“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” Jesus
Years ago, I was working a plainclothes security detail in a volunteer capacity for a very large Christian conference. Part of my duties were escorting the speakers to the stage. I was a bit shocked at how some very well known Christian leaders completely ignored me as I guided them from the back of the Georgia Dome to the platform. There was no, “Hello,” “How ya doing?,” “Thanks for being here,” etc.
Now that I am older, I understand that they were probably just focused on the lecture that they were about to deliver. A lasting impression of that conference, though, was when I escorted Dr. Jack Hayford to the stage. Dr. Hayford is known throughout the world for his powerful teaching and has spoken to millions of people. He was a pastor for many years of a large church in Van Nuys, California. What made such an impression on me as a young leader was the fact that Dr. Hayford made a point to stop, shake my hand, look me in the eye, and thank me for being there. I noticed that that he had a kind word or comment for everyone that he encountered, both before and after he spoke.
It was a small thing but it really impressed me. Here was someone who wasn’t too busy or too distracted to take a moment to notice those who were busy serving. This is a great lesson for all of us, leaders or not. Do we have time to offer a kind word to the clerk in the convenience store or our waitress during our business lunch?
For those of us who are in management, do we take the time to chat for a few minutes with our employees? Have we taken the time to get to know a little about them? I know that we are all busy but we should never underestimate the importance of giving people a little “face time” with the boss. If we, as “the boss,” take the time to serve our employees, we are creating an environment in which they will serve their co-workers and the customers.
Who can you serve with a kind word today?
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