Core Values: Pursuing Excellence

UGM leadership chose “pursuing excellence” as a core value based on Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Personally, I want to do the very best job I possibly can for UGM, our staff, those we serve, those who donate, and most importantly, for the Lord. Sometimes, however, striving for excellence can cause me to focus too much on what I’m doing, rather than why I’m doing it. The “why” is Christ – loving Him, serving Him, carrying out His heart for the “least of these.”

As the Director of Development, I oversee the various means by which we tell UGM’s story – publications, the website, social media, events, relationships with investors, etc. And, since UGM’s story is ultimately God’s story, I want to ensure that we do that with integrity, creativity, careful stewardship and excellence. All good things, right?

I just need to make sure that, as I stretch to improve both myself and my staff, I am purposeful in my time with the Lord and seek His help. Otherwise, I can be tempted to turn my efforts, the efforts of my staff, and the results we achieve into some kind of statement about our personal worth as people.

It is important to make sure that what I “do” doesn’t define me and, as a manager, that I help my staff to see their value apart from their performance. The real message and what I want to communicate – both personally and professionally – is what God has done. He is amazing, and every day I have the opportunity to watch Him working out His plan in the lives of our guests, our staff, our volunteers, our investors . . . and me.

That’s His story. And I want to make sure we tell it with excellence.

~ Wil Wilhelm, UGM Director of Development

More on UGM's Core Values:

• Grateful and generous
• God-dependent
• Christ-like