Hi Friend,
A thankful heart is a happy heart. Leaders who show gratitude have happier followers and are happier themselves. I love the following old story that has strong applications for all of us.
There was once a waiter who asked a customer how he had enjoyed the meal. The guest replied that everything was fine, but it would have been better if they had served more bread. The next day, when the man returned, the waiter doubled the amount of bread, giving him four slices instead of two, but still the man was not happy. The next day, the waiter doubled the bread again, without success.
On the fourth day, the waiter was really determined to make the man happy. And so he took a nine-foot-long loaf of bread, cut it in half, and with a smile, served that to the customer. The waiter could scarcely wait for the man’s reaction.
After the meal, the man looked up and said, “Good as always. But I see you’re back to giving only two slices of bread.”
It is easy to get caught up in not seeing all that others do for us. For example, an employee who stays a little later to meet a deadline, a co-worker who has spent 20 extra minutes helping us solve a problem, or someone on the team who always volunteers to do the things no one else volunteers to do. Are you noticing?
It’s a matter of caring enough to notice the many things others do for us. It’s a leadership principle so basic, yet often neglected. It’s simply about having a heart of gratitude and those leaders who have heart… will also have the heart of those they lead.
|
