| My husband and I visited Lowe’s this weekend to purchase new carpeting, and we had the pleasure of working with Chelsea in the flooring department.
Chelsea was attentive, knowledgeable, and personable.
As we were waiting for the paperwork, I asked Chelsea how long she’s been at Lowe’s.
She proudly responded, “I started three years ago as a part-time stocker for $9.00 an hour and today I’m full-time making $20.00 an hour.”
And then Chelsea paused to add, “It’s never not my department.”
She continued, “Yes I’m assigned to flooring today, but if any customer anywhere in the store asks me if I can help them, I never say ‘That isn’t my department.’ I have to be invaluable, and that’s by being able to help anyone in any department at any time.”
She was refreshing!
And we can easily employ Chelsea’s approach as mentors, leaders, colleagues, and friends…
It’s never not my problem. It’s never not my job.
- This doesn’t mean that it’s now my problem or my job.
- It doesn’t mean that I am responsible for that problem of job.
- It doesn’t mean that I must solve or fix everything.
But what it does do is invite our humanity. While we don’t have to help anyone else, why wouldn’t we try? Doing so fuels our confidence, our energy, our connection to others, and our engagement in life!
“It’s never not my problem” and “It’s never not my job ” encourage us to be a little less self-serving and a little more other-serving.
How? By asking how we can make a difference in this moment:
- Can we lend an ear or a cheer?
- Do they need a connection or a resource?
- Would they benefit from our perspective or ideas?
- Can we physically help in some way?
- Can I at the very least point them in the right direction?
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African Proverb |
