What is it that makes you a person that people will love working with? Is it skill, talent or educational attainment? While those are important things, anyone who has ever experienced collaborating with people will admit that all of these do not always add up to a desirable workmate.
I admit that for a very long period of my professional life, I wasn’t always the person people wanted to work with. It bugged me for years because I got things done, I hit quotas, I produced results people would hope for, but still I could feel and know that no one wanted to work with me. Only later on did I realise a truth that would radically change my view of teamwork.
In my line of work today, teamwork is non-negotiable. I thank God for the joy of working with the team I work with today, and one thing I love about our team is it is composed of wonderful leaders who people want to be around. It’s not because they’re smart (although they are), good-looking (although some of them could pass off as ex-celebrities) or effective (while they do get the results we hope for).
Last night, I was discussing with two of my team mates about what to do with a certain leader who had fallen into moral failure. I’m admittedly not an expert at these kinds of things so I begged off to make a final call, but I loved what came out of that conversation. It was when Joey, one Directors, said this that made me realise why I was part of a dream team:
“Ok lang kung ano ubrahon ta basta hindi lang siya maghalin sa church.”
(Whatever decision we make, let’s make sure this person does not leave the church.)
I’m reminded of the story of how Jesus restored Peter after he denied his master three times. When talking about the subject, Jesus did not think about the failures of Peter or the results that came as a consequence to what He did. His first priority was not to reprimand an co-laborer but to restore relationship with a friend (John 21:17).
So many professionals think that being the top employee that people love to follow, love to collaborate with, love to be in meetings with, and love to serve and get things done with is the person that gets the most results- the most sales, the biggest leads, the most disciples, the most money. Sadly, out of a sincerely yet sincerely wrong to do everything to get things done, we sacrifice relationship and trust.
People don’t care what you do. They care more about how you do things and who you do them for.
Studies show that co-workers will always gravitate to trust a person who has a genuine compassion and love for people over results. People don’t care what you do. They care more about how you do things and who you do them for. Our tendency when we work can sometimes be to work for our personal goals, targets, quotas and results and sometimes sadly at the expense of others.
When we have that “no one gets left behind” attitude, people will trust you more, and while it may seem slower at first, once given more time, you will start getting more things done because of the trust that you have built amongst others. Character trumps skill any day, and character has more to do with you treat people rather than how you gain results.
Luke 6:31 tells us, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” Do you want people to trust you? Trust them. Do you want people to reach quotas for you? Reach it for them. Do you want people to serve you? Serve them. If you value people, people will value you and the goals and visions you’d like to see happen.
Let’s stop looking for people to build our empire, but instead start thinking how our empire can build people.
