When I was a young man, I managed a Ramada Inn in Iowa. My boss, Rueben, lived in Denver and was an excellent mentor. One day, after I missed getting our cash to the bank two days in a row, I got a call from Rueben saying, “Don, the most important task you have is to get the money to the bank each day.” I said, “Yes, sir.”
Nearly 50 years later, most banking is now done electronically. However, I still drive down the block from our publishing company to our wonderful local bank, City National, and make the daily deposit.
It may be a foolish behavior in many people’s eyes, but for me there is a broader lesson in play. I see the bank as the finish line for each day’s corporate efforts. It’s tangible proof that our staff has performed admirably. Too often, we don’t take every opportunity to celebrate success. There is nothing as tangible as a bank deposit to show we are on the right track.
By the way, the fact that City National Bank has chocolate chip cookies in the lobby has nothing to do with my daily visits.