Getting the Job Done

Profile on: Jim Sattler, CEO of EMJ Corporation

When Jim Sattler, CEO of EMJ Corporation, gets to work each day, he is usually confronted with one thing: problems. As the leader of one of the largest and most successful general contractors in the USA – which is constructing dozens of shopping centres, office complexes, and warehouses and dealing with hundreds of sub-contractors at any given time – he is the one ultimately responsible if something goes wrong.

But the hotter things get at work, the calmer Jim becomes, because he knows there’s someone even higher up than him who’s got it all under control: Jesus.

The need to be in control

Things didn’t used to be this way for Jim. There was a time when he was known as an intimidator, when he used whatever means necessary to get a job done, even if it meant bullying someone into doing it.

“There was no question that I could get the work done, but my approach typically resulted in a lot of staff turnover. Either that or people would do the job but only because they had to,” Jim says.

This attitude carried over into Jim’s personal life as well, to the point that his temper nearly led to a major rift in his family. After this event, Jim spent some time reflecting on what was driving his behavior. He also started looking at what God had to say about anger. Through this process, Jim came to realize that for him, anger was about controlling others in order to achieve a desired outcome. There was no sense of trust in people’s God-given abilities or in God’s sovereignty over the situation.

Giving God’s business back

Once Jim recognized what was going on, he started to make some changes. For one thing, he realized he had to put the business back into God’s hands. That simple act totally transformed Jim’s approach to work.

“Now I can trust God for the outcome as long as I’m doing what He’s given me the ability to do versus me trying to make it happen,” he says.

Jim’s relaxed attitude has had a profound effect on EMJ’s management team and employees as well. Even their clients notice the difference.

“People now enjoy working here versus working under intimidation, and our developers, customers, and subcontractors now want to do business with us versus just saying, ‘Okay, it’s a job, and we’re going to get it done.’”

There’s nothing I can’t do!

Jim and his management team still encounter adversity every day. It’s a highly complex business with dozens of difficult decisions to be made. Without Jesus in his life, Jim would probably have been consumed by his anger long ago. But now that he recognizes his life and business are in God’s hands, he feels there’s nothing he can’t do.

Do you struggle with anger, with a need to control the people around you? Perhaps it’s time you relaxed your grip on the controls of your life and turned them over to Jesus. If you’re ready to do so, we encourage you to pray the following prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be. Amen.

No comments yet

Leave a Reply