Latest / Prayer Before Work / “That Wasn’t About Me, Was It?” Your Loyal Employee Asks Again - Prayer Before Work
Transcript
- C0680: Well, you walked out of a rough meeting, and the first thing your direct report asks was whether it was about her. Well, my name is Sean and welcome back to Prayer Before Work. This one was shared with me by a manager, and it's a situation a lot of leaders run into sooner or later. They've worked with Jay for three years, two as her peer and one as her boss. She is loyal, experienced, a strong lead, but every couple of months She goes through a phase where she assumes everyone's thinking the worst about her. And after a hard, hours long meeting with senior leadership, she asks, That was about me, wasn't it? I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Then the next day she pulled back, convinced her manager didn't trust her. All over a conversation she misread. And this manager is getting tired. I mean What they want to say is the world doesn't revolve around you. But they know that's not the right way to say it. They're just not sure what is. But the apostle Paul gives a short piece of advice in First Thessalonians five, fourteen that I I think fits here. It says, And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. So encourage the faint-hearted. That describes someone whose courage is running a bit low. And that might be a a better read on what's going on here than self-centered. It can look like she's making everything about her, but underneath it might just be fear. Fear of being replaced, fear of being found out, of of losing a place she's worked hard to earn. And that doesn't mean you've got to. absorb this forever, but patience doesn't mean pretending the pattern isn't there, right? You you gotta pick a calm moment and not right after one of these days, and and then just kind of just call this out. Something like I've noticed that when things feel uncertain, you sometimes assume the worst about how people see you. Maybe I want I want you to know where you stand. If I ever have a concern about your work, you will hear it from me directly. You will not have to guess. Now that gives her something solid to hold on to, and it also sets a boundary, right? It it isn't your job to keep reassuring her every time the fear comes back. You can't fix what's going on inside of her, but you can be steady. Honest and clear, and that may do more good than another round of reassurance. So let's pray. Well, God, leading people means carrying more than just their work, right? It gives us patience it give us patience with these people on our team who struggle to believe that they're valued. And and keep our frustration from turning this into like contempt. Help us to speak honestly though without being harsh and to set boundaries without pulling away. And for anyone who's always bracing for bad news, Lord, give them the peace that comes from knowing where they stand with you. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Go make today count.