Copyright © 2013 by Anthony E. Shaw
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.
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ISBN: 978-1-4566-1729-5
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“A man’s true estate of power and riches is to be in himself; not in his dwelling or position or external relations, but in his own essential character.”
Henry Ward Beecher (1813 – 1887)
“Sometimes intellect doesn’t equate to wisdom.”
Andrew Imparato (Advocate for the disabled, quoted at the Genetics and Public Policy Center)
For
Emma Rose, Gabriel Victor, Ethan Anthony
and
all my nieces and nephews
who teach me about God’s Love everyday
Thank you
Prologue
Why this book?
One of the inspirations for writing this book was a remark I heard attributed to the late musician George Harrison. After the Beatles went their separate paths, Harrison performed and produced his own music and continued a personal journey of spiritual discovery that lasted until his death in December 2001. Commenting on his faith, he stated “Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot wait . . .”
We live and work in times of great challenge; times that seem drastically unlike much of the recent past. The 1960s, 70s, 80s and even the 90s are tranquil, distant memories in comparison to now. Our childhoods appear to us now as more innocent than our children’s. Marriages seem to have been more stable and our work lives more predictable. The events of the world, it seems, were more ordered and less random in nature.
We live amid a current culture in which the mainstream media routinely ridicules citizens who express their belief that praying for America’s recovery is a powerful tool. Where 10,000,000 viewers watch an aerialist walk across Niagara Falls, while the broadcast network willfully ignores and refuses to report the fact that he is praying during the entire event. We see violence masquerading as protest. Where pornography and obscenity are celebrated as protected speech. A world where license is mistaken for liberty and fame is confused with genius. Value appears to have replaced values. We no longer disagree with other people; we hate them for disagreeing with us. Being bitter has replaced having self-responsibility. Popular is the yardstick for measuring what is correct. Sex really isn’t sex and a lie really isn’t a lie. Rudeness equals dialogue. Abnormal is the new, venerated normal. The definitions of long held beliefs, we are informed by some, now need to be turned upside down.
What we experience in the present world often rattles our foundations, literally and figuratively, at home, abroad and at work. In the midst of this tumult, we go to work and we try our best to manage through the day. We depend on our leaders, colleagues and teammates at work to help us meet our own goals and those of our organizations.
Our faith is on the line every day.
At times, we experience a direct frontal assault as our faith is questioned and challenged openly. At other times, these challenges are more subtle. We become involved, perhaps unwillingly and unknowingly, in situations that require us to put our reliance and trust in our faith on the line.
“No less a figure than the Rev. Billy Graham has predicted that ‘one of the next great moves of God is going to be through believers in the workplace.’ ”
As a human resources professional, I see managers struggling to interpret the changing world of work, cope with government regulations and laws, understand the motives and actions of co-workers, and try to produce positive results consistently. It isn’t simple anymore (if it ever was)! Everyday I support, coach, counsel, guide, mentor and sometimes help discipline managers – it’s my living but it’s also my passion. Helping others to succeed is one of life’s biggest blessings.
I believe that in and outside of the workplace, it is our faith that is being tested.
Much of what managers feel stands in the way of their succeeding at managing people (and managing themselves) is a challenge to their faith. Faith as a concept and as a practice is under attack. Every conflicting issue I cited above illustrates a particular battle in this assault on faith.
“People are realizing their faith can help interpret where we spend most of our waking hours.”
Of all the books for managers that I’ve read, none have combined the elements of faith, values, shared humanity and best practices advice. Ahead on the list of business best practices is faith. The purpose of this book is to strengthen the armor of your faith and sharpen your practical use of that faith in your workplace. To be a manager, to manage yourself and your co-workers successfully is to be an officer in the army of the faithful – the good soldiers who get up every morning, go to work, give an honest and productive day, and return to the task tomorrow.
“Spirituality in the workplace is exploding.”
In the final analysis, Mr. Harrison was correct; the search for our faith and our connection with the Creator of that faith cannot be denied or postponed in the workplace or anyplace else.
Lesson:
“It doesn’t matter what you call Him just as long as you call.” George Harrison
Chapter One
The First Word
We do well always and everywhere to have faith.
Faith in ourselves and in our shared humanity with our colleagues. Faith in others, in their essential dignity and self-worth, and in our need for them and their efforts in order for all of us to survive, prosper and be successful. Faith in our Creation.
Throughout this book I will talk with you about leadership, respect, authenticity and many other aspects of being a successful manager. What you will hear is my faith in you as a successful person. I can’t see you and you will likely only ever see a photograph of me. Most probably, I will never have the opportunity to know you individually. Where I go in life and where you go will probably not be known to each other. In spite of that, I still have that faith in you. Faith is what you believe in with all your mind and spirit without having to be shown the proof because the proof is manifest.
“It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” Hebrews 11:1
In what do you have faith?
You and I have a journey. In this book, we share a journey that goes deep within ourselves and explores what motivates us, what we feel, hear, see and think as we manage the workday.
We have another important journey. This is our personal journey through life. While this journey is uniquely our own, we share it with everyone else – each of us taking that unique personal journey, though we are never truly alone. This is our greatest task, to live a life that is