Not the sexiest word in the world. But its like a secret dynamite if you have it.
You might recognise its fruit: a good work ethic; accountability; integrity.
The modern day picture of a good steward is that guy who just seems to be unshakeable, not matter what happens to him. Or that lady who exhibits such a high level of personal integrity that even her haters give her their reluctant respect and admiration.
What you’re appreciating is a good steward. Someone who accepts responsibility for their duties, property, or money that isn’t their own. But they take care of it like it is.
Essentially, a good character = a good steward.
You will probably never hear: “That’s not my job” coming from their lips. They show up and grow up. They are dependable, reliable, trustworthy. They speak up when they need to and are wise enough to refrain from adding fuel to the fire when there is an inferno of gossip raging.
Good stewards in the workplace – and in life – are hard to find. It’s too easy to surrender to the pull of the way things are than to strain to the level of what things could be like. Nothing and no one can stop the success of a good steward.
And if the environment hampers their growth, they will eventually leave for an organisation where they can keep growing. Ultimately, good stewards are interested in their personal development. Of themselves, their companies, and the people around them.
What makes them so special? They have taken ownership of their own lives. They are not the complainers, the gossips, the dead weight. They breathe new life into their environment, precisely because they are life carriers.
They might not be the ones with the titles but they are the ones with enough positive energy to ignite a team. They don’t come to work to get something: they go to work to give their best.
Good stewards have goals for their lives beyond monetary reward. They are interested in the things that help them grow, that enable them to help others. Good stewards are the friends we want to have and the type of people we want to become.