to do things, but it's a means to going to bed each night with pride and peace of mind.

Integrating My Grandfather's Qualities in Our Own Lives

I know this is not the typical remodeling contractor post you see on very many websites. But I believe that business is about people and relationships. This article is a little bit about my story and the culture of our company, Pinnacle Homes. You could say that Grandpa wrote my business plan for me.

Christian and His Grandpa, Larry Reid, holding Weston Reid Raab who was named after Grandpa.