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August 24, 2005
A Lesson over Tea From My Four Year Old
Last night my four year old and I were working on a school project on family. His assignment was to do his own family coat of arms, in which he drew or pasted pictures which represented fact or qualities about his family which were important to him.
To get started, I asked him what he thought about when he thought about his family. He immediately answered "love." (That made Mommy and Daddy feel pretty proud—and a little misty, too.) To represent love, he drew a heart and I helped him spell "love."
I asked him what else he thought of when he thought about family. "Tea," he said.
"Tea?," I asked.
"Yes, Daddy, the tea we share," he chirped.
What my little man was referring to is the peach-flavored tea that both of us are hooked on that I’m constantly mixing. We’ve gotten to the point that both of us often share a Mason jar full. He drew a big jar full of tea and I helped him write "tea."
I didn’t realize that such a small thing, to me, anyway, was important enough to him that that’s what he thought of when he thought about "family."
Company managers: your employees and shareholders may listen when you talk about the visions and strategies, but what they really pay attention to are actions that to you seem insignificant or routine. We often forget the particulars when there are worlds to conquer, but it's those particulars that often mean the most to those around us who support us, work with us, or invest in us.
As my son might say if he were a little older, love’s a great concept, but sharing the tea, Dad, that’s the best!
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Comments
Da John... we can sure learn a lot from a four year old. All we gotta do is listen. Happy listening!
DB
Posted by: Da Bubba at August 25, 2005 7:58 AM
You're right, Bubba, and by the way, my little man is teaching me a LOT of lessons!
Posted by: John at August 26, 2005 8:26 AM
Love this post, John. Of course, as the father of a three year old son, I'm a sucker for all sorts of father/son sentimentality. (Thought I was before I had my son, too.)
Your analogy to the business world is a good one, as well. Our children watch us more carefully than we can ever imagine. The same is true of employees and shareholders. Plus, as can be the case with children, there are many of them and only one of you, and they can compare notes.
Posted by: Coty at August 26, 2005 9:20 AM
Coty: You are so right; my little guy is comparing notes with his sister all the time!
Posted by: John at August 28, 2005 9:39 AM
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