James “Darryl” Graham is an encourager.
“Everywhere I go, I tell people to have a blessed day,” he says. “I say it so much that people just say it right back to me.”
That line – have a blessed day – comes from a strong Christian faith and represents what is a central theme in Darryl’s life.
“I’m blessed,” explains Darryl. “God has blessed me, and I believe, 100%, that I’m called to live like it.”
That calling translates into a passion for hard work and for building other people up, both traits that have led Darryl into his current role at The Wilburn Company as Management Trainer.
Darryl would say it’s the next step in what has been a blessed journey.
The Beginning
Darryl first heard of The Wilburn Company through a friend.
“I had a friend who was working in one of the buildings,” Darryl explains, “and he reached out to me to ask if I was interested in picking up some extra work. I thought it could be helpful, so I gave it a shot.”
What started out as an entry-level job quickly grew into more. It wasn’t long after a new building opened that Darryl’s friend was selected for a management position. However, the friend ended up moving out of the area, making it impossible for him to accept the new position. The position was later offered to Darryl. He accepted the position and thrived immediately.
“I served in the Marine Corps for 20 years,” Darryl explains, “so there was a lot from that experience I was able to bring into The Wilburn Company.”
And that certainly was the case. Great customer relations, staff development, and hard work – it all translated well, and Darryl quickly became one of the company’s top managers.
Expanding the Role to Include Trainer
As The Wilburn Company continues to grow, more managers are brought in – and as growth increases, more training is needed.
Based on Darryl’s consistent excellence in his role as building manager, it made sense that he was selected to lead management training. Moving forward, Darryl will maintain his current managing role, and also work to encourage and equip The Wilburn Company’s managers for the ins-and-outs of directing others.
“My job,” explains Darryl, “is to get everyone reading from the same sheet of music.”
That involves training on the technical aspects of janitorial management, and also on the realities of people management.
“There’s a lot to learn,” he says. “First of all, there’s a whole lot more to janitorial work than most people initially expect. You need to know how to manage for Green Seal certifications and sanitization and more.”
“And then you also have to know how to manage people,” he adds. “I speak with our team and building management daily to make sure everyone is successful.”
It is a lot – but if there’s anyone who’s well suited to train new managers, it’s an experienced leader, who, by nature, is an encourager.
Positioning Wilburn for the Future
Darryl continues to encourage himself as he reflects on what’s happening in the world and at The Wilburn Company.
“Because of Covid,” he explains, “the work that cleaners do is viewed as more important than ever before. We’re seen and appreciated in a way that wasn’t realized before the pandemic.” That reality shines a light on the relationships between cleaners and occupants, and has helped to boost team morale.
Darryl is excited about the future of The Wilburn Company. “Over the last three years or so, we’ve really grown as a company,” he says. “We’ve really increased our efficiency and enhanced our practices.”
That growth has placed our company on track toward a brighter future – and we strongly believe that it’s due to the ongoing efforts of people like Darryl, who, through dedication and hard work, strive to encourage others to be more accountable in their efforts to lead to company in a positive direction.
From The Wilburn Company: Darryl, thanks for your continual encouragement, and here’s to more blessed days!