Must Love People
By: Tiffany Johnson

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa

You must love people. This should be top priority when you’re in business. In fact, we’re not commanded by God to like people, but to love them. If you cannot love you will be a pretty crappy business owner. Sure you may win if you live in a small town and you’re the best thing in it. But if otherwise, it’s time to show some love.

I don’t mean going around hugging every customer that walks through the door. I mean showing a genuine feeling of love towards them.

The other day I saw an inspiring video by Chick-Fil-A. It caused me to take a step back and think about what’s going on with other people. Sometimes it’s easy to think that a frown or scowl is at you. When it really could be they just got in a fight or learned of some terrible news.

Last year when my dad passed, I remember being at the hair salon the same day I learned they would be taking him off life support. The nurse casually asked if I had any questions about what would take place on that Friday. I gave her a blank stare. That’s when she realized I had no idea what she was talking about. When she said they were taking him off the machines, I didn’t quite process it. I asked if it was to see how he would do without everything or if that would be it.

Unfortunately, it was the latter. Until that moment I’d never experienced “jello legs.” It felt like someone had sucked the life out of me. My poor dad lay there painless with a trachea in his throat. The nurse said “You know your dad is very, very sick.”

It’s funny, we use the term life support, but until you’re starring it dead in your face it’s not exactly clear what that means. I knew he was on a breathing machine, but somehow I didn’t think of it as life support, until that moment.

This scene played in my mind as I sat under the hair dryer. Apparently my stylist noticed I wasn’t myself and in her thick Spanish accent asked what was wrong. I told her and the tears started rolling down my face uncontrollably. She immediately shouted something in Spanish and all the other stylists in the salon gathered around me. They prayed and laid hands on me right there in the salon. Their prayers were also in Spanish and I had no clue what they were saying, but whatever they were saying was exactly what I needed.

You never know what’s going on truly with people when you ask how are you doing. What if we stopped responding with “fine” and gave a real answer? And what if the person asking actually took the time to listen?

Love must be a part of your business. Take the time to notice what’s going on with your customers. Really hear what they’re not saying. Everyone has a story.

This is the video by Chick-Fil-A. I hope it inspires you as much as it did me.

Now it’s your turn, please share a time in business where you showed or received love.