Recently, Quintin McFarland, our November Aide of the Month, found himself having an inspiring discussion on books, philosophy, and the meaning of life with a client. This is not unusual for Quintin, who treats everyone he meets as a person of value and worth. He deeply respects all the people around him, knowing he is part of a greater world. “More than me” is Quintin’s philosophy of life. “It’s not just about me,” he explains. “There’s more than me.”
“More than me” begins with the people Quintin values most: his family. He learned what it means to be a good provider from the example of his father, and today Quintin himself is a devoted father to twin teenage daughters. As a family company, CCOR became a perfect fit for Quintin, who had a memorable early encounter with founder Al Gauvin. “When I first met Mr. Al,” Quintin remembers, “he told me, ‘If you have a family, take care of your family first. Job comes second.’ That’s what he told me at the South Clinton office the first time I met him. Right there in the parking lot, before I even filled out the application. I think about that to this day.”
Respect is the basis for Quintin’s “More than me” philosophy and forms the motivation for how devotedly he cares for his clients. “You should treat each individual the way you treat yourself,” says Quintin. Taking his own advice to heart, he regularly goes above and beyond. He does whatever is necessary to ensure the comfort of his client, with the same level of care he gives to his own comfort.
”More than me” means awareness of the people around him. He is deeply conscious of the importance of bringing a positive energy to every interaction. “It’s all about the energy you give off to a person. Once you have that bad energy, that bad energy could go to someone else. You don’t want your bad energy to go to your client.”
Quintin’s “More than me” attitude leads him to value both his clients and his coworkers. He sees the CCOR staff as a family that works best when they work together. He routinely finds ways to assist his coworkers, whether that means taking care of tasks to make their shift easier or making sure he is communicating effectively with them.
Quintin has become an inspiring example of the compassion that CCOR stands for. “When you’re with a client for as many hours as I am,” Quintin says, “you learn that client more than you would think. And the client learns you more than you would think. I can really say that about a client I have now. He knows me more than anybody. And the thing about it is I don’t look at him as my client. He’s like an uncle to me. He inspires me. He gives me things to think about. I really care about him. He’s my guy.”