Latest / Prayer Before Work / You Have the Email. Your Boss Still Blames You. - Prayer Before Work
Transcript
- Sean Graver: Your boss just called you out in front of other managers for a project she signed off on, and you have the email to prove it. Well, hey, this is Sean, and welcome back to Prayer Before Work. Now here's how it went. She approved the side project you wanted to do. She knew the project code name. She'd even brought it up herself from time to time. Then another team mentions it in a senior leaders meeting, and suddenly in front of her peers, she's asking who approved this? And why it's the first time she's hearing of it. Now you try to talk it through the next day, but she just won't. Then she sends a follow-up lecturing you on how things are done around here, and she sends it as a reply to the very email where she approved it. Now, if you're sitting there today thinking, I'm done with this person, I understand. I mean, Paul writes something in Romans twelve, seventeen eighteen. That I think was meant for situations like this. He says, Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Two little phrases in there stand out. If possible, and so far as it depends on you. So Paul's being honest, peace isn't always possible. Some of it depends on the other person, and you can't control them. What you can control is your part. So what is your part here? I think about it this way: you don't need to win the argument. You already have the truth in writing, and the email isn't going anywhere, which means you don't have the to fight. You don't have to forward it to half the company, and you don't have to fire back something that you'll regret. A short, calm factual reply is enough. Maybe something like, just to make sure we're on the same page, here's the approval you sent me, and here's where things stand now. Going forward, how often would you like updates? And that's honorable and it protects you. And it gives her a way out without making her lose face. You may never get the apology you deserve, because some people can't admit they forgot something, especially in front of their own bosses. But that doesn't make it right. It just means your peace is not dependent on her coming around. And about the job search, well maybe it is time. That's a real possibility. And it isn't a failure. But make that decision with a clear head, you know, not on the worst day. Leave because it's wise, not because you're angry. So let's pray. Lord, being blamed for something we did right i is hard to sit with. We want to defend ourselves and some days we want to do more than that, but help us not to repay this with the same kind of treatment. Give us give us words that are calm and honest and the discipline to stop there. And where peace is possible, help us do our part. And where it isn't, give us wisdom about what comes next, and soften our hearts towards the people who Who've made work harder for us even when they don't make it easy. In Jesus' name, amen. Go make today count.