Random Bank Thought

It's funny how working for a bank feels a lot like working for a dysfunctional Church. Growth for the sake of growth somehow equals success. When did numbers become the standard by which success is measured? When did character and caring exit stage right only to be replaced by delusional kindness and self-glorification? I sat in on a routine morning meeting today where we set goals for our current banking day. Not once in the meeting did I hear any encouragement focused on the employees in attendance, not once did I hear a single statement about caring for the customer, and not a single word was uttered about being ourselves in the workplace. I did listen to a speech of childish discipline. Warning after warning came and went as the employees daydreamed of being on another planet where there was something of substance for their minds to grab on to. The point of these meetings are to grow the number of checking accounts the bank owns. If numbers are up that means the bank makes more money. We accomplish this goal by being as completely fabricated as possible. We try hoke ideas to open new accounts so the government can see what appears to be growth. In actuality it is structural failure. It is a failure because the new accounts we acquire are irresponsible/high-risk customers. These customers actually end up hurting the bank more than helping because they have no foundation on which to stand. A lack of foundation is often the source of a failed business and a failed Church. Churches that seek numbers to be seen as successful in the eyes of the world fail to bare fruit for the Kingdom of God because their leadership has lost focus on what it means to create disciples(people that follow something). The bank falls short in the same area. Leadership looks past individual growth and forgets about restoring and resurrecting its own internal structure. If they focused more on building up the already existing body they would see more results because employees would be happy working for their company. A happy employee equals a more successful employee. Very few businesses realize that taking care of their employees actually saves their industry. The same holds true for the Church. The more a Church disciples its members the more lives those members are going to change. It all starts with leadership. A leader must realize that they are an equal with their followers. This is a difficult concept for most of the world. It is difficult because pride and power are taken out of the leadership equation. It is a concept that requires humility and servant hood. After working at the bank for almost two years I've realized the importance of leaders that have a stable foundation. A stable foundation can only be created when we rid our self-praising attitudes from ourselves. A stable foundation can only be created when we become humble servants. I want to be a humble servant wherever God chooses to place me for His service. We will always fall short of perfection but perfection is not our goal. Our goal is to be caring people of character. Christ takes care of the perfection. Once we realize our true goal is to be Christ-like we can start to change the business world along with the Church.

Bear