Purpose. We all work for one. To make money, to support our family, to honor our faith, to give back to our community, with an almost infinite amount more. Watching my nephew’s Bar Mitzvah, I noticed three parallels between faith and professional development.
- We must be committed to growing professionally away from the office.
When my nephew prepared for his Bar Mitzvah, he studied at home in addition to serving in the community, which allowed me to draw the first parallel to business.
Do you take the time to read books before going to bed rather than watching a ball game?
If you take notes in meetings or while watching training videos, do you rewrite those notes when you are at home, so they stick in your brain better?
Do you take the time to attend networking events and make those events about networking and not selling?
What do you do to improve your knowledge, skills, and abilities away from the office? I love to write. For me to be a better writer, I must read as often as possible. I must write every day. I work in sales. I must rehearse my sales steps at home – even if it means I go over the steps with my dogs. Three tail wags mean they want to buy from me. Two wags means they want to think about it.
The point is: there is always room for improvement. What are you doing to improve?
- We belong to something that is much larger than we can comprehend.
The prayer shawl, or tallit, worn by Jewish adults has tzitzit – fringes – on each of the four corners, which are significant because they are knotted in such a way to serve as a visual reminder of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Jewish people. When you look at only the ends, you may see some knotted ends while other ends are left untied.
I remember the Rabbi telling my nephew that he would have to tie his own knots as he made his way on his own spiritual journey.
When one loses focus – maybe they think they know better than the way they were trained, or perhaps they refuse to ask for help – whatever it is that causes one to lose focus, that is when they fail to realize that they are part of something much larger and more significant.
My nephew would not be able to stand and lead a service were it not for his family in attendance, ancestors that came before him, and faith community who were there to support him.
You are in an excellent position. Yes, you may not have all the tools you need to succeed at the moment (no company is perfect, and many companies are still growing); however, if you have a team around you, a leader who believes in you, a process in place that is easy to follow that others are using with much success, then there is a great likelihood you are a part of a wonderful company. Take advantage of those around you and those who have come before you, who’ve given you the opportunity to be successful.
- No one grows alone.
Like the Bar Mitzvah, we must have a community that teaches us, stands with us to encourage our growth, holds us accountable, and sustains us as we continue to learn and spread our wings as we one day teach those who come after us.
I’m lucky to have two nephews who’ve had their Bar Mitzvahs over the last few years. My eldest nephew is now teaching Sunday School. He is in that position because someone once taught him. The role of any leader or teacher is to train someone to one day take their place. That is one similarity I see in both the Jewish and Catholic faiths: teaching youth the ways of Scripture so that when they grow, they will not depart from it.
How much more should business leaders teach those who are entering the workforce how to be professional and excel in their chosen career field, rather than seeing the new hire as competition who’s there to take their place? One thing that every Hall of Fame has in common: they are full of individuals who were replaced. Being replaced is inevitable. How one chooses to be replaced, therein lies the advantage to those who will one day take our place.
I’ve always said that kindness costs you nothing, and it’s priceless to the recipient. Regardless of your position in your company, do not take the opportunity to learn and grow for granted because tomorrow is not guaranteed. The world around us is going to continue after we retire. In what condition do you want that world to be?
Imagine how successful an office – or the business world in general – would be if the senior staff trained, encouraged, and led all new hires to serve the business community around them? That is a new definition of success I want to champion, don’t you?
Bottom Line: Never Fear Being Replaced. Be Terrified of Not Passing On The Correct Way of Serving Those Around You With Kindness, Compassion, and Respect.
Truly inspiring! This piece beautifully connects faith, growth, and leadership. I especially loved the reminder that no one grows alone—and that passing on wisdom with kindness is one of the greatest legacies we can leave behind.
While I am not Jewish nor in or ever have been in radio sales … I read every word, as it is a wonderful inspirational message regardless of the perspective which you are coming from!
Thank you.
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