It is probably safe to say that the goal of any person in the working world - whether business owners, sales people, customer service representatives, laborers, or employees of any kind - is success. Success may be defined differently in each of these roles, and by each individual. Not everyone desires to climb the corporate ladder or own a multimillion dollar business. But I don't know many people who go to work each day with a goal of failure. To be successful, you must be able to work with a variety of people. There is one characteristic you can develop that will greatly increase your influence with people, and therefore your success. It's a trait that the Lord works to develop in each of us. That trait is a servant-heart. The Bible states it pretty clearly:
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." (1Peter 4:10)
We are, by nature, self-centered and self-focused. We care about our needs and what we deserve. Think about your place of work, and businesses you have visited. The work place is filled with people trying to stand out from their competition, stepping on others in an effort to get ahead. At the other end of the spectrum, we find those with little ambition who don't even believe they should have to work to earn a living. That's where we often find poor customer service, and where you are a source of annoyance to the worker, rather than a source of their income or the reason they even have a job in the first place!
How refreshing it would be to find a customer service agent who loved their job and genuinely cared about making sure you were 200% satisfied! They would surely stand out to their boss and would go far in their company. A servant attitude would serve you well in any position of your work or business. You are far more likely to increase the effectiveness of your influence if you listen to your customer with genuine interest, and stop looking for common interests just so that you can impress them with how much you think you know. Instead, listen for ways to serve them or to connect them with someone else who could benefit them. Increasing your influence by serving others does not just apply to customers; it also applies to co-workers, bosses, employees - even teachers and students!
Time to look in the mirror and evaluate your heart at your work. Do you seek out ways to serve others? Do you hold others in higher regard than you hold yourself? Do you look for ways to recognize the contributions and achievements of coworkers? Do you approach your superior with ideas to help their company grow their business? If you are a business owner, do you look for ways to serve your employees to retain loyalty and grow your business? Do you own the complaints or problems of customers and work to resolve the issue, rather than passing it off to someone else? If not, then work to make each of these questions a "yes", and watch what happens to your influence and success in your place of work!
"But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader
among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you
must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve others and give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew
20: 26-28)
Jesus says it himself. To be a leader, to be first, to be successful... you must serve.
No comments:
Post a Comment