“When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we,’ even ‘illness’ becomes ‘wellness.’” Kate ArianWe sat there listening to our manager go on and on about how mean we had been to a co-worker. His first mistake was to listen to Suzie’s complaint and not ask for input from the rest of the team. Others on the team had valid complaints. I was not affected by the tension in the office myself, but I had seen it going on all around me. When he finished accusing us of being cruel, some were even more hurt than before. So I spoke up and shared how I had tried to help Suzie, sharing with our manager how I had explained to her what she was doing that so upset the others on the team. Suzie was the liaison to headquarters, often on conference calls while others listened. When she spoke of things our team had accomplished, she said “I did…” or “I discovered…” or “I finished…” In our talk we worked out a hand signal that I would do to alert her when she was in “I” mode and suggest she change to “we” mode. It helped her see how frequently she was using “I” when it was in fact the whole team doing the work.
Later, as a project manager, I applied what I had learned and made a habit of using “we” for accomplishments and “I” when reporting a problem, a budget overrun, or a missed deadline. As a result our team was blessed with loyal and productive team members, with good working relationships. Are there times when you feel put out that someone is taking credit for what you’ve accomplished? Have you ever referred to other’s accomplishments using “I” in place of “we”? How will you set up an alert to remind yourself to be careful to give credit where credit is due? Lord, thank You for teaching me to use “we” in place of “I” early in my career, so other teams would benefit in later years. Amen
“So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first…” John 20:3-4 (John referred to himself as ‘the other disciple.’) What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Kate Arian, a lung transplant recipient at age 22, founded Manicare, an organization that goes to patients in the hospital, care center, or homes to lift their spirits by giving manicures and pedicures. In addition, 10% of their proceeds are donated to organizations that help children and seniors.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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