Credit Professional 2018 Spring_2018_magazine | Page 32

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really mean it. How tragic!
Take the time.
Instruction: Teacher Tom
Lewis started The Fishing
School decades ago in
downtown Washington, D.C.,
hoping to give children from
disadvantaged backgrounds
a chance to succeed as adults.
Recently, the team from ABC’s
Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition stumbled across Tom’s
school while working in the
area. The camera showed show
after show of bright-eyed
children studying, working with
their teachers, and playing in a
broken-down building with
heavy bars at every window
and door.
with gentleness, discernment,
and selflessness. By offering up
our experience and hard-won
knowledge, we can help others
to avoid mistakes that we’ve
made, achieve results that
we’ve been able to achieve, and
improve beyond what we’ve
been able to accomplish.
The most effective teachers
walk alongside their students
as they learn, appreciating
their accomplishments
rather than emphasizing
their shortcomings.
our relationships like nothing
else can. True compassion
requires us to be vulnerable
and to admit our own struggles
even as we offer empathy and
support to others.
Acting with passion and
out of compassion is the
difference between mundane
and memorable.
Encouragement: Love is
offering heartfelt words of
affirmation, inspiration, and
motivation to our customers
Love is teaching someone
and coworkers. We all need
else with gentleness,
someone—not something—to
discernment and
root us on from the sidelines
selflessness.
of our lives. We should seek to
notice when others do well and
Interviewers asked the kids
Compassion: Of course, we can hold them up when they fail.
where they thought they might all go through the motions—do Often neglected, encouragement
be if they didn’t have the
the right things, implement the is probably the easiest way to
incorporate the irresistible
Fishing School. “On the street. right practices and believe in
In jail with my brothers. Maybe the right ways—but how we
ingredient into our lives and
dead like my dad.” Next, they
do our work makes all the
relationships. If we just look
asked what the kids wanted to difference. Acting with passion around, opportunities to
be when they grew up.
and out of compassion is the
encourage others are
everywhere.
“Mr. Lewis said I can be a
difference between mundane
doctor someday if I study hard.” and memorable.
“I want to be a pilot.”
Service: Love is serving others
“I’m gonna be the president!”
Over thirty years ago I heard a without expecting anything in
highly successful entrepreneur return. Service is part of nearly
every job description, but the
Best of all were the comments: speak. The only point I can
“I want to be Mr. Lewis. I asked remember is his comment,
concept goes far beyond
him to be my daddy because
“Everybody hurts.”
making sure that a customer’s
I never had one. I want to build
questions are answered or
my own school and teach kids
As professionals, we carefully
requests are fulfilled.
Irresistible service happens
just like he does.”
cultivate a slick, confident
veneer with our Armani suits.
when we anticipate needs
One of my favorite teachers
But in truth, we are all broken, and respond with insight
from high school taught a
hurting, wounded people.
and excellence.
subject for which I initially had That’s life. My pal author
Becky Rand owns a small
little regard. However, it soon
and speaker Ken Davis
became clear that he was as
encapsulated our situation well: short-order diner on the wharf
interested in his students as he I’m not okay, you’re not okay,
in Portland, Maine. The tony
was his subject, and he taught and that’s okay.”
area held several upscale
it in such a way that they
restaurants—all of whom
would truly benefit from
Acknowledging our weaknesses, charged high prices and didn’t
his instruction.
mourning our losses, and
want a blue collar crowd. Nearly
comforting each other through twenty years ago, Becky
Love is teaching someone else
difficult times will strengthen
scraped together her savings
Spring 2018
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The Credit Professional