Day 2 of our sales meeting was the same as usual, but this year seemed to have a tinge of extra respect included. We share in what has typically been a steady industry deemed ‘telecommunications’. While our company has remained steady and strong, consolidation of our customers has taken a toll on the people.
Telecomm became a competitive industry back in 1984 after the breakup of AT&T. click here for a history lesson Today the break up has nearly been reversed as a consolidation of many of the startups from that era has taken place. The result has been a mass reduction in good paying jobs as layoffs abound. Many of the people I have worked with for years find themselves doing the workload of what used to be accomplished by three people.
The net result is high stress and negativity in the workplace.
The positive side of such a happening is camaraderie is created in the midst the survivors. We always have a choice in looking at every situation, either from the positive view, or the negative.
This sales meeting seems along the lines of the positive as there is a mutual respect that we’re all rowing in a similar boat. We have seen customer friends tossed out of their boats, while we have been fortunate to still be rowing in ours.
When the rowing gets tough in the work place, it pays to have the perspective of what it could be like drowning in the water. I am so glad at this 2016 event, we all are sharing in the rowing and appreciating having the fortune of being amongst friends.
DO YOU DARE TO CROSS INTO THE PORTICO?
I recently have been conducting a ‘Work’ and finance seminar at my local church. It has been a great opportunity not to tell people how ‘they’ should act, but to share what I myself know how ‘I’ should act. Upfront and honest I state I had times of doing it wrong, and times of doing it right. The people business is a tough venue, but it is way more than an act if you have the ‘why’ down.
I told one of my work friends about this blog and my for free ‘side business’ I have been doing for years; one of trying to help people in my church how to be positive in the work place. My friend looked at me incredulously.
Reading his mind I said, what better person to help people to not be negative, than someone who has been an expert at it in the work place for many years? I know what I need to do differently to help those that have the natural negative DNA. His response was, that is an amazing idea, I think that should work, I might even read your blog. That was just the boost I needed to keep on plucking at the keyboard.
It has at times been natural, at other times, more work than actually doing what my job is. Without having a quota; spreading concern, kindness and friendship with people who may not know God at all is the most rewarding ‘job’ anyone can have. I consider my real j-o-b is with the Jesus-Owned-Business. The below message from Paul sums up the simple job description. Applying it when participating in those uncomfortable social settings takes all the pressure off. It also brings more internal rewards than what reaching a quota provides. Of most importance and the motivating source to being able to fulfill this role comes from the eight words after ‘because’.
Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of His deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others. Don’t worry about making a good impression on them, but be ready to suffer quietly and patiently. Colossians 3:12 (TLB)