I walked inside, and the president met me by the door. He motioned me inside his office and invited me to take a chair. I breathed deep and sat.
No, I wasn’t in trouble. I wasn’t even at work. I went to make a deposit, and Doug Lasley, president of Peoples Bank in Cuba, wanted to chat.
The agenda was simple, ”Let’s catch up.” We swapped stories about events in our lives, including threads from the past.
Years before, I’d walked into a different branch to make a deposit. I was surprised when the manager offered me a job. I started with a brief stint as a teller, but was quickly moved into loans. I worked through the economic shifts of the nineties.
Many changes took place during those years. I oversaw IT in our office, while we converted to computerized systems. I was there when we installed the first ATM. Interest rates plunged while inflation fell. And then one day, Jim Barnett, the CFO, asked to see me in the boardroom.
I tried to still the tremor in my hands. I could feel perspiration dot my upper lip. My brain scrambled to figure out what I’d done wrong.
Jim spoke, “I’d like you to help run our TQM program.”
Feeling foolish, I had to ask, “What is TQM?”
He chuckled, “It stands for Total Quality Management. Read this book and it will help you understand.” He offered me a hardcover, and then continued, “The program started in manufacturing. But I plan on being the first bank, and one of the first service industries, in the state of Missouri to implement a total quality initiative. I’d like you to learn, and then lead our employees.”
And so I did. Jim saw a spark in that twenty-something woman I didn’t know existed. He saw gifts. He saw potential. Without Jim, and others throughout my career-life, I wouldn’t have succeeded.
It takes more than DNA, childhood experiences, and education to transform us into productive and positive human beings. It takes people willing to invest when God tugs on their heart. Without prayer, and encouragement from others, I wouldn’t be writing this today.
I never know what will happen when I walk into my bank. I might be offered a job that changes my life, or a chance to review the portfolio of people who’ve invested in me. Either way, I’m grateful. Because of the insight of others, I continue to receive earnings on their interest.
Have you thanked those who invested in your present success?
Anita FreshFaith @ Work
Matthew 25:27 (NIV)
Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
Anita Agers-Brooks is a Business Expert, Certified Personality Trainer, Communications Specialist, national speaker, and author. She lives in Missouri with her family.
She’s passionate about business with integrity, healthy marriage, and issues of identity. She travels the country teaching others from her personal experiences.
Contact her via website www.anitabrooks.com or email anita.freshfaith@gmail.com
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