I'm so glad to be back and thank you for joining me for Part 3 of my series on
Maintaining a Healthy Attitude at Work, which can be very challenging for many of us. The first H-factor was Happy and the second H-factor was Helpful, which you can read about by clicking HERE. The third "H" factor for keeping a healthy work attitude is... Humble.
Let’s face it; your company or job would probably exist just fine without you. Unless you started your own company, someone had your job before you and the organization did just fine. Yes, you bring unique talent and skills to the table which is why you got hired. However, you should stay humble and not think too highly of yourself. You might have an issue with humility if you are “telling” more and listening less. The opposite of humility is arrogance, and co-workers can detect that superior attitude faster than a window reacting to a sonic boom (same results...shattered lives). Perhaps you have been on the job longer than anyone, have obtained more results, are physically older than most (side note: age does not automatically equal wisdom), have more education, more talent, and have better critical thinking skills than all of your co-workers. All these attributes are no reason to go around demanding respect or deference. You are a child of God and you serve Him.
I have been proven to be wrong many times in my career when I thought that I was right. I have had to ‘fess’ up to my mistakes and ask for mercy from my bosses and co-workers numerous times. I can also remember times when I have deserved the credit for something that was done well and have not received the recognition that I thought I deserved. What’s worse, the recognition went to someone else! Talk about wanting to explode and take out everyone around me with the blast! Wow, how could they not see that I was the one that designed and executed this brilliant solution that brings credit to the greater cause? Now I have to be quiet and ask God to keep me humble. This is where I have to stop thinking that I am ‘all that’ and just continue to do what I was hired to do.
Rewards do come in the forms of plaques, certificates of recognition, bonuses, pay raises, all-expense-paid trips, personal parking spaces, offices with a window, a paid holiday, and so on. But other rewards come to you eternally or just in the satisfaction that you were honest, hard working, and helpful to your co-workers and clients. This can be an area of contention, so be ready for it to rear it’s head; predetermine that you will do your best no matter what. I know that the word ‘karma’ has been popularized, but I would prefer to insert a statement from Jesus Christ that says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” Embody and model a humble attitude and your co-workers will like you and relate to you, which will allow for better collaborative efforts on projects.
Below are a few scripture references for study, development, and pursuit of relational excellence in humility. Look them up and commit one or two to memory to help remind you to stay humble at work.
Serving Him,
Steve McNally, guest PTLB blogger
(Comments can be directed to info@ptlb.com)
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Follow God as You Learn How to Talk to Him!
The Lord's Prayer is one of the most common Scriptures in the world. Thousands have memorized this prayer and have no idea they are reciting one of the most powerful keys to intimacy with God and access to His power. Unlock the hidden keys to ignite God's power here and now and watch your spiritual life explode to a whole new level.
Join Dr. Gil Stieglitz in Getting God to Talk Back, as he explains how Jesus teaches a whole new way of approaching and dialoguing with God about the things in life that matter to Him most as we live for Him. Includes a verse-by-verse analysis of Matthew 6:9-13, prayer exercises, and practical applications to help readers progress on their spiritual journey.
We all want to experience unimaginable blessings and God's power in our lives--this is where it all begins.Talk with God about the things that matter to Him, and He will talk back.