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Managing the Self

Weekly Thought – September 20, 2016

Fred spent many years in management consulting, and particularly labor negotiations. He had a fundamental principle: Follow the ego. He was not opposed to a healthy sense of self, but careful to understand what he called “Adamic sin.”

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Managing the Self

I remember an embarrassing situation that occurred one night at a business meeting of high profile business executives. One man who read the business pages of the newspaper considered himself an authority on the international energy scene. He was popping off about the situation and his easy fix.

Unbeknownst to him, a man in the room just returned from chairing an international conference of major oil companies. After the first man finally completed his spouting off, the other man quietly offered his knowledgeable and experienced response which completely exposed the ignorance and foolishness of the other!

I quickly said to myself, “I hope that NEVER happens to me!” I left that meeting with strong resolve to make sure in my speaking and consulting I remember someone else in the room may always know more about a subject than I do. That meeting stays with me and serves as a monitor and governor on things I may have said.

On the other hand, speakers are too often overly impressed with dignitaries in the audience. One night I was in a church listening to a pastor. I noticed a well-known University President slip into the service. The immediate style change let me know the pastor noticed the man’s appearance as well. A sudden shift in delivery occurred. He altered his focus, as well as his message. He went from preaching to the congregation to offering an intellectual dissertation for the sole benefit of the academician. He forgot the rest of us!

Being impressed with ourselves or with the celebrity of another blocks the power of good communication. In our work and in our speech, we should always keep in mind God is listening and as the current best-selling book tells us “we have an audience of One.”

It is never far from my thinking that God is present. If He isn’t, we should dismiss early!

This week carefully consider: 1) How do I rein in my ego to serve me, not rule me? 2) What keeps my eyes on Jesus? 3) Where can I be a good audience for another?

Words of Wisdom: “It is never far from my thinking that God is present. If He isn’t, we should dismiss early!”

Wisdom from the Word: “You must not tremble in their presence, for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a great and awesome God.” (Deuteronomy 7:21 NET Bible)

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