I have been struggling with motivation at work lately. Not because I am not motivated to do a good job or because I dislike my company but because I have become disheartened and discouraged. I finally understand the Dilbert cartoon. It's not that I didn't understand corporate America before but I didn't realize how quickly a company can turn into that environment. I have been with my company for almost fifteen years and seen it grow from two people and we have between 50 and 100 people now and I am finding that the growing is very difficult. I am finding out the differences between management and vision and that you need both of these in people to be successful.People, especially in the engineering professional, don't enjoy managing because it inevitably has conflict. And it has conflict because it has people. My job involves working with a lot of people in managerial positions and as much as they enjoy technically managing projects, they don't enjoy managing people. And there is the rub...Projects require people unless you are a one-person outfit.
My approach has been to try to be as non-confrontational and speak in measured tones to help managers work with their people. Honestly this has not always been my approach but I have tried to act the way God would desire and exercise patience and try to understand things from others' perspective. And sometimes I see God working and sometimes I stand in His way. I think that lately I have been standing in His way and allowing my frustration to crowd out my ability to see the progress. What seems obvious today as I read a devotional is that I cannot give God a timeline. I cannot allow myself to get frustrated because after all my efforts I don't see change. The truth hit me today as I read the Book of Acts, Chapter 20, Verse 24:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
God has not called me to turn engineers into managers. Or force people to be at work on time. Or train people to not do things at the last minute. Or teach an old visionary new tricks. He has called me to testify to the gospel of grace. He has called me to see PEOPLE - NOT plans, projects, budgets, organizational charts, agendas, customers, or contracts. These are things I am required to work with in the context of my job. However, in the context of my purpose is the ability to exhibit grace in spite of the circumstances. In that fundamental realization, I am safe at home back in the arms and protection of my Savior. And making requests to Him with gratefulness and letting Him guard my heart and mind (see Phillipians 4:6-8).
Amazing Grace - so simple and yet often forgotten but not forgotten today.
Santé
8 comments:
This is so wise, and in spite of you standing in His way or thinking you are, God will be using you to share that Amazing Grace to your co-workers. So don't grow weary - for the harvest is plenty but the workers are few.
So true!
Hey...is that my pic of you and Shawn from your wedding? Looks familiar...but maybe the photographer got the same one??
Dearest Mary, One of the few times I have been blessed by hearing that still small voice loud and clear, God said to me, "The only one you have to please is ME." I've been reminded of that in many ways lately and your post illuminated that message so eloquantly. It really should be that simple. Merci!
a good hearty dose of "the office" usually does the trick for me ;) very relevant post - thanks for sharing!
You are right, you cannot MAKE people be on time, MAKE them do their job or MAKE them do anything. But you can, and you DO, remind them of what is expected and accepted of them as adults and productive members of society. You cannot MAKE an old dog (an old dog I greatly admire and love in his own way) learn new tricks, but you can and DEFINITELY DO inspire him to be the boss he's always wanted to be, to have the kind of productive and innovative company he has always wanted and to hire those people who will continue his VISION and PURPOSE.
You keep on with keepin' on. The road is never easy but the reward at the end is eternal.
If that fails, you can always "replace your soul with coffee and become immortal" (Wally, "Dilbert" - 02/08/2007).
Timely post...as a HS French teacher I sometimes feel irrelevant and unnecessary, but then God reminds me that it is not the French that I am teaching that is important, but the heart attitudes and love that I am sharing that makes a difference.
You have a great ability to inspire others, that is one of your gifts. Be encouraged and use it. You may not change the company or the engineers overnight, but like the man who would throw the starfish back into the water, you may make a difference in each one in a different way.
Perhaps asking for the gift of tongues so that you can speak 'engineerese' would help?
thank you mary for this!
i'm diggin' your blog's new look. now...for a new post!!! ;)
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