“Hey, you’ve been fruited!” my neighbor yelled to me as he strolled by our home last week.
It was true. Steve Spathelf, who has painted over 1,000 oranges on buildings in Dundedin, Florida had blessed us with his talents. “I like spreading joy” is what he told me, when I gushed at his finished product.
When he started his work, I offered to get him some water. He said that would be great and asked if I’d talk with him while he painted. I happily agreed.
When I brought him the water he explained, “It can be lonely being a painter.” As he painted and we chatted, I had the unexpected gift of getting to know one of Dunedin most beloved citizens.
Steve is second oldest of four boys his parents raised in the country near Bowling Green, Ohio. His brothers loved sports, but he didn’t. His mom found him an art class that he could go to on Saturdays. His teacher was Mrs. Berlin. He loved learning from her but even more, he liked being there in the class painting. It became his joy.
Be interested and interesting
I have worked on being comfortable conversing with people I don’t know. It’s not natural for me - I feel self-conscious until the conversation gets going, then it’s fun.
What’s helped me is having a few questions ready to ask.
· What do you do for fun?
· What are you working on?
· Can you tell me about your family?
I love getting to know new people. What I don’t love as much is talking about myself. It sometimes can feel awkward. But I know that sharing information about myself is important, and the only way to build and maintain relationships.
So, I work at it every day. I share what I am doing for fun, what I am working on and I talk about my family. It’s gotten easier for me, and it will for you too. So do it!
Early Career Employees
Steve had Mrs. Berlin to push him and provide an environment that put him on a path that’s brought him tremendous success and joy.
See how you can be a leader who pushes others to meet new people, open their minds to other points of view, and build relationships.
Read Get Gen Z into the Game. Consider your team and who on your team needs a push from you to grow.
Too many young adults are struggling with loneliness and it’s impacting their performance at work and their well being. Many experts point to their need to develop key soft skills like making small talk, asking for help and engaging with coworkers.
They can learn key soft skills at work when you push them to work on them. Get Gen Z into the Game is your playbook for doing just that.
Your Network
Would you please:
- BuyGet Gen Z into the Game (the digital copy is just $1.99 for a limited time). Here’s the link to the Amazon page.
- Skim through it (you don’t need to read every word to leave a review).
- Leave an honest review with a rating and a quick one-sentence comment (more if you feel inclined, but not necessary!).
- Talk it up with others (think of three, four or more people who would appreciateGet Gen Z into Gameand share this article with them.)
Key Points
Community and belonging start with small gestures — seeing and appreciating the people who quietly make things better.
Real leadership isn’t loud; it’s about noticing, remembering, and honoring everyday contributions that keep teams connected.
P.S. Steve Spathelf also paints murals. Connect with Steven Spathelf on Facebook,or call /text him at 727 433–4683 🍊.