Our previous post, Management – Part #1, focused on outlining verses that discussed whether God predestined every event in our life or whether our own actions can influence the results of our decisions.
The answer seems to be in the middle. Some events are predestined and others can be influenced.
This post will continue building on this middle ground between pre-determined destiny & actions that influence outcomes. However, our lense will be through the viewpoint of marriage, management of self & others, and parenting.
I am not great at any of these things, but God’s Word is still true. Therefore, God’s Word is worth reflecting over despite my own flaws.
In my life of divorce, marriage & remarriage, step-parenting, and a multitude of career paths, I have learned & failed a time or two.
I am writing this so I can keep learning, too.
Results matter in business. Results matter in families. Results matter in our personal relationships & our friendships. Results DO matter.
However, there are extremes.
To one extreme, A worker who steps on others to achieve maximal results in the short-term will likely lose the team they rely upon to achieve results in the long-term. This worker will fail to build lasting relationships & negatively influence employee retention.
In contrast, a worker who doesn’t show up to work, and does not have automatic processes in place in their absence, will likely be on the extreme of producing poor or no results at all. This worker may not directly step on toes, but will be either fired, not included on future projects, or resented by their fellow employees that had to pick up their slack.
Why focus on retention?
Retention matters in management & good managers focus on retention is a summarization of authors Mark Horstman, Kate Braun, & Sarah Sentes in the book The Effective Manager.
It can be expensive to lose or retrain employees. Some employees with key skills or years of experience, are not replaceable.
It can be costly to lose your wife, husband, or to have your children mentally or physically check out of your family. Children & spouses are not replaceable. You can’t train up another child to take the place of one who checked out. It is equally silly to believe spouses are replaceable.
God says to love your neighbor as ourselves.
God shows qualities found in His way of love in 1st Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT):
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
In my experience, a patient manager is better than an impatient manager.
In my experience, a kind manager is better to work under than an unkind or mean manager.
In my experience, a jealous manager makes it difficult to grow under. A jealous manager will undercut a good employee. Just like a jealous spouse can undercut his wives success & his children’s gifts.
Implementing Loving qualities, as God defines it in 1st Corinthians 13, can positively impact our families, our relationships, our self, and our workplace.
Yet, if love is the highest goal, what do we do with results? Do they still matter? What about problems? What about problem employees? Will love pay the bills?
Yes. Love is still the answer to these problems.
Results . . .
Problems . . .
Problem employees . . .
Does Love Pay The Bills . . .
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2: 4-11 provides insight into dealing with problem employees, “If anyone has caused pain, he has caused pain not so much to me but to some degree-not to exaggerate-to all of you. The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person. As a result, you should instead forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see if you are obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven–if I have forgiven anything-it is for you in the presence of Christ. I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
Paul seems to indicate that a punishment can be appropriate, but that there must be a proper reconciliation process after the punishment in inflicted. Forgiveness is necessary, not optional.
With that being said, our previous post provided an overview of Proverbs 20:26 (NIV).
Proverbs 20:26 (Multiple Versions)
(NIV): “A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.”
(NLT): “A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.”
(ESV): “A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.”
(KJV): “A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.”
(NKJV): “A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.”
(NASB): “A wise king scatters the wicked, And drives a threshing wheel over them.”
(HCSB): “A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.”
A man who makes mistakes is not automatically wicked. Context matters. Paul seems to be discussing a man who hurt others but was able to come to repentence. Proverbs seems to be discussing a leader removing a wicked person.
Here are three scenarios:
(1) Employee #1 gets into a verbal altercation with a news reporter about politics on live national television and embarrasses the company name. Sales results plummet over the next month. The company has to issue press releases & marketing campaigns to overcome the bad press as a result of employee #1 actions. Employee #1 does not continue to speak to the press about this topic, anymore. Should this employee be fired?
(2) Employee #1 gets into a verbal altercation with a news reporter about politics on live national television and embarrasses the company name. Sales results plummet over the next month. This same employee, against counsel from the company, continues to interact with press, defending their political stance. A meeting is held with employee #1, in which multiple leadership members are there and at the end of the meeting, a path to reconciliation is provided. However, employee #1 continues to meet with the press ignoring company policy, counsel, and direction provided at meetings with leadership. Should this employee be fired?
(3) Employee #1 gets into a verbal alteracation with a news reporter about politics on live national television and embarrass the company name. Sales results plummet over the next month. Expensive ad campaigns & press releases are launched to overcome the losses. Employee #1 has a meeting with their manager. Employee #1 loses their cool with their manager, and punches them in the face, repeatedly. The manager did not provoke, threaten, or retaliate back in the situation. Should this employee be fired?
Do the answers to these scenarios seem clear?
Maybe.
However, real life is not a one-time event. Context requires considering the length of relationships, the statement itself, the cost to the company, potential legal ramifications, position of the employee, and the impact these actions took on other employees & stakeholders.
Remember the goal is love.
A manager should seek reconciliation & retention.
Employees should be given opportunities to grow.
But that does not mean they actions are consequence free.
For instance, in scenario #3, reconciliation & retention, may be possible. But what if the violent incident makes others in the workplace feel unsafe at work???
How does the concept of loving our neighbor as ourselves fit into the workplace, where multiple people, with multiple backgrounds, experiences, and views are our neighbors.
What if the employee was responsible for over 30% of our revenue, or had sole responsibility for the I.T. & security departments?
What if the employee was not easily replaceable or not replaceable at all? On the other hand, what if keeping this employee, caused other employees to quit & leave?
What if Scenario #3, does not take place at work. What if the violent employee is not an employee, but is our child. What if the scenario takes place in our home with our own children or spouse? Does the spouses age matter? Their size, weight, or experience in life matter at all?
Do we simply cast out a violent child?
Understanding how complex these decisions can be, can help provide grace to ourselves & our leaders.
There may be a time to cast out a violent member of the family. There may also be a time for reconciliation & retention.
There may be a time to look out for the interest of others in the family, or the employees in a workplace, before making a decision about a difficult scenario.
Certainly, God provides wisdom & His direction is ALWAYS perfect.
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