When our WHY coincides with our WHAT.
It was a concept unfamiliar to me for well into my career.
That was until I walked into an office for a routine sales visit and noticed my colleague was in a bit of pain.
I found out that day that a 12th floor elevator crashed to the ground with my colleague in it…years prior.
What followed that tragic event was a series of life saving surgeries and a long regimen of pain pills.
Something in me hit full stop as I listened to his story…
It broke me.
I had no idea.
This was my moment of “Congruence” when my passion for the human side of business collided with the routine of my day.
That day I finally saw my colleague as a friend and someone that was deeply hurting.
After he finished, I simply thanked him for sharing his story…stared rather blankly at him for a few moments and finally mustered the courage to ask if I could pray for him.
Right then…
“Yes, please”, he said rather quickly.
We did.
I don’t normally cry especially in someone’s office but it had apparently been over 30 years since anyone had noticed his situation and offered to pray.
The encounter impacted both of us.
Fom that day on, the business connection with him was easy and pleasant – and from a corporate standpoint, profitable.
Best of all we both looked forward to my continued visits.
It took this moment for me to realize I had been taught for far too long to notice the TITLE and not the PERSON, keeping it strictly “business as usual”.
Wrong.
As leaders we have a charge to first SEE the people we have the privilege of serving.
You can’t “lead” someone you don’t “see”.