Last Flight From Little Rock

This song was inspired during a work meeting when someone said to book the last flight from Little Rock. If you've ever traveled for business, fun, or other reasons there are good parts of trips but there's always the draw of home pulling you back and the people you love there.

Last Flight From Little Rock
By: Andrew Robert Allen

Leaving on an airplane got some business in Jackson
but I'll call you every day until I'm home again
There's some people up in Arkansas that I got to go and see
but if I got to choose, I'd choose you and home is where I'd be
But tonight I'll be out on the road and feeling all alone
Gonna take the last plane from Little Rock and I'll see you when I'm home

Leaving on an airplane got some things I need to do
but every day that I'm away you know I'm missing you
When I get to where I'm going I'll make the best of every day
but the best part of the trip is when I'll see your smiling face
These business trips they pay the rent but I miss you when I'm gone
Gonna take the last flight from Little Rock and I'll see you when I'm home
Gonna take the last flight from Little Rock and I'll see you when I'm home

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Finding Joy in Work

There are too many people in the world that dislike, hate, or feel trapped by their job. With most of us working at least 80,000 hours throughout our working lifetimes, it only makes sense to do something that we actually enjoy and are good at.

You are unique in your talents, interests, and experiences from anyone else in the world. This equips you to do things that no one else can do. No one.

Maybe it’s being an amazing leader, or a terrific mom to your kids, or the best teacher your students ever had, or a construction worker that is an outstanding craftsman, or a bus driver that always gets people where they need to go on time with a smile, or a nurse that brings healing and comfort to people. God has created you and made plans designed specifically for you.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”-Ephesians 2:10

Don’t ever settle for something that doesn’t bring you alive and light your fire. If you’re not there yet, start moving in that direction. The world’s got enough darkness. It needs you shining brightly.

There is great joy in that sweet spot of God’s blessing, your talents, and the things you love. You wake up energized, your creativity is stimulated, and you accomplish great things during the day.

Let us seek, therefore, the intersection of our passions, unique giftings, and God’s calling in our lives for it is there that we’ll find unparalleled joy and effectiveness in our work.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Kansas City Board of Trade

On Friday, I took a field trip to the Kansas City Board of Trade where they trade Hard Red Winter wheat commodities. This is the image you get when you think of the stock market and see people in a pit on TV waving hands frantically trying to buy or sell. This is a hub of trade for a large quantity of wheat trading that occurs in the United States. There are a few other trading exchanges for wheat as well, but this is a major one.

The majority of trading is done electronically via computer these days but there is still some that happens in person. As trades are executed, they're recorded and the price of wheat changes as a result whether up or down. The electronic boards in the background track the prices of wheat that is scheduled for delivery during various time frames. Some traders are just trying to make a margin on trades or speculation and some are hedging risk so that they get a guaranteed rate to buy or sell at. It was very interesting to see the market in person. The last 30 seconds close of the market was fairly rapid and exciting as well.

The Fred Factor

The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn

In The Fred Factor, Mark Sanborn describes a postal carrier whose name is Fred. When Sanborn moved to the Denver area and purchased a home, his mail man took the time to introduce himself, welcome Mark to the neighborhood, and get to know a bit about him. Because of Sanborn's extensive travel schedule, he was out of town a fair amount. Fred said he'd be sure to hold mail if it would begin overflowing the mailbox so that it wasn't apparent to potential thieves that he wasn't home. Once when Sanborn got back from a trip, he found his welcome mat not in its customary spot in front of the door but over to the side of the porch covering a package along with a note from Fred. Fred placed it there to help conceal it from the public eye to provide further security to the home. In addition to this, Fred always took an interest in what was going on with Sanborn's life as well as many other customers along the route. He embodied what Sanborn described as an exceptional postal carrier.

Fred took what was a seemingly routine and potentially monotonous job and took great care to provide outstanding service to his "customers" who came to consider him more of a friend than a post man. He had no great resources at his disposal other than pieces of mail and the relationship he formed with the people on his route. Fred became an outstanding representative for the US postal service.

Sanborn goes on to describe other examples of "Freds" that he's encountered and their approach to customer service. You have probably encountered Freds in your life as well. I can think of several flight attendants in traveling who provided this type of excellent flight experience whether through a cheerful disposition, the inclusion of humor in the generic flight instructions, or going out of their way to make sure you were completely comfortable.

Another book which describes this concept with different terminology is Lunchmeat and Life Lessons by Mary Lucas. She terms this the "comeback sauce." In other words, when working with customers, give them that extra touch that keeps them coming back due to the exceptional service they receive.

While I think Sanborn's encouragement for people to go above and beyond in their career is good, it is not natural for people to do this out of their own nature. Many people are selfish and yes some may go out of their way to help others and provide a lending hand but by and large many are primarily interested in looking out for number 1. I think when coupled with faith in Christ, there is a deeper rooted motivation and desire to do things like this. If left to our own devices, though, this may be done on a more limited basis.

It would have been nice if we could have followed Fred throughout the book in each of the principles explained. We first saw Fred at the beginning and then Fred the actual man was not really in the picture until the last chapter.

Both the Fred Factor and the comeback sauce principle are excellent to keep in mind when working with clients. Thinking of ways to provide added value to clients will keep them coming back again and again.

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