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Grace Drops in Action

4/11/2014

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Motivated by a speaker at a grocery store chain on customer loyalty, a 19 year old bagger with Down’s Syndrome took the message to heart. He was told, “Every one of you can make a difference and create memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back. Put your signature on your job.” And so he did.

Johnny, the bagger, went home every night after work and found a “Thought for the Day.” If he couldn’t find a saying he liked, he would just make one up. When Johnny found a good Thought for the Day, his Dad helped him set it up on the computer and print multiple copies. Johnny would cut out each quote and sign the back and then take them to work the next day.

“When I finish bagging someone’s groceries, I put my Thought for the Day in their bag and say, ‘Thanks for shopping with us.’”

Here was a young man who, though with a job that most people would say is not important, had made it important by creating precious memories for all his customers. In just over a month the store manager reported incredible changes.

“When I was making my rounds today, I found Johnny’s checkout line was three times longer than anyone else’s! It went all the way down the frozen food aisle. So I quickly announced, ‘We need more cashiers; get more lanes open!’ as I tried to get people to change lanes. But no one wanted to move. They said ‘No, it’s okay—we want to be in Johnny’s lane—we want his Thought for the Day.’”

The store manager continued, “It was a joy to watch Johnny delight his customers.”

One woman said, “I used to shop at your store once a week, but now I come in every time I go by, because I want to get Johnny’s Thought for the Day.”

A few months later the store manager reported that the whole store had been transformed. Now when the floral department has a broken flower or an unused corsage, they find an elderly woman or a little girl and pin it on them. Everyone’s having a lot of fun creating memories—our customers are talking about us—they’re coming back and bringing their friends.

A wonderful spirit of service spread throughout the store . . . and all because Johnny chose to make a difference.

Told by Barbara Glanz.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


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A Philosophy of Leadership

3/21/2014

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
The media bombards us with examples of leadership constantly. Politicians are competing for face time on cameras, intent on informing us of their leadership abilities. In the arena of sports, teams are seeking that individual who will step forward with qualities that will propel them to the next level and a championship. In the business world we have seen, in the past few years, executives, men and women who achieved much success, led away in handcuffs to a new, shameful phase of their lives.

A Chinese philosopher, Lao-tzu made some cogent observations about leadership that I would like to pass on. They may not sound like popular notions in our culture. He said, “A leader is best when people barely know that he exists.” Perhaps this is true in our day. Maybe those who are “up front” aren’t that influential after all.

He also said, “A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. Fail to honor people, and they will fail to honor you. But, of a good leader, who talks little, “When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will all say, ‘we did this ourselves.’”

© 2007, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


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Follow the Leader

2/27/2014

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
A young woman was filling out an application for college when she came across the question: Are you a leader? She thought she had better be brutally honest, so she answered, “No.” She was convinced when she sent the application in that she’d never hear from them because of that answer.

But she received a letter back from the school that read: “We reviewed numerous applications and, to date, there will be some 1,452 new leaders attending school next year. We have decided to accept your application because we felt it was imperative that they have at least one follower.”

One man bought a sign and put it on his office door. The sign read: “I’m the boss.” The next day he came to work he noticed that someone had put a post-it on his sign that said, “Your wife called. She wants her sign back.”

We can’t all be the boss. And what good are leaders without followers? In actuality, we need to be both.

Sometimes we lead, sometimes we follow. We lead by example, but we still follow role models. We lead by sharing our expertise, but we remain open to the wisdom of others.

There are numerous courses and lessons on leadership. Yet the best leaders are also excellent followers. They know how to listen, they respect and follow great ideas from those around them, and they are humble enough to seek help when it’s needed.

You may be the boss, but do you know how to follow? This world could use a few good followers.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


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Lessons from Geese

2/22/2014

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


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    Author

    John Fitts is a retired hospital chaplain and a contributor & publisher of Grace Drops. John lives in Palm Harbor, Florida with his artist wife, Patty. 
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