I heard a story last night that I just had to share.
Apparently some medical students were extremely upset by a 2 mark exam question asking "What is the name of the kitchen lady's new grandson?"
They protested angrily, asking "How are we supposed to know that?" and maintaining that it had nothing to do with anything they had been taught, and as such was grossly unfair. They created such a storm that the Principal finally had to address them. What do you think he said?
He simply told them that they were entering a profession that was all about people; how could they ever be good doctors if they didn't care enough about people to find out about them? The question was therefore entirely appropriate and the marks for the answer would stand.
Wow! I don't know about you but my reaction to that story was to want to stand up and cheer! What a heroic stand and what a wonderfully wise man that principal must be! We certainly could do more with more like him.
However, we can move beyond such wishful thinking. You can eaily be a hero too. You only need to move beyond seeing it as a feel good story. Instead think about its relevance for your job and what you do. The same principle applies just as much to banking or any other business. After all ultimately business is all about people. How can you expect to run a successful business if you don't take an interest in people?
So what are you going to do to encourage such attitudes amongst your people? Maybe you can start with them. After all, as another member of the audience said in response, "You cannot expect value, unless you value your people!" Do that and you will certainly have greater employee engagement. Who knows, you might find yourself cast as a super-hero leading a whole team of heroes!