Day 125 - 12 May 95 - Page 32


     
     1        noticed a dramatic change in his personality in the sense
     2        that he came out of his shell.  He was very much
     3        introverted and he became more outgoing.
     4
     5        He felt, you know, quite good about himself in that he knew
     6        that he was the best at something.  He was able to
     7        demonstrate to all that he was the best there was in the
     8        production area.  His parents, you know, broke down and
     9        cried at the banquet and shared with management that they
    10        were so appreciative that we would do something like that
    11        for her son David.
    12
    13        I would say that, from that experience, he went on to go
    14        into management, became a store manager, an area supervisor
    15        and up until just recently was a franchisee, owner of three
    16        stores.  On occasion I have received letters from Dave
    17        where he has just talked about his McDonald's experience;
    18        how it changed not only his life but his family's life.  He
    19        was able to buy his parents a home and provide for his
    20        family in a fashion that he could have not otherwise have
    21        dreamed of.
    22
    23        So, I mean, that was just one of many cases that I could
    24        probably talk about, but one that has touched me that
    25        I know of, you know, have first hand experience of.  I can
    26        say that, I dare say there are situations like that all
    27        around the country as a result, not only just of the
    28        Olympics, but the experience that people have had at
    29        McDonald's.
    30
    31   MS. STEEL:  Mr. Beavers, no doubt for every one of those who got
    32        some position in the Olympics, there are tens of people who
    33        had their confidence shattered because they did not make
    34        it, they were not good enough and they thought they had put
    35        their all into doing something and they did not get
    36        anywhere?
    37        A.  No, I do not think that that is fair.  We all want
    38        certain things in life and, unfortunately, we do not all
    39        get what we want out of life, but I think there is great
    40        value in going for those things that we consider to be
    41        important.  I think there is a lot of -- there are a lot of
    42        lessons, there is a lot to be gained for going for it,
    43        whether you want to be a baseball player, a soccer player,
    44        a manager of a restaurant.  To say that there is no value
    45        in going for what you want and failing to win the prize as
    46        being a shattering experience, perhaps for a very few that
    47        might be the case, but for most I think it helps them to be
    48        a stronger individual.  It helps to build character.  It
    49        helps them to be a better person.  That has been my
    50        experience over my 30 some years in the work world. 
    51 
    52   Q.   It helps them to be more productive for McDonald's? 
    53        A.  It helps them to be better individuals, period, whether
    54        at McDonald's, at home, or even after they leave
    55        McDonald's.  I think that there is value in teaching people
    56        it is all right to go for something and, even if you do not
    57        quite make it, it is still good that you went for it.  It
    58        still makes you a better person.  I think we all should
    59        hitch our wagon to a star and hope that we reach it.
    60

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