Discuss AND Do.

My husband was a radio disk jockey in college, so when we had been married a year he applied to work an overnight shift at a radio station part time. The first night the satellite feed broke down, and he had to run the music and ads himself. The boss liked his do-it attitude and moved him to a full-time overnight shift, which he continued until the station owner switched to all-satellite feed and fired everyone. We moved; he got a job as a restaurant cashier at Au Bon Pain. He showed up early, dressed appropriately, did everything they asked him to do cheerfully, then did more. He said they moved him into management because he had a bachelor’s degree. I think it was because he worked hard, with enthusiasm, and always showed up.

He researched the restaurant industry, subscribed to restaurant news, did training, looked up how to do it better, listened to advice, and talked it over with me. My strength was in listening and asking questions that made him think; it helped both of us understand better. After a couple years he was offered a general manager position at a new restaurant opening in downtown Cleveland.

We moved. He established the new restaurant, hired lots of people of all different types, kept the ones who worked hard and got rid of the ones that didn’t. He loved people, working with people, helping people get better at their jobs. He cried when his assistant manager returned from Christmas vacation to turn in his two week’s notice. He hired people from the church youth group he helped lead, and taught them how to be better employees. He studied how to interview and how to be interviewed.

I loved learning from him. He did things more than discussed them, however; I tend to discuss more than do. Both are necessary.