A CUE FROM THE GERMANS
I recently attended a
leadership-training programme where the convener talked so much about the
“excellence culture” of Germans, which he attributed to their constitution
being derived from the biblical book of Leviticus. I was fascinated and
embarked on a research on the German culture, and what I discovered was quite
intriguing and inspiring.
BE PROACTIVE
This
unique group of people are very proactive and could be considered the masters
of planning; they have a well-itemized schedule for their daily activities.
They do not cut corners; they work by the book, never trying to trade work with
faith. Once a German discovers the proper
way to perform a task, he no longer thinks of doing it any other way.
Germany was one of the top ten medal
winners at the 2008 Olympic Games, yet they didn’t rest on their oars after
they got back home, but started training for the 2012 Olympic Games. In another
part of the world, prayer conferences were organised on behalf of a particular
sports team well known for their “last minute approach” to success. Now,
praying for success is not wrong, but success is also the meeting point of
preparation and opportunity. Even the Bible affirms that faith without works is
dead.
Looking into history, people who
have succeeded in any field are not necessarily the most competent, but are
diligent; they do everything to improve on their skills daily. Do you see a
man, Christian or non-Christian, diligent in his work; he will stand
before kings and not mere men - Proverbs 29:18. However, having done your part,
commit it into God’s hand and it shall prosper – Proverbs 3:1.
If God says He will bless the works
of our hands, He is also saying our hands must work.
HIGH PREMIUM ON THE HOME
With the
Germans, there is a high value on family and relationships and there is no
compromise with work when it comes to those two. In Germany, you are expected
to leave the office immediately at the end of the business day, and if you
don’t, it is assumed that your day wasn’t planned properly.
In German
society, the home is made comfortable and tidy such that family members and
friends may relax anytime they come in. I presume they believe a life filled
with achievements could be nude and dreary if there’s no provision for
fun-filled relationships.
INTEGRITY
A German resident shared a story of
how he went on vacation with his family members and hired a German skilled
worker to work on their bathroom tiles while they were away. When they
returned, the man had done a beautiful job quite all right, except for one
unnoticeable crack. When the craftsman called back to inquire about the job he
had done, the resident expressed his satisfaction and appreciation, but also
told him about the inconspicuous crack. The craftsman insisted so much on
redoing the job, claiming that if for any reason a member of the family feels
displeased as a result of the crack, his prosperity would be hindered.
Now how many times have you carried
out a task knowing that you haven’t given it your best, or done it properly,
and yet you go ahead to deliver it? Often times, we do the right thing simply
because someone is watching – something we usually call ‘eye service’. Yet we
forget that with God there can be no ‘eye service’ because He sees all, and
will reward us accordingly.
If we could only take a cue from the
Germans and realise that if we could prepare properly for the tasks we are
given, carrying them out diligently, we just might live a long, and good life.
If we appreciate the little things in life, and understand things such as
making a home is more important than building a house, perhaps we would all be
happier and more fulfilled. If we understand the simple fact that the pursuit
of excellence will bring us prosperity, perhaps we would have more relevance in
society.
Let us think on these things.
Ayodele Oloyede
