What To Do If You've Been Put on the Spot at Work
Being prepared at work always makes sense. Whether you're presenting an idea to a customer, a boss, or a colleague, knowing what you want to communicate, and how you want to communicate it, works a lot better than "winging it." At least that's been my experience.
However, every once in a while you may find yourself put "on the spot." With no time to prepare, and little time to think, someone asks for your input or opinion. Even someone like me, who makes it a point to always be prepared, can be caught off guard. For example, an employer required attendance at a training session with outside "experts" designed to foster cooperation among colleagues. They made us play games that were, to put it mildly, juvenile and idiotic. Without wasting time on details, I'll just say that once or twice I really had no idea how to react during some of he exercises. Indeed, I felt "naked," having no clue what to do or say. The "game" seemed to be designed to foster this feeling. I think the idea was to learn to trust and rely on your "team" members more - or something like that. I forget how I survived my time in this torture chamber, but I did.
Frankly, I could have - and should have - trusted in God when confronted with all this. Unfortunately that was a concept with which I was only vaguely familiar at the time. We this to occur today (and I earnestly hope it doesn't!), I might offer up my discomfort as a sacrifice, consistent with the penitential spirit of my Lenten discipline. One can only hope!
To help sustain our Lenten discipline at work, we continue our journey with Our Lord during Lent, posting the Stations of the Cross, one at a time, using St. Alphonsus Liguori as our guide. (Click HERE for a complete pdf of St. Alphonsus's version of the Stations of the Cross.)
Station 10: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
St. Alphonsus writes:
Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh, and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Savior thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:
My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in Thee, who art so worthy of my love. I love Thee, O Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
Relating this to our work day:
If you're put on the spot at work, if you're in a position where you feel "naked," Lent will be a good time to test your reliance on God in all things. Take a moment or two to meditate on Station 10, Jesus is Stripped of His Garments. Picture His suffering compared to those moments of discomfort. Doesn't it help put those moments in perspective? Now take this a step further. Recall our last post about human respect. Think about our concern with what others think of us. Think further about our attachment to all things of this world. Wouldn't we want to free ourselves of these? Wouldn't it be so much better if we could go about our business every day without concern for what others think? Or to put forth our best efforts with the sole intention of giving glory to God rather than focus on "what's in it for us"?
We conclude today's thoughts with the simple, moving exhortation with which St. Alphonsus Liguori approaches each Station of the Cross:
However, every once in a while you may find yourself put "on the spot." With no time to prepare, and little time to think, someone asks for your input or opinion. Even someone like me, who makes it a point to always be prepared, can be caught off guard. For example, an employer required attendance at a training session with outside "experts" designed to foster cooperation among colleagues. They made us play games that were, to put it mildly, juvenile and idiotic. Without wasting time on details, I'll just say that once or twice I really had no idea how to react during some of he exercises. Indeed, I felt "naked," having no clue what to do or say. The "game" seemed to be designed to foster this feeling. I think the idea was to learn to trust and rely on your "team" members more - or something like that. I forget how I survived my time in this torture chamber, but I did.
Frankly, I could have - and should have - trusted in God when confronted with all this. Unfortunately that was a concept with which I was only vaguely familiar at the time. We this to occur today (and I earnestly hope it doesn't!), I might offer up my discomfort as a sacrifice, consistent with the penitential spirit of my Lenten discipline. One can only hope!
To help sustain our Lenten discipline at work, we continue our journey with Our Lord during Lent, posting the Stations of the Cross, one at a time, using St. Alphonsus Liguori as our guide. (Click HERE for a complete pdf of St. Alphonsus's version of the Stations of the Cross.)
Station 10: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
St. Alphonsus writes:
Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh, and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Savior thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:
My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in Thee, who art so worthy of my love. I love Thee, O Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
Relating this to our work day:
If you're put on the spot at work, if you're in a position where you feel "naked," Lent will be a good time to test your reliance on God in all things. Take a moment or two to meditate on Station 10, Jesus is Stripped of His Garments. Picture His suffering compared to those moments of discomfort. Doesn't it help put those moments in perspective? Now take this a step further. Recall our last post about human respect. Think about our concern with what others think of us. Think further about our attachment to all things of this world. Wouldn't we want to free ourselves of these? Wouldn't it be so much better if we could go about our business every day without concern for what others think? Or to put forth our best efforts with the sole intention of giving glory to God rather than focus on "what's in it for us"?
We conclude today's thoughts with the simple, moving exhortation with which St. Alphonsus Liguori approaches each Station of the Cross:
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou has redeemed the world.
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