Undercover Boss

We've watched about six episodes of "Undercover Boss" over the last couple of years.  The last boss was the COO of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.  He'd only been on the job for about six months when he went undercover.

He dealt cards, worked the front desk, and worked the floor selling reward cards.  The three people he was assigned to thought he was vying for a job on a reality show .  The card dealer was an older fellow who served in Vietnam  and still had probably what we now call PTSD.  The front desk woman was a married lady who worked around their new but slower check-in program as best she could.  The woman who worked the floor, cleaned ashtrays and sold reward cards visited folks at a nearby rest home and she took them flowers via a deal she had with Sam's Club.

I found myself touched by each of the three employees who obviously had character and compassion. 

Per the usual pattern of the show, the three employees were asked to visit the corporate offices and then they learned who they were actually working with.  Of course, they were floored.  Especially the woman who worked the floor because she had driven the COO to the rest home in her own car to deliver flowers when he showed such an interest.

Each of the employees were rewarded in a special way.  The lady who worked the front desk was given a vacation for her and her husband.  The gentleman who dealt cards was given a trip to a major league ballgame for he and his brothers to sit in the owner's box, as well as $5,000 donated in his name for Vietnam vets.  And the lady who took the flowers was rewarded when the owner made arrangements for her to get flowers through the hotel's many resources and also a cash gift.

While the COO was staying in a nearby motel for his role, his family came to visit him.  They seemed like a genuinely happy group who likes spending time with each other.  He worries that his kids will be spoiled by everything that he can provide for them, and he doesn't want them to forget to be thankful for everything.  He wants them to start volunteering somewhere, and I hope that he follows through on that. 

The antidote to selfish kids who don't know what to do with all of their time is guiding kids toward some volunteering, and for the benefit of that we will revisit a recent post about Father's sermon.  We find God through loving.  If today's young people struggle with the world that we inhabit and struggle with their purpose in life, then they need to glimpse what such a purpose might be.  Volunteering does that. 

The lady who took flowers to the nursing home started doing so after her own mother was in a nursing home and then passed away.  She wanted to treat the people in the home the way that she would have wanted her mother to be treated.  I was most impressed with her because she really cared and she really went that extra step to serve others. 

Sometimes you watch TV and you come away inspired.  Not all "Undercover Boss" episodes are quite as good as this one was, but for me this one was special. 

When the COO drew all of the employees together for a meeting, his humility and concern for them was obvious.  If he continues along this pathway, he should meet with much success.  But far more than that, he should be able to steer his children down the right pathway too.

Another lovely day is in store for us -- many blessings on you, friends.