Aspirations, Leadership & Growing

THIS WAS WRITTEN YESTERDAY 4/19/09

Today I went somewhere, physically, mentally & spiritually. I wasn't expecting anything to be out of the ordinary. Just had a day off so I took up a friend on an offer to tour his place of work. My friend has been working as a contractor at this very well known company since October of last year & is deliriously happy. He cannot stop raving about it. He talks of the company providing healthy meals to its employees and guests, for free, everyday. He talked of the fitness center and opportunity to work with a personal trainer/nutritionist. He talked of working in a Christian environment. He talked of working with people that genuinely enjoyed what they did...every single day!! Can you say jealousy? oh yeah, major!!

Well, today I experienced IT. I felt IT as I walked the halls, peeked into conference rooms, stepped into and out of elevators and sat in the cafe. Wait a minute!! Hold the ever lovin' phone!! These people were happy. Glad, even. To be at work!! It was MIND BOGGLING!!! And no, it was not the Stepford world. Everyone we encountered had a smile on their face. Those we were actually introduced to warmly greeted us and told us how pleased they were that we had come to visit. Really? um, us? but we're nobody, I mean, we don't even work there. Just guests, come to visit a friend. But it brought to my mind, the common sense of it all. Keep your employees happy. If they are happy they will help your business to grow, they will produce for you, they will keep your customers/clients happy. It's a trickle down effect (give, help and enable, in all ways possible, for your team members/employees to do their job effectively). Not a sponge effect (micro manage to the point of unhappiness for your employees & still reap the benefit of profit but not share with the ones who actually DID the work) that I have felt and seen so many other companies do.

I was given several books today. One of which I started reading as soon as I got home and finished tonight (it was a quick read, only 125 pages). It's in regards to effective leadership. And while I am not a leader at my job, I found alot of what this book says I could apply it to my life and to the ministries and volunteer work that I am involved in. As I read, I knew that alot of what I experienced today had come from this book. Mostly because the co-author happens to be in a very huge leadership position at the company. It was refreshing to know that he practiced what he preached and that it was obvious that the employees took it to heart and practiced it too.

Am I still jealous? yes, to a certain extent. I had realized today that I had coveted his job and where he works. I wanted so bad to work where he does or at least a company like that (there are very few in the US that have the business practice and corporate overview that this company has). God showed me that while it's ok to want that for myself, it's not good to be envious of my friend that he does have it now.

I am still trying to sort out everything I am thinking and feeling from this day. Trying to understand what exactly it is that God is trying to reveal to me. I apologize that this post may seem vague right now. But I promise I will share what I figure out in the coming days.