To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Growth

Black History Month series: Use your voice

I didn’t know who Alice Walker was. Perhaps you don’t either.

She is known for her work as a novelist, penning masterpieces like “The Color Purple.” This book became a revered film and was a part of a movement that once again showcased our need to be educated on history that impacts our world still today.

I  love her thought in the photo above because I feel that it is true today, despite the fact it shouldn’t be.

Today we can use our voice and, in a matter of moments, reach thousands. How powerful is that? Our voice can be used for good or for the more controversial. Our voice can be used to raise awareness as an instrument of peace, or to galvanize our communities to achieve better, together.

The bottom line is that we have the power.

We have the opportunity to achieve the purpose God has set for us.

We have tools available to us to join the conversation, educate, raise the flag and spread the love.

We have the power to make an impact in our lifetime.

I believe one important impact area is knowing; knowing the history of our country. This knowledge will create a greater understanding that can and will change us and the generations to follow.

I hope you’ll join in!

Family: Your first team

Family connections run deep.

No matter what your family looks like or how dysfunctional they may be, family creates a bond like no other.

Family sees us at our worst and our best: tears of joy and pain. It’s raw, but a good raw.

Family is vulnerability.

They have seen the real us and vice versa, and they stick around regardless of whether they like what they see.

Even if we step away or create a distance, we are drawn back because, well, family is family.

Like many of you, over the years I went to extended family reunions as a child and thought it was fun, but totally missed the meaning. I watched my boys and was surprised that they seem to realize and honor the depth of family at a young age, and valued its importance.

That has me thinking: We all could use a reminder to really invest in this area. It’s easy to put family on the back burner unless, like children, they need us for survival. Family will be there and we know it.

For that very reason, we should make a concentrated effort to invest and honor them every chance we get. Say thank you, show appreciation, lift them up… We do this in the work place and we do it with our friends, but do we tell our favorite uncle that he really means a lot to us? What about telling him that his service to our country brings you so much pride and gratitude? I don’t do this enough.

Let’s pay attention and make some investments in those who are our greatest cheerleaders. Who’s with me?

(Rewind: This is a revamped post from 2017, because it rings true now and always.)

Lessons from the Market

Who is ready for the farmer’s market to come back? You might recognize the famous sign above, from a year-round market that keeps going no matter how low the temperatures fall.

That is, of course, the Pike Place original farmer’s market, established in 1907 in Seattle.

I read about another famous market — the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo — where they sell millions of dollars in frozen fish. So many untold stories of success.

Here’s the thing, that and many farmer’s markets operate still without technology, relying on basic math, receipt scraps and a handshake. I think that is why I love farmer’s markets: the simplicity and pureness in the exchange. From the ground to the pick up truck; from the market to our homes. The fewer steps the better, and the experience lends itself to authenticity and a feeling that you are part of something powerful in the community.

Long ago are the days that we exchanged goods with a simple handshake. To me, a good solid handshake still inspires trust and the hope for a relationship that will be mutually beneficial. A neuroscience study by the Beckman Institute confirms that in fact the basic handshake, “not only increases the positive effect toward a favorable interaction, but is also diminishes the impact of a negative impression.” It quite literally “lights up the brain” in MRI studies. That’s not surprising to me, but it should make us all remember that when developing a trusting relationship, we must realize that the warmth of a firm handshake creates an impression that is proven to make a positive difference.

As we think today about the “market” — defining this as a place to purchase goods from an actual person who likely played a part in their existence at the market — I want you to think about the following (in addition to dreaming of walks and fresh produce in warmer weather!):

  1. Simplifying life is good. Out with the multi-step program, processed food, processed information — in with the basics. (Remember our talks about minimalism from earlier this month?)
  2. Relationships are built on trust. I would add that this starts in community. A business mastermind, in your neighborhood, a small group at church….
  3. There is power in your approach. Your handshake, smile, willingness to ask thoughtful, empathetic questions, showing interest… it’s all important. Communities have thrived for years based on these simple lessons learned in the marketplace exchange.