週一嗎哪
服事全球工商界
2007.4.23
尋求別人的利益

我現在正在研究為何有些人無論做什麼事都會成功，而有些人做任何事卻總是不順利。

我認為在聖經的新約中可找到一個線索。在腓立比書2章4節使徒保羅寫道：「各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」聖經的另一種版本用這樣的方式來陳述這個勸告：「將自己放在旁邊，幫助別人前進。不要只想為自己得利益。要忘掉自己，幫助別人。」

這不只是一個好的聖經忠告，也可能是我所能想到最好的商業忠告。齊格樂是一位激勵人的演說家，也是商業諮詢師。他常說：「你可以得到生命中所有你想要的事物，只要你幫助別人得到他們想要的。」

在我經營的咖啡店裡，最近有的員工必須提早下班，有的又必須晚一點才能上班。我們試著去順應每個員工的需求，但問題是，若有一人要提早下班，或晚一點上班，或請病假，別人的計劃就必須改變。若有一人要晚一點上班，就意味著另有一人的下班時間要比原先計劃的更晚。若有一人想要將自己的計劃放在對工作的承諾之上，就意味著另有一人必須取消約會、改變晚餐計劃，或錯過一個重要的會議。

遺憾的是，我們通常不這麼看事情。我們將自己作的決定視為與別人無關，不會影響別人，或只有一點影響。然而在許多狀況中。我們的決定和選擇對別人有直接的影響。選擇去遵守一個承諾，可能有時會不方便。但遵守那承諾，可能會大大加強我們的能力，去符合一個重要的需求，或達到一個非常渴望的目標。

將別人的利益放在自己的利益之上或之下，長期下來會有一個結果－－贏家或輸家。自私一定會導致損失，尋求別人的利益則會將勝利帶給每一個人。

在我所經營的「荷馬咖啡店」裡，我們很幸運，在員工還很年輕時，他們就開始學習應用這個原則。我很高興能幫助這些年輕人去塑造他們的工作習慣，大大地增加他們成為贏家的機會。因為他們已學到服務、努力和尋求別人利益（即使要有某種程度的犧牲）的重要性。

我們常聽到「成為第一名」，而且自我中心似乎是我們每個人都有的特性－－至少有某種程度。將別人放在我們之上，需要一定程度的謙卑。願意為了別人的利益，而自己居下位。但不論在職場、在家中或在社區裡，謙卑總是一個吸引人的特質－－可能因為這特質很不容易找到。

所以，若你真的要與眾不同，更吸引別人注意，就要將別人的利益放在自己的利益之上。可能這行動就會漸漸成為你的習慣。

思想 / 討論題目

1. 在你工作的場所中，你曾否看過有人願意將別人的利益放在自己利益之上？那是如何做到的？你認為結果會是什麼？

2. 對於將別人的利益放在自己利益之上，你有何看法？這種作法是否有威脅性，因為一個人若不保護自己的利益，就會有危險？請解釋。

3. 本文引述齊格樂的話：「你可以得到生命中所有你想要的事物，只要你幫助別人得到他們想要的。」你對這句話有何看法？在你工作或生活中，你可否想出印證這句話的情形？

4. 要能將別人的利益放在第一位，必須要培養謙卑的態度。你認為謙卑如何能幫助我們將別人的利益放在第一位？

註：若你有聖經請看有關此主題的其他經文，請看：
箴言16章19節，18章12節，29章23節；馬太福音23章11-12節；使徒行傳20章19-21節；彼得前書5章5-6節


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MONDAY MANNA
A service to the business community
April 23, 2007

LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS
By: Jim Mathis

One of my ongoing pursuits is trying to figure out why some people are successful at whatever they want to accomplish, while others always seem to be floundering, struggling at everything they do.

I think that one clue is found in the New Testament of the Bible. In Philippians 2:4, the apostle Paul writes, “Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others.” Another version of the Bible states this admonition in this way: “Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

This is not only good biblical counsel, but also possibly the best business advice I can think of. Motivational speaker and business consultant Zig Ziglar has often said, “You can get everything in life that you want, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

At the coffee shop I manage, we have had a few issues lately with people either leaving early or arriving late to work. We try to accommodate people’s needs, but the real problem is that if one person has to leave early, arrive late, or call in sick, somebody else’s plans must change. One person being late for work means somebody else has to work later than they had planned. One person’s desire to put their own plans ahead of their work commitment means somebody else has to cancel an appointment, change dinner plans, or miss an important meeting.

Unfortunately, we often do not see things this way. We see the decisions we make as being isolated, with little or no impact on others. Yet in many cases, our decisions and choices have direct impact on others. Choosing to keep a promise may sometimes be inconvenient, but fulfilling that commitment may greatly enhance someone else’s ability to meet a critical need or achieve a highly desired goal.

The ability (or inability) to put other’s interests ahead of your own, over the long haul, translates to one thing – winners and losers. Selfishness always results in loss. Looking out for others always results in victory, for everyone involved.

We have been very fortunate in our business at Homer’s Coffee House to be involved in helping young people begin to learn and apply these principles early. It is a delight being able to help shape the work habits of these young people, greatly increasing the chances that they will be labeled with the winners, because they have learned the importance of service, hard work, and looking out for the interests of others – even when it requires some degree of personal sacrifice.

We often hear comments along the lines of, “Look out for Number 1” (yourself), and being self-centered seems to be a trait we all share – at least to some degree. Putting others ahead of ourselves requires a degree of humility, a conscious willingness to subordinate ourselves for the benefit of others. But whether it is in the workplace, the home, or in the community, this humility is always an attractive quality – perhaps because we see it so rarely.

So if you really want to be different and attract attention, practice putting others ahead of yourself. You might even find this kind of behavior habit-forming.

Jim Mathis is Executive Director for CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A., where he oversees Homer’s Coffee Shop. He and his wife, Louise, formerly were co-owners of a camera and photo processing shop in Overland Park, Kansas.

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Reflection/Discussion Questions


1. Have you seen examples in your own workplace of people willing to put the interests of others ahead of their own? How was this accomplished, and what do you think was the result?






2. What do you personally think of this idea of putting other people ahead of yourself? Does it seem threatening in any way, reflecting a concern that if a person does not protect his or her own interests, they could be jeopardized? Explain your answer.






3. What do you think of the Zig Ziglar comment that was quoted, “You can get everything in life that you want, if you help enough other people get what they want”? Can you think of a current situation where this advice might prove helpful, where you work or in any of your other life pursuits?







4. It is suggested that a key to successfully putting the interests of others first is to cultivate an attitude of humility. How do you think this can – or should – be accomplished?







If you would like to look at or discuss other portions of the Bible that relate to this topic, consider the following brief sampling of passages:
Proverbs 16:19, 18:12; 29:23; Matthew 23:11-12; Acts 20:19-21; 1 Peter 5:5-6