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What lessons are you receiving from daily human interactions?

I was on vacation, not thinking of anything when it happened. A valuable lesson for myself and to share with my children. My wife and I had been at the beach all day and doing some shopping, when we decided to go to dinner. We struck up a friendly conversation with our server. This gentleman used drugs for 30 years but has been sober for the last three years. He shared that he has wasted so much of his life while using and lost a ridiculous amount of money. He was married twice and has kids. It was a busy night and we talked deeply about his struggles and his frustration with some kids now a days. This particular restaurant has recently hired 18 high school aged kids and now there are only two remaining. He shared his frustration about the work ethic of some kids. He shared that all they wanted was fast money and big tips with little effort. As I got back to my hotel room, I could not stop thinking that there is a lesson here.

First and foremost, I want to be very clear that I understand kids are different now a days. Not all kids lack a good work ethic. There are so many outstanding kids out there. Unfortunately, we always hear about the ones who are not dependable. The lesson I will share with my children is very simple. Understand, that hard work is important and making sure people see that you are dependable. I was fortunate to have a dad who instilled the hard-working mentality. I did not always understand him as a young man but looking back I valued his blue-collar ways. The man we met on our vacation emulated this hard-working mentality and he was very dependable. Our service that night was top-notch. The restaurant was so busy, and he was moving at an incredible rate to meet the needs of all the patrons. He apologized to my wife and I often because of how busy he was each time he checked in with us. This man was on fire; he would move from group to group making sure we were all taken care of. It was a sight to see!

Service of others is always something we must value as leaders. I have read many books and listened to influential leaders for years and the one thing that is constant in all of that, is service. Good leadership should always revolve around serving others and bringing value to their day. The gentleman at the restaurant reminded me of how important that is. He interacted with us and others around us. He was very friendly and joked around with everyone around him. He was able to have fun with all ages of people and had many of us laughing. What I found intriguing was that he had the ability to interact and dialogue with the younger crowd as well as older individuals dinning that night. He had the personality that made you comfortable and willing to engage in conversation, which is rare these days. This guy had the gift of conversation that made those around him want to be there and get to know him.

How are you showing you are dependable to others?

How are you choosing to serve others?

What valuable lessons are you finding each day?

What valuable message or lesson can you share today?

There are so many valuable lessons available to us each day as we interact with those around us. Unfortunately, we do not always see them because we are so caught up with what we need to do that day. Human interactions are so powerful. I will admit at times I am busy with tasks that I fail to stop for a moment and visit with those around me, but I am working on it. Thanks for checking out this week’s post. I hope you have a great week, and you can find something of value today as you interact with those around you.

Steven C. Bucks-Leading Conversations