𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗘.

I was invited by AskChuka Enterprises (not real name 😂) to be part of an exit interview panel. Business wasn't going well and they needed to downsize.

Before the meeting, I requested the files of the 10 people on an Excel sheet rather brutally tagged 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗞.

Nine were straightforward.

But one file bothered me.

Let's call him Mide.

Mide had been with the company for 10 years and was a star performer for eight. Then, two years ago, something changed.

He still delivered, but his work had become tardy and less innovative.

How does someone give eight excellent years and suddenly become mediocre?

So I asked him:

"Mide, you were a star performer for eight years. What happened in the last two?"

His emotional response boiled down to one thing:

𝗛𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱.

After years of giving his best without feeling recognised, he decided to become like everyone else.

I understood him.

And I told management that organisations have a responsibility to appreciate good people. Sometimes, a simple "thank you" can keep someone going.

But I also told Mide something uncomfortable:

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯. 𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

That thought stayed with me.

In Luke 17:7–10, Jesus tells of a servant who returns from the field but still has duties expected of him.

As a parent, when my children thank me for paying their school fees, it feels good. But if they don't, should I stop paying when God has given me the means?

No.

When my wife appreciates me for providing for our family, I am grateful. But providing remains my responsibility.

Sometimes responsibility is a thankless job.

So yes, employers, appreciate your staff.

Spouses, appreciate each other.

Parents, appreciate your children.

Please don't use this post as an excuse to become an ungrateful human being. 😂

But also remember:

𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

Colossians 3:23 reminds us to work wholeheartedly, as though working for the Lord.

As for Mide, I recommended counselling and leadership training, not dismissal.

Eight years of excellence should at least earn a man the opportunity to rediscover the person he used to be.

I hope management listens.

And I hope Mide remembers:

𝑫𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.

#AskChuka #Chuka1ofAfrica