Despite my best efforts, sales were off and I was perilously close to being fired.
Sometime in the early 1980s, my new job began with such promise. I moved from Richmond to Virginia Beach, Virginia for what seemed to be the opportunity of a lifetime. I was in charge of a thriving metropolitan automobile dealership. At first, everything seemed fine. But it wasn’t long before old problems reappeared and sales began to drop. Yet, I was working harder than ever. What was wrong?
My boss would have been justified in finding someone else to run the dealership but instead chose to have a meeting with me. Our talk became one of those turning points that changed my philosophy of leadership and helped me understand the importance of becoming a tough encourager.
At one point, he said: “I notice you are usually on the sales floor talking to customers.”
“Yes, sir,” I answered, thinking he would be pleased. “I try to meet everyone personally.”
He paused for a moment and then said: “Why do I pay the salaries of twelve sales people when you are doing all of the work? Unless something changes, I will either have to fire all of them or I’m going to have to fire you!”
What could I say? The boss discovered my critical weakness. By insisting on doing most of the selling I was limiting our sales efforts to my capabilities and my energy. One individual no matter how talented can only do so much. However, one person leading a team can accomplish miracles! A critical point that is true in business, family relationships, sports, churches, and especially our walk with God.
The writer of Hebrews sums up the whole purpose of being in God’s church: “Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23–25)
In other words, our calling from God as leaders is to hold tightly to our faith and encourage others to outbursts of love and good deeds! But how do we do that?
Encouragement is more than merely giving a compliment. To encourage means: “to inspire with courage, hope, or resolution.” What I received from my boss was definitely not a compliment but what he said inspired me with courage, hope, and resolution. I call it tough encouragement. I left his office that day determined to be a team builder and a tough encourager. A valuable lesson I would never forget.
As a manager, I learned to spend more time encouraging sales people to treat people honestly and fairly. I still enjoyed meeting the customers, but selling became a team effort utilizing the best of all our gifts and talents for the good of the business. Being an encourager also helped me stay employed.
Today, as a religious leader, it is still critical for me to foster teamwork and offer tough encouragement. Most businesses and other organizations have plenty of hard workers, but they especially need more people who are willing to encourage others to outbursts of love and good deeds. Only then will we appreciate the value of teamwork bolstered by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
This is important: We are all called to be tough encouragers.
I still enjoy working with others, but my ministry has become a team effort utilizing the best of many gifts and talents for God. Paul said it clearly: “If your gift is to encourage others, do it!” (Romans 12:8)
By the way, being a tough encourager still helps me stay employed.
About Larry Davies
Larry Davies is currently the Lynchburg, Virginia District Superintendent for 89 United Methodist Churches. He has been the pastor of small, medium, and large churches. For many years, Larry managed and trained sales people in the automobile business. He is also the author of Live the Light: Five Weeks to a Light that Shines and three other books. Larry is the founder of Sowing Seeds of Faith, a worldwide prayer ministry and writing ministry, www.SowingSeedsofFaith.com. His columns and blog posts appear in several newspapers, magazines, and websites. Larry is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received his Master of Divinity at Duke University. Mell, Larry’s wife, recently retired from Concord Elementary School. Larry’s oldest son Stephen is married to Brandy, and they have a one-year-old bundle of energy, Jackson. Larry’s daughter Lisa is engaged to be married to Bobby. He and Mell also have a lively but older Springer Spaniel named Daisy.
So honored to have you as a guest blogger, Larry. Thank you for encouraging us to be strong and get stronger. You set a wonderful example for us all.
Jory
Thanks Jory. It’s an honor to be a guest on your site. You are a wonderful coach and inspirational leader.
This is a hard concept for most small business owners to grasp. it is what separates a business owner from an entrepreneur. As the famous saying goes, “When you are self employed, you look to answer “How?”, but as an entrepreneur, you look to answer “Who?””
The difference is that one person is asking how to solve problems and do it themselves, the other person is looking for who they can hire to delegate and solve the problem. Multiply yourself.
Thank you, Jason! I’m so glad I have “who” people in my life. Not real good at that “how” stuff….
I could not agree more. One is a temporary fix and the other will charge your business and often change the world around you. God bless,
Thank you for this message, Rev Larry! I relate to it very deeply.
I was promoted into my first management role in about 1983, but it wasn’t until I got a new boss a few years later that he told me, “Carl, what you’re doing isn’t managing.” As in your situation, it was a tough message to hear, because I thought I was doing great.
That pushed me to understand that my job was different than my employees’, and that there was a lot I needed to learn about helping my team to succeed. That one sentence changed my life and career.
Thank you for bringing us this message!
Carl
Carl — thank you for sharing your experience. I’ll make sure Larry see this!
Jory
You are very welcome. Like you, I had to learn the hard way but the lesson is one I will never forget.