Are We Serving for Success or Failure?
Major Pane and Nathanael: This photo was taken at Toronto City Church.
Sometimes, the smallest moments teach us the biggest lessons. Recently, I had lunch with a colleague at a Vietnamese restaurant. An unexpected mistake during our meal made me think deeply about the experience. The server handed us tea cups but no sauce trays, and my colleague—excited to dive into their meal—mistakenly poured the sauce into a teacup.
It was a small mix-up, but it led me to a deeper question: How are we serving those around us? Are we setting them up for success or unintentionally preparing them for failure?
Serving teams at work;
If you lead a team, your role is to empower them by equipping them with the right mindset, tools, and resources to thrive and achieve excellence.
Signs you’re serving for failure;
Delegating tasks without providing clarity or resources.
Complicating simple tasks by adding unnecessary processes.
Not being approachable.
How to serve for success;
Translating the vision of a task to their understanding and outlining clear expectations.
Providing adequate resources to complete tasks and celebrating wins.
Encouraging creativity while boosting self-confidence in your team.
If you are a frontline staff member, your role is to ensure you show up for your clients with the best intentions, which includes providing all the supporting information about your products/services.
Additionally, show up for your leader by giving them credit, celebrating their wins, highlighting their insights and the impact they are making in your life.
Reflection Question: Are you equipping your team to excel, or are you unintentionally hindering their progress?
Serving in relationships
Major Pane and his wife at Quebec City
Whether with a partner, family member, or close friend, how we "serve" in relationships shapes the quality of the connection.
Signs you’re serving for failure;
Exploiting their weaknesses and using them to our advantage.
Taking their effort for granted.
Ignoring their emotional needs.
How to serve for success;
Share your appreciation for them often and sincerely.
Show up consistently, not just in grand gestures but in the small moments they least expect you.
Practice active listening to understand their perspective truly.
Reflective Question: Are you being intentional about meeting the needs of your loved ones, or are you assuming they’ll figure it out?
Serving friends and community
Serving friends and the community enhances our lives, rejuvenates us, clarifies our purpose, showcases healthy well-being, and positively influences society.
Signs you’re serving for failure;
Only reaching out when you need something.
Dismissing their struggles because you’re too busy.
Forgetting to celebrate their wins.
How to serve for success;
Be a source of encouragement and accountability.
Offer help without waiting to be asked.
Create a safe space for vulnerability and authenticity.
Reflection Question: Are you pouring into your friendships or inadvertently draining them?
Conclusion: Intentional Serving
Just as a sauce tray makes the meal experience seamless, serving the right tools and support in life makes all the difference. Take a moment to evaluate how you show up for others—in your workplace, relationships, and community.
Ask yourself:
Am I serving what they truly need, or am I serving what I think they need?
Do my actions empower others to thrive, or do they unintentionally create challenges?
Life is a constant opportunity to adjust how we serve those around us. Let’s be intentional in setting the table for success.
