The enlightenment continues through the interviewing process.
The core values of our company are spectacular. It would have been thrilling to be in the room when the countless ideas finally came together as a complete set of succinct values in written form. They are:
- Passionate About Winning
- Team Play with Trust
- Honesty – Integrity – Candor
- Caring About People
- Positive Attitude
As a leader in the company, part of my job is not only to live the core values but teach and instill them in others, and assess job candidates and vendors for their “fit” within the organization.
I recently shared the core values with a candidate and asked him to tell me his thoughts on how he will embrace them if he joins our team. His response (paraphrased):
“I always have tried to apply what my father taught me: Manage people as you would like people to manage you.”
Simple yet eloquent, aligning with the words of Jesus, stating the second greatest commandment:
The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:31a)
Today’s reading: Mark 12
In another conversation with a vendor candidate, I verbalized one of our core values “caring about people”. The leader from this vendor literally said “we care about people… more or less”, as if to say they don’t really care about people. I about fell out of my chair! On one hand I felt sorry for these people and anyone associated with them, and on the other hand I thought, thank you for making my job easier… you are dismissed.
Caring about people is not just a good corporate slogan, it is a command, second only to one other:
Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:29-30)
Through His miraculous and mysterious ways, God seeks relationship with us. He puts people in our lives and allows us to enter situations where people knowingly or unknowingly speak his truth (such as loving others). He gives us his commands not to restrict us but to enrich our souls here and for eternity, because he loves us.
And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34a)
Father God, will you guide us today to respond wisely to your commands and your will? Grant us wisdom to understand and courage to respond so that we too can be not far from your kingdom. Reveal our sins that cloud our judgement; forgive us in the name of Jesus. Renew our hearts and spirits to set aside our selfishness and seek you first today. Amen.