Ten Commandments for Today's Workplace
I haven't been on the network for a minute. All is well with us here in middle GA and I hope all is well with you. I pray you enjoy the reading.
10 Commandments for Today's Workplace
By David Anthony Clarke, Sr.
1. Thou shalt not taketh thy job for granted
People are being put out of work every day. For example, the largest bank in the nation by assets, Citigroup, is projecting to cut 4200 jobs by the end of this year.
Don't take your job for granted. Instead, be grateful and have a plan B--something in mind as to what you would do if you were let go. This can alleviate the grief and confusion that normally come when losing a job and empower you to confidently move forward.
2. Thou shalt not let stress get the best of thee
At the right level, stress is good and can make us more productive. On the other hand, according to an October 24, 2007 press release from the American Psychological Association, improper levels of stress is "taking a toll on people - contributing to health problems, poor relationships and lost productivity at work."
Hey, take a chill pill. Stress is everywhere, especially for those with great leadership responsibilities. Preparation for the challenges at work, laughter, daily meditation, getting plenty of rest, a day at the spa, a weekend get away to the beach, and exercise can all help us prevent and successfully combat stress. Some folks find relaxation by working in the yard. If you don't have a yard, feel free to work, I mean, relax in mine!
3. Thou shalt not spread negativity
This has a lot to do with attitude. John Maxwell says in his book, The Difference Maker, "No one should ever lose a job, miss a promotion, or destroy a marriage because of a poor attitude." I have to agree with him on that.
Let me share one thing we can do about negativity. Whenever you're approached with negativity, try to be an enthusiastic, positive person who is willing to discuss the possibilities that exist as well as solutions to make improvements in the workplace. Hopefully, this will make you and those around you more productive and feel better, too. Tom Rath and Donald Clifton say in their book, How Full is Your Bucket?, "Nine out of ten people say they are more productive when they're around positive people."
4. Thou shalt work with integrity
What do we mean by integrity? John F. MacArthur, in his book, The Power of Integrity, puts it this way, "It describes someone without hypocrisy or duplicity-someone who is completely consistent with his or her stated convictions. A person who lacks integrity-someone who says one thing and does another-is a hypocrite."
If we had more integrity in today's workplace, there would be less identity theft, discrimination lawsuits, and hard working people being dangerously deceived like we saw with Enron. I
ntegrity is crucial in the workplace because it breeds trust, which is foundational to a healthy work environment. Be honest and do the right thing.
5. Thou shalt not go "postal"
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's website, homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. Control your anger. Resolve your issues Biblically:
1. Be slow to anger (Jas. 1:19)
2. Be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26-27)
3. Don't be angry without a cause (Matt. 5:22)
4. Resolve issues quickly (Matt 5:25)
5. Get a mediator involved if necessary (Matt. 18:15-16)
Having a violence prevention program in the workplace can make a big difference, too. There is a Chinese Proverb that says, "If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."
6. Thou shalt work according to thy passion
Passion is what some may refer to as a “fire in the belly.” I know some folks who call that gas. Anyway, passion is something on the inside of us that cannot be easily stopped. G.W.F. Hegel said, "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion."
One of the secrets to working according to your passion is faith. Paul and Sarah Edwards share in their book, Finding Your Perfect Work, “Many more people would undoubtedly pursue their passion for a living if they could just believe it’s actually possible.” My friends, with God all things are possible!
7. Thou shalt use thy email with caution
The negative impacts of e-mail abuse can be severe. They can destroy important business and personal relationships, result in formal written reprimands, and possibly termination of employment. There is an interesting article on Careerbuilder.com entitled “Use Caution With Your Work E-mail” that suggests asking ourselves the following questions before hitting send:
• Would I be comfortable if my e-mail appeared in the newspaper or on the Internet?
• Would I be comfortable if my comments were quoted out of context?
• Does my e-mail reflect positively on the company? On me?
8. Thou shalt work and increase
One great way to prevent burnout and/or job loss is to work and increase. When we commit ourselves to increasing in skills, productivity, self-awareness, and worth to the company, we constantly take our chances of continual personal growth to new levels.
Nationally syndicated workplace columnist, J.T. O’Donnell, shares the following “3x3x3 rule” for skill development:
A. Choose three skills you want to enhance.
B. Identify three ways in which you could learn and grow each skill.
C. Articulate three examples of how you can demonstrate your enhanced skills in this area to your employer.
Increasing our character is always beneficial, too. The Bible teaches us if we increase in goodness, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness, and love that we’ll always be productive (II Pt. 1:5-9).
9. Thou shalt setteth thy goals and reach them
I share in my book, Starting Over: Five Keys to a New Direction in Life, how increase in productivity can come with new beginnings articulated with three powerful words: From Now On. With these three words, backed by action, the rest of your life can be like you never imagined.
From Now On speaks of goals for a brighter future. We can say things like, “From now on I’ll get to work earlier. From now on I’ll use my e-mail more productively. From now on I’ll spend one hour every two weeks with a coach or mentor.”
Setting goals that are SMART; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and with a Timeline is easy. Reaching them, however, is what separates the women from the girls, the men from the boys, the sharks from the guppies, and the Rottweilers from the Chihuahuas. If you’re serious about reaching the goals you set, consider the services of a coach. Coaches are trained to ask the right questions and empower you to reach your goals. For more information on coaching, go to www.pastorclarke.net, click on Pastor Clarke, and then the Life Coaching w/Pastor Clarke link. To schedule a free 45 minute coaching session, give us a call at 478-922-5514.
10. Thou shalt plan effectively for thy retirement
Unless you plan on working forever, you need to plan effectively for your retirement. Not only from a financial standpoint, but from a physical, emotional, and spiritual one as well. In other words, take care of your money, body, mind, and spirit.
How do we do this?
1. Vision. Have a mental picture of your retirement and strategize to make it happen.
2. Invest your time wisely. Make time for the people you love, learning and growing, exercise, and to create additional streams of revenue. Most people who create wealth have more sources of income than their 9 to 5.
3. Eat right. If you, like me, envision being in great health and very mobile in your retirement years, eat right.
4. Impact others. When you retire, how many co-workers will you have tried to impact for Christ? Let the Lord use you to advance His kingdom and impact those you work with to His glory.
5. Enjoy the journey. Don’t forget to have fun along the way. Spend time with family, take vacations, and laugh as often as possible.
Be encouraged!
© 2008 David Anthony Clarke, Sr.
10 Commandments for Today's Workplace
By David Anthony Clarke, Sr.
1. Thou shalt not taketh thy job for granted
People are being put out of work every day. For example, the largest bank in the nation by assets, Citigroup, is projecting to cut 4200 jobs by the end of this year.
Don't take your job for granted. Instead, be grateful and have a plan B--something in mind as to what you would do if you were let go. This can alleviate the grief and confusion that normally come when losing a job and empower you to confidently move forward.
2. Thou shalt not let stress get the best of thee
At the right level, stress is good and can make us more productive. On the other hand, according to an October 24, 2007 press release from the American Psychological Association, improper levels of stress is "taking a toll on people - contributing to health problems, poor relationships and lost productivity at work."
Hey, take a chill pill. Stress is everywhere, especially for those with great leadership responsibilities. Preparation for the challenges at work, laughter, daily meditation, getting plenty of rest, a day at the spa, a weekend get away to the beach, and exercise can all help us prevent and successfully combat stress. Some folks find relaxation by working in the yard. If you don't have a yard, feel free to work, I mean, relax in mine!
3. Thou shalt not spread negativity
This has a lot to do with attitude. John Maxwell says in his book, The Difference Maker, "No one should ever lose a job, miss a promotion, or destroy a marriage because of a poor attitude." I have to agree with him on that.
Let me share one thing we can do about negativity. Whenever you're approached with negativity, try to be an enthusiastic, positive person who is willing to discuss the possibilities that exist as well as solutions to make improvements in the workplace. Hopefully, this will make you and those around you more productive and feel better, too. Tom Rath and Donald Clifton say in their book, How Full is Your Bucket?, "Nine out of ten people say they are more productive when they're around positive people."
4. Thou shalt work with integrity
What do we mean by integrity? John F. MacArthur, in his book, The Power of Integrity, puts it this way, "It describes someone without hypocrisy or duplicity-someone who is completely consistent with his or her stated convictions. A person who lacks integrity-someone who says one thing and does another-is a hypocrite."
If we had more integrity in today's workplace, there would be less identity theft, discrimination lawsuits, and hard working people being dangerously deceived like we saw with Enron. I
ntegrity is crucial in the workplace because it breeds trust, which is foundational to a healthy work environment. Be honest and do the right thing.
5. Thou shalt not go "postal"
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's website, homicide is the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. Control your anger. Resolve your issues Biblically:
1. Be slow to anger (Jas. 1:19)
2. Be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26-27)
3. Don't be angry without a cause (Matt. 5:22)
4. Resolve issues quickly (Matt 5:25)
5. Get a mediator involved if necessary (Matt. 18:15-16)
Having a violence prevention program in the workplace can make a big difference, too. There is a Chinese Proverb that says, "If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."
6. Thou shalt work according to thy passion
Passion is what some may refer to as a “fire in the belly.” I know some folks who call that gas. Anyway, passion is something on the inside of us that cannot be easily stopped. G.W.F. Hegel said, "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion."
One of the secrets to working according to your passion is faith. Paul and Sarah Edwards share in their book, Finding Your Perfect Work, “Many more people would undoubtedly pursue their passion for a living if they could just believe it’s actually possible.” My friends, with God all things are possible!
7. Thou shalt use thy email with caution
The negative impacts of e-mail abuse can be severe. They can destroy important business and personal relationships, result in formal written reprimands, and possibly termination of employment. There is an interesting article on Careerbuilder.com entitled “Use Caution With Your Work E-mail” that suggests asking ourselves the following questions before hitting send:
• Would I be comfortable if my e-mail appeared in the newspaper or on the Internet?
• Would I be comfortable if my comments were quoted out of context?
• Does my e-mail reflect positively on the company? On me?
8. Thou shalt work and increase
One great way to prevent burnout and/or job loss is to work and increase. When we commit ourselves to increasing in skills, productivity, self-awareness, and worth to the company, we constantly take our chances of continual personal growth to new levels.
Nationally syndicated workplace columnist, J.T. O’Donnell, shares the following “3x3x3 rule” for skill development:
A. Choose three skills you want to enhance.
B. Identify three ways in which you could learn and grow each skill.
C. Articulate three examples of how you can demonstrate your enhanced skills in this area to your employer.
Increasing our character is always beneficial, too. The Bible teaches us if we increase in goodness, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, kindness, and love that we’ll always be productive (II Pt. 1:5-9).
9. Thou shalt setteth thy goals and reach them
I share in my book, Starting Over: Five Keys to a New Direction in Life, how increase in productivity can come with new beginnings articulated with three powerful words: From Now On. With these three words, backed by action, the rest of your life can be like you never imagined.
From Now On speaks of goals for a brighter future. We can say things like, “From now on I’ll get to work earlier. From now on I’ll use my e-mail more productively. From now on I’ll spend one hour every two weeks with a coach or mentor.”
Setting goals that are SMART; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and with a Timeline is easy. Reaching them, however, is what separates the women from the girls, the men from the boys, the sharks from the guppies, and the Rottweilers from the Chihuahuas. If you’re serious about reaching the goals you set, consider the services of a coach. Coaches are trained to ask the right questions and empower you to reach your goals. For more information on coaching, go to www.pastorclarke.net, click on Pastor Clarke, and then the Life Coaching w/Pastor Clarke link. To schedule a free 45 minute coaching session, give us a call at 478-922-5514.
10. Thou shalt plan effectively for thy retirement
Unless you plan on working forever, you need to plan effectively for your retirement. Not only from a financial standpoint, but from a physical, emotional, and spiritual one as well. In other words, take care of your money, body, mind, and spirit.
How do we do this?
1. Vision. Have a mental picture of your retirement and strategize to make it happen.
2. Invest your time wisely. Make time for the people you love, learning and growing, exercise, and to create additional streams of revenue. Most people who create wealth have more sources of income than their 9 to 5.
3. Eat right. If you, like me, envision being in great health and very mobile in your retirement years, eat right.
4. Impact others. When you retire, how many co-workers will you have tried to impact for Christ? Let the Lord use you to advance His kingdom and impact those you work with to His glory.
5. Enjoy the journey. Don’t forget to have fun along the way. Spend time with family, take vacations, and laugh as often as possible.
Be encouraged!
© 2008 David Anthony Clarke, Sr.
Comment
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
Powered by
You need to be a member of Black Preaching Network to add comments!
Join Black Preaching Network