Your Turn
This week my meetings revolved around one customer. This customer took up 90% of the discussions, planning, and dialog. This customer not only affected our decisions about how we will build products but at what price they will be and when they will be released. This entire dialog in turn affects what discount structure other customers will have and how we will approach other customer’s needs related to this product.
Yet other customer’s needs were rarely discussed.
Don’t misunderstand me, this customer makes up a substantial part of our overall revenue, it’s just that most if not the entire dialog revolves around them, and no other account.
As we all know, there of course are other important customers. There is one other customer in particular that also contributes a significant amount to our bottom line, yet the discussion about them was relegated to a total of 5 minutes (if that).
The rep that covers this other important customer could have had a bad attitude about all of this. After all, he is responsible for the other important customer that is bringing in a large portion of our revenue.
Yet his attitude was great! He sat patiently throughout all of these meetings. He did not try to grandstand the conversation to ensure his customer was always discussed or amplified. He patiently waited until it was his turn to talk, and hence everyone paid attention to him and his ideas. And because he waited until the right time to speak, his input was taken seriously (and along the way he helped his customer).
He acted like a Real Christian Businessman.
I tell you this story because it isn’t always this way. It would be so easy for him (or you, or me?!) to be bitter. Bitter because “someone else’s account” is always the topic of discussion. Envious because the “important customer” he is responsible for is not even being thought of. Upset because “someone else’s account” is always getting the attention related to our meetings, directives and product development.
“Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice” Eph 4:31 (CSB)
Or check out this paraphrase version from The Message Bible:
“Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive.”
Sensitive! That is what my co-worker was doing was being sensitive to the concerns and needs of others (in this case the other account).
Our turn will come.
If we are patient, and we have the right posture, there will be an opportune time for us to speak up and be recognized and then contribute to the discussion that is going on in our workplace.
That is how a Real Christian Businessman acts.
That is how you and I should act.
Check out my book at http://realchristianbusinessman.com/