Winning Words 10/23/09
“Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that’s says, “'Make me feel important.'” (Mary Kay Ash) I can imagine that Mary Kay used this in a pep talk to her sales people. I might adjust the sign to read: “Make me feel that I matter.” A story in today’s newspaper told of how Rick Waggoner, former head of GM, would always greet a custodian by name as he came to work, while others would simply pass by and let him go about his business. Watch for that sign! ;-) Jack

FROM BD IN MICHIGAN: Today message from you is HUGE! In a management seminar I learned that "their is never a neutral encounter with an employee". I've been using that for about 20 year and never walk pass an employee without saying Hi, it's made a big difference in my life! FROM JACK: Sometimes stuff that we should have learned at home has to be taught in the workplace. Wherever...it's good advice!

FROM L IN ILLINOIS: Every person is important. Not just to their friends and family, but to our society as a whole. Every person has a role to play-- doctors, teachers, mothers, grandfathers, custodians. Though my friends would probably call me an introvert, I am actually a "people person." I find it makes me feel good when I acknowledge others' importance. FROM JACK: We need more people people in this world.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: I just relish every time in the Bible where there is some little nobody from a non-descript place and a highly unlikely background to be anybody at all and God says "That's the one" and gives him/her some big important job to do. That makes for a really eye-popping world to live in and Mary Kay Ash and Rick Waggoner sound like people who were able to tap into seeing all this excitement just waiting behind the scenes to be acknowledged and let loose to work--for good I hope. FROM JACK: And you, too!

FROM JACK TO BD, A HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR IN MICHIGAN: I'm sure that today's "Word" serves as a reminder to you...everytime the door opens and a student walks in. FROM BD: Very true! Each student deserves to be treated as if they were the most important person I helped that day.

FROM CL IN MICHIGAN: A great message especially for today's culture\

FROM MOLINER CF: Rick Waggoner was practicing the old saw, "Be nice to the Janitor on the way up. You may meet him on the way down." FROM JACK: It's even better, because that's just your nature...or because you learned at home that it's nice to be nice.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: It's the little things that count. You learned that in the parish, didn't you. FROM JACK: I learned it first at home.

FROM INDY GENIE: I will! What a great way to live! FROM JACK: That seems to be your modus operandi.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: J.Wallace Hamilton, that dynamic preacher, used this idea, calling it the Drum-major instinct...we all want to be the leader of the band. He said once, we all wear a sign around our necks crying, "I want to be important!" as we imaginatively twirl our batons...And isn't it the truth?! FROM JACK: I remember hearing of a minister who turned down a call to a certain congregation. He said: "There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians."