April 9; Love Me; Love My Job Performance
MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK:
365 Daily Bible Verse &
One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful

Chapter Four: Relationships; 9 April

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them,

but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”.

Mark 10:13-14

Followers

“I want you to be proud of me!”

John with the drill

His little voice stopped me. I was yelling at my boy John for some minor infraction of the house rules and I let the little guy have it. But his response brought me up short. His protest; his defense; his explanation was compelling.

The little tyke was four-years-old.

He was remorseful, to be sure, but he was communicating to me that he was more upset about falling out of favor. He was afraid of the distance my actions were putting between him and me. He felt that I was mentally pushing him away. He wanted his behavior to make me proud.

How could this happen? Here’s my first-born son whom I love unconditionally in my every thought and action. And where I often communicate love using actual words. And he still didn’t feel valued.

I didn’t let him know how important he is. I didn’t ‘manage’ the relationship very well.

Many managers don’t. A key reason that employees leave an organization is that they don’t feel appreciated. But people just don’t leave a building or a company; they will leave a particular manager—the person.

Conversely people will work for and follow a certain manager—a unique person. Just as Jesus made clear: come to Me. He didn’t say come to the Faith; to buy-in to that Big Org Chart in the Sky. Jesus said, Follow Me.

No, we are not children at work craving the attention of a boss (who thinks he’s Jesus).

***

Sometimes we all just need to be thanked; to be appreciated.

Peggy Noonan was a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator. He once praised one of her drafts writing “Very Good” in the margin.

In our house, when we get such recognition we would mat and frame the atta-girl and hang it over the fireplace. Peggy has more of a sense of humor (and humility). She simply cut out the words and taped them on her blouse like a well-earned battle ribbon. She walked a little taller all day.

She wanted to make him proud.

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:13-14

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