This weeks inspiration story

 

Albert Einstein once reflected on the purpose of man's existence:  "Strange is our situation here upon earth.  Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose.  From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know:  That we are here for the sake of others ... for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy.  Many times a day, I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received."

When we truly take stock of our lives we must admit we have done nothing solely on our own.  Our thinking has been fashioned by many teachers and mentors, including family members.  Our ability to function physically is the result, in part, to our genetic code and the productivity of others in providing food, water, and shelter.  Our spiritual lives are a gift of God Himself.  We are what we have received.

Our reaction to these facts drives each of us to give to others the good things we have been fortunate to receive.  This is what being a citizen's of God's kingdom is all about!

Another Little Story I like.

In 1991 Anne Busquet was General Manager of the Optima Card division for American Express.  When five of her 2,000 employees were found to have hidden $24 million in losses, she was held accountable.  Busquet had to face the fact that, as an intense perfectionist, she apparently came across as intimidating and confrontational to her subordinates --- to the point they were more willing to lie than to report bad news to her!

Busquet lost her Optima job, but was given a second chance by American Express: An opportunity to salvage one of its smaller businesses.  Her self -esteem shaken, she nearly turned down the offer.  Then she decided this was her chance to alter the way she related to others.  She took on the new job as a personal challenge to change.

Realizing she had to be much more understanding, she began to work on being more patient and listening more carefully and intently.  She learned to solicit bad news in an unintimidating way.

Four years after she was removed from her previous position, Anne Busquet was promoted to be an executive vice-president at American Express.

Failure is not the end; it is a teacher for a new beginning and a better life!

Thank you for taking a few minutes to read some of our Chairman's favorite little stories or nuggets as he likes to call them (nugget: anything of great value, significance, or the like: nugget of wisdom) that he has read over the years. He makes no claims other than he has read these stories and enjoyed and is passing them on to you. ENJOY!(#1414)