to my good friend gaius
When was the last time that you were on the road, away from home? It might be a business or a personal trip, but most of us have been away from the comfort of our own home at some point in our lives. When you are away, in an unfamiliar place, you need someone to provide you certain comforts and help you to take care of your needs. So we look to hotels to help provide a roof over our heads, and a comfortable bed to sleep in. We then also eat out at the hotel or other area restaurants, because we lack the means of preparing our own meals like we do at home. Hotels and restaurants have become an entire industry focused on "hospitality". When we are out of our element, we rely quite a bit on the hospitality industry to help us take care of ourselves.
As we continue our study of the executive-leader qualifications, our sixth stop is at the requirement to be "hospitable". It is easy to understand this when you think about family or old friends coming to visit you, but what does this mean in the workplace? How can someone display the the qualities of being hospitable in a business environment, and who exactly are we to be hospitable to? In studying this topic, we will look at the writings of the Apostle John in the book of 3 John. This entire writing (only 14 verses in length) is focused on John sharing appreciation with his friend Gaius for his display of hospitality. Let's look at some of the principles at play here...
It is done faithfully (v. 5)
When you are attempting to be hospitable, you must do it faithfully. What do I mean by that? I simply mean that you must do it even when you don't feel like it. As leaders, we have a responsibility to be hospitable (and we will define 'hospitable' better momentarily). There is no exception to this rule. It is not a need to be hospitable to everyone... well, except for those people that you really don't like anyway. No! Being hospitable is something that we must do, and do all of the time regardless of the circumstances.
It is for strangers too (v.5)
This point blends a bit from the first point. The idea here is that you cannot be selective about who you extend your hospitality to. All people should be treated equally in this sense. In the workplace, I tend to think more about the people that you don't like as opposed to someone you don't know. When we discover the attitudes behind being hospitable, it is easier to understand how this attitude should be extended to even those that you don't like very well. There is a funny saying that I hear every once in a while in the workplace. It goes something like this, "be careful how you treat people, because you never know who you will be reporting to tomorrow."
It is done with love (v. 6)
The motivating force behind hospitality if love. When leading people in any organization, you must relate to them and connect with them in order to get them to buy-in to you and your vision. If love is the glue that holds people together, then hospitality is simply an expression of that love to the people around you. It is the idea that your sincere care for people's well-being should make them feel comfortable being around you. Have you ever been intimidated by someone's presence? That is leadership driven by fear, and it won't last. Have you ever been around someone that always makes you feel comfortable and makes you feel valued? That is leadership driven by love and a hospitable attitude.
Worthy of excellence (v.6)
If you are going to do something, you might as well do it with excellence. This passage of Scripture refers to Gaius's hospitality being suitable for God Himself. Gaius was being hospitable at a level that has reached an excellence worthy of hosting the King. The important part here is that you make a strong effort at making people feel comfortable around you. This is tricky though. You don't want to appear as if you are trying too hard, because that too will push people away.
Treat as one with us (v. 8)
Often people in positions of leadership can get on power trips and act like they are more important than other people around them. Another factor in being hospitable is making people feel like they are with you and respected at the same level. Treat others as you would want to be treated. One of the most senior executives that I have met had a way of making me feel comfortable when we talked. This person never made me feel inferior, but instead usually made me feel like I was right on the same level. There was a sense that I was just important (if not more important) than them or anyone else in the organization. And it was sincere. I have to follow this up by saying that I would follow this executive anywhere.
As I wrap up this post, I just have to say that being hospitable is more about how you make people feel than it is about the resources that you give them. I'm not saying that the resources are not important, because they can often be a manifestation of how motivated you are to be hospitable. What I am saying is that it is more about the attitude that you carry regarding the people around you. Make them feel comfortable and valued, and they will follow you anywhere.
Questions to consider:
What are you doing to provide a comfortable atmosphere in your environment? What would the people around you say about you? Do people physically come to you or leave when you come around? If they are not coming to you, it is likely because they don't feel that comfortable with you. If this is the case, what do you think that it would take in order to make them want to be around you? How can you humble enter into their world and try to make it a better place?
As we continue our study of the executive-leader qualifications, our sixth stop is at the requirement to be "hospitable". It is easy to understand this when you think about family or old friends coming to visit you, but what does this mean in the workplace? How can someone display the the qualities of being hospitable in a business environment, and who exactly are we to be hospitable to? In studying this topic, we will look at the writings of the Apostle John in the book of 3 John. This entire writing (only 14 verses in length) is focused on John sharing appreciation with his friend Gaius for his display of hospitality. Let's look at some of the principles at play here...It is done faithfully (v. 5)
When you are attempting to be hospitable, you must do it faithfully. What do I mean by that? I simply mean that you must do it even when you don't feel like it. As leaders, we have a responsibility to be hospitable (and we will define 'hospitable' better momentarily). There is no exception to this rule. It is not a need to be hospitable to everyone... well, except for those people that you really don't like anyway. No! Being hospitable is something that we must do, and do all of the time regardless of the circumstances.
It is for strangers too (v.5)
This point blends a bit from the first point. The idea here is that you cannot be selective about who you extend your hospitality to. All people should be treated equally in this sense. In the workplace, I tend to think more about the people that you don't like as opposed to someone you don't know. When we discover the attitudes behind being hospitable, it is easier to understand how this attitude should be extended to even those that you don't like very well. There is a funny saying that I hear every once in a while in the workplace. It goes something like this, "be careful how you treat people, because you never know who you will be reporting to tomorrow."
It is done with love (v. 6)
The motivating force behind hospitality if love. When leading people in any organization, you must relate to them and connect with them in order to get them to buy-in to you and your vision. If love is the glue that holds people together, then hospitality is simply an expression of that love to the people around you. It is the idea that your sincere care for people's well-being should make them feel comfortable being around you. Have you ever been intimidated by someone's presence? That is leadership driven by fear, and it won't last. Have you ever been around someone that always makes you feel comfortable and makes you feel valued? That is leadership driven by love and a hospitable attitude.
Worthy of excellence (v.6)
If you are going to do something, you might as well do it with excellence. This passage of Scripture refers to Gaius's hospitality being suitable for God Himself. Gaius was being hospitable at a level that has reached an excellence worthy of hosting the King. The important part here is that you make a strong effort at making people feel comfortable around you. This is tricky though. You don't want to appear as if you are trying too hard, because that too will push people away.
Treat as one with us (v. 8)
Often people in positions of leadership can get on power trips and act like they are more important than other people around them. Another factor in being hospitable is making people feel like they are with you and respected at the same level. Treat others as you would want to be treated. One of the most senior executives that I have met had a way of making me feel comfortable when we talked. This person never made me feel inferior, but instead usually made me feel like I was right on the same level. There was a sense that I was just important (if not more important) than them or anyone else in the organization. And it was sincere. I have to follow this up by saying that I would follow this executive anywhere.
As I wrap up this post, I just have to say that being hospitable is more about how you make people feel than it is about the resources that you give them. I'm not saying that the resources are not important, because they can often be a manifestation of how motivated you are to be hospitable. What I am saying is that it is more about the attitude that you carry regarding the people around you. Make them feel comfortable and valued, and they will follow you anywhere.
Questions to consider:
What are you doing to provide a comfortable atmosphere in your environment? What would the people around you say about you? Do people physically come to you or leave when you come around? If they are not coming to you, it is likely because they don't feel that comfortable with you. If this is the case, what do you think that it would take in order to make them want to be around you? How can you humble enter into their world and try to make it a better place?
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