Good Things Happen When You're Humble at Work - Part 2
We'll pick up on our discussion of how and why good things happen when you're humble at work with this reminder: Authentic humility isn't about being passive, or avoiding confrontation,
or letting people step all over you. It requires an incredible amount
of self-discipline and courage to be humble. If you're up to the challenge, it's time to dive right into what St. Benedict has organized as the twelve degrees of humility. Remember that these are directed at monks living in a monastery, so some interpolation may be necessary from time to time. With that in mind, here we go, starting with #1:
"The first degree of humility, then, is that a man keep the fear of God before his eyes...And guarding himself always from sins and vices, whether of thought, word, hand, foot, or self-will, and checking also the desires of the flesh..."
Right away, you can see why we said humility requires an incredible amount of self-discipline and courage. If you read this first degree of humility without batting an eye, you're likely a saint. But if you're like most of us, you've gotten a strong taste of what it's like to be really humble. And the workplace is no exception.
By the way, the "fear" of God isn't about being afraid of God. We fear God by worshipping Him with reverence and awe. We know this as "fear of the Lord." But while we know He loves us, we also know He "hates" sin. Knowing this, and knowing that we - all of us - are sinners: that's where what we typically know as "fear" applies. The role of humility here? Since pride typically serves as the prime generator of so many of our faults, we should do our best to be humble, the one and only antidote to pride. (Remember Adam and Original Sin - the result of pride.)
"The second degree of humility is that a man love not his own will, nor delight in fulfilling his own desires, but carry out in deed the saying of the Lord: 'I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.' (John 6:38) It is written also: 'Self-will hath its punishment, bu necessity winneth a crown.'"
Last time we noted how often we're bombarded with the importance of "self-esteem" and - particularly in our dealings in the business world - how important it is for us to be assertive, even aggressive, in our pursuing our goals and our interests. How easy it is for self-esteem and assertiveness to produce a self-will that, if left unchecked, goes about its merry way without considering the primacy of God's will in our lives. The next degree provides a specific antidote:
"The third degree of humility is that a man for the love of God subject himself to his superior in all obedience, imitating the Lord, of whom the apostle says: 'He was made obedient even unto death.'" (Phil 2:8)
But how do we apply this to us non-monks? Unless you're in the military where obedience is a specific and integral part of your daily interactions, you'll have to use some imagination. So let's interpolate, each of us in light of our own particular circumstances. In my own case, I run a service business. In providing my services, I need to be responsive to my customers. A good portion of my week involves attending to regular, ongoing tasks that keep the business humming along. These aren't always exciting, engaging, or particularly creative endeavors. But they need attending on a timely basis. Because of the repetitive, even at times boring, nature of this part of my work day, there are days when I'm really "not in the mood." But I forge ahead nonetheless, ideally prayerfully. When my spiritual life is in gear, I might offer up my having to push myself to get done what must be done.
You might see where lumping all of this under the banner of "obedience" could make sense. The idea is you're "obedient" to your customers needs, requests, even their demands (when they're reasonable!). You're being "obedient" to the urgent need to attend to necessary daily tasks in a timely fashion, not matter how you happen to feel.
The next degree of humility ratchets this up a notch. Now we're dealing with those inevitable tough days on the job, along with customers and colleagues who treat us unjustly:
"The fourth degree of humility is that, meeting in this obedience with difficulties and contradictions and even injustice, he should with a quiet mind hold fast to patience, and enduring, neither tire nor run away..."
Attending to - being "obedient to" - those daily tasks that comprise your well-thought-out business process can take its toll under normal circumstances. But what about when things go awry? One example: Over time, we developed a well-oiled weekly business review that included depositing checks and handling payroll through a basically seamless online process. But every once in a while there's a glitch. Naturally, the bugs always pop up on one of those long, tiring days we sole proprietors know so well. But just when you're ready to close shop for the day, you're stuck with a tech call that keeps you an hour, sometimes two. Patience anyone?
Of all the challenges to your "obedience," injustice may be the toughest to deal with. When you're wronged, the natural tendency is to defend yourself, if not strike back. I don't think St. Benedict is insisting we do nothing. But notice how we initially allow patience to reign in our emotions. What then? The advice is to endure; not to run away from injustice. If we're in the right, we stand firm.
Recently, I was told that I had made a poor professional recommendation. Without being "defensive," I did explain why the recommendation was made and had actually occurred, rather than the story cooked up by my critic. Despite my standing firm while sticking to the truth, the source of the criticism didn't necessarily see the light. But he did back off. Could he have pressed his unjust claim further? I suppose. But he had a basic sense of decency. I think he could sense, in my patient demeanor and my standing firm on the truth, that maybe his thinking was somehow wrong-headed.
I was patient, I endured, I didn't tire nor run away from the criticism - kind of like what St. Benedict recommended.
Next time we move on to the fifth degree of humility...
"The first degree of humility, then, is that a man keep the fear of God before his eyes...And guarding himself always from sins and vices, whether of thought, word, hand, foot, or self-will, and checking also the desires of the flesh..."
Right away, you can see why we said humility requires an incredible amount of self-discipline and courage. If you read this first degree of humility without batting an eye, you're likely a saint. But if you're like most of us, you've gotten a strong taste of what it's like to be really humble. And the workplace is no exception.
By the way, the "fear" of God isn't about being afraid of God. We fear God by worshipping Him with reverence and awe. We know this as "fear of the Lord." But while we know He loves us, we also know He "hates" sin. Knowing this, and knowing that we - all of us - are sinners: that's where what we typically know as "fear" applies. The role of humility here? Since pride typically serves as the prime generator of so many of our faults, we should do our best to be humble, the one and only antidote to pride. (Remember Adam and Original Sin - the result of pride.)
"The second degree of humility is that a man love not his own will, nor delight in fulfilling his own desires, but carry out in deed the saying of the Lord: 'I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.' (John 6:38) It is written also: 'Self-will hath its punishment, bu necessity winneth a crown.'"
Last time we noted how often we're bombarded with the importance of "self-esteem" and - particularly in our dealings in the business world - how important it is for us to be assertive, even aggressive, in our pursuing our goals and our interests. How easy it is for self-esteem and assertiveness to produce a self-will that, if left unchecked, goes about its merry way without considering the primacy of God's will in our lives. The next degree provides a specific antidote:
"The third degree of humility is that a man for the love of God subject himself to his superior in all obedience, imitating the Lord, of whom the apostle says: 'He was made obedient even unto death.'" (Phil 2:8)
But how do we apply this to us non-monks? Unless you're in the military where obedience is a specific and integral part of your daily interactions, you'll have to use some imagination. So let's interpolate, each of us in light of our own particular circumstances. In my own case, I run a service business. In providing my services, I need to be responsive to my customers. A good portion of my week involves attending to regular, ongoing tasks that keep the business humming along. These aren't always exciting, engaging, or particularly creative endeavors. But they need attending on a timely basis. Because of the repetitive, even at times boring, nature of this part of my work day, there are days when I'm really "not in the mood." But I forge ahead nonetheless, ideally prayerfully. When my spiritual life is in gear, I might offer up my having to push myself to get done what must be done.
You might see where lumping all of this under the banner of "obedience" could make sense. The idea is you're "obedient" to your customers needs, requests, even their demands (when they're reasonable!). You're being "obedient" to the urgent need to attend to necessary daily tasks in a timely fashion, not matter how you happen to feel.
The next degree of humility ratchets this up a notch. Now we're dealing with those inevitable tough days on the job, along with customers and colleagues who treat us unjustly:
"The fourth degree of humility is that, meeting in this obedience with difficulties and contradictions and even injustice, he should with a quiet mind hold fast to patience, and enduring, neither tire nor run away..."
Attending to - being "obedient to" - those daily tasks that comprise your well-thought-out business process can take its toll under normal circumstances. But what about when things go awry? One example: Over time, we developed a well-oiled weekly business review that included depositing checks and handling payroll through a basically seamless online process. But every once in a while there's a glitch. Naturally, the bugs always pop up on one of those long, tiring days we sole proprietors know so well. But just when you're ready to close shop for the day, you're stuck with a tech call that keeps you an hour, sometimes two. Patience anyone?
Of all the challenges to your "obedience," injustice may be the toughest to deal with. When you're wronged, the natural tendency is to defend yourself, if not strike back. I don't think St. Benedict is insisting we do nothing. But notice how we initially allow patience to reign in our emotions. What then? The advice is to endure; not to run away from injustice. If we're in the right, we stand firm.
Recently, I was told that I had made a poor professional recommendation. Without being "defensive," I did explain why the recommendation was made and had actually occurred, rather than the story cooked up by my critic. Despite my standing firm while sticking to the truth, the source of the criticism didn't necessarily see the light. But he did back off. Could he have pressed his unjust claim further? I suppose. But he had a basic sense of decency. I think he could sense, in my patient demeanor and my standing firm on the truth, that maybe his thinking was somehow wrong-headed.
I was patient, I endured, I didn't tire nor run away from the criticism - kind of like what St. Benedict recommended.
Next time we move on to the fifth degree of humility...
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