I am worried. Two teams that I am responsible for are housed in less than ideal accommodations. If I am honest with myself, the conditions stink – literally! They are the worst that I have seen anywhere in the group. They are as bad, perhaps worse, than any I have seen in any financial services company anywhere at any time in the world. I wonder if I am doing enough to take care of their situation. I know I have people on my team, directs and those who are service enablers, who are focused on solving the problem. However, is this enough? Is my once every two weeks check-in sufficient? Now that this has gone on for over two months, do I have a sense when it will improve?
There are two responses that I find myself holding onto.
One is personal. I know I can do more. My commitment is that I will. A simple call on a regular basis to ask for an update will make a difference. It will also provide a catalyst for the group to focus on one of its core values.
The second is corporate. We, the senior team and leaders, can do more with what we have. It may seem like nothing is possible, however, more is always within reach. There is an old example of a prisoner under house arrest. To many, it would have been a mini-hell. For Paul, it was something else. “Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit.” (Acts 28.30)
We can invite others to come and share what we do have. They can see and experience our story.
We can reach out, giving others a sense of our ambitions to deliver excellent service. We may not have everything we need but we do have the core – people that care. In the future and now, it is not the furnishings that will make the difference. The difference at every point in time will be the decisions that individuals make for the community.
It is time to act.
