One Company – Four Men: Part IX

One evening Charles and I had a meeting outside Annapolis, MD. At the time our office was close to the D.C. Beltway. Charles lived about 30 minutes on the other side of Annapolis. As our office day drew to a close Charles came into my office and said, “We’ll leave here about 6:30 for the meeting. You can ride with me.”

I responded, “You want me to ride with you? But then you’ll have to drive all the way back here after the meeting and then turn around and drive back home. It would be much less driving for you if we went separately.”

“I know that,” Charles said, “but I want to spend some time with you.”

That was one of the great management and leadership lessons of my life; I’ve never forgotten it and I have endeavored to practice it – spend time with your people. I was important enough to Charles for him to drive an extra couple hours just to have time with me. I have no recollection of what we talked about – that wasn’t the point, was it? You can see that 30 years or so later I still remember the experience and the lesson.

I’ve been amazed over the years at how little time some leaders spend with their people, and how little about their people some leaders know, and this can include pastors, denominational, and seminary leaders. I’ve often had people ask me, in business and in a church setting, “Why did you want to have coffee with me?” And my answer has often been, “Oh, I just wanted to spend some time with you.”

I know I have often not been the best leader in business or in ministry, I know I’ve blown it at times, but thanks to Charles I think I’m better than I otherwise would be.