Work Correction
He said it so unkindly.
And it hurt.
I was in a meeting, with many of my peers, and I made a mistake in my presentation. It wasn’t a big mistake, something that could have been corrected at the end of the meeting, or even at a later time when the meeting was over (via email even), but my co-worker decided to “lift himself up” in front of others by “putting me down” and correcting me in a very unprofessional way.
I was stunned.
I wanted to counter him and put him down right there for embarrassing me in front of everyone else. Why did he do that? My feelings were hurt and it also made me look bad in front of all of my peers and my superiors.
I was tempted to put him down right then. Make him look bad. And since I had the floor as the facilitator of the meeting, I was ready to pounce on him badly.
But I didn’t.
I turned the other cheek
I acknowledged the mistake and kept on speaking.
I don’t know how I was able to do this after being so badly embarrassed but I did and I moved on.
Many times as a Real Christian Businessman we will be faced with situations like this. I was somehow able to overcome the temptation of slamming right back at my co-worker for treating me so unkindly. Several of my peers came up to me after the meeting and complimented me as to how I handled the situation and were surprised I didn’t treat him as rudely as he had treated me.
I happened to get it right on this day, but I have gotten it wrong sooo many more times than I have ever gotten it right…
When this happens to you, try to remember to turn the other cheek. It’s not easy, and I don’t do it correctly myself all the time, but by doing so maybe someone will see a little bit of how Jesus wants us to treat each other in the process.
It’s worth a try.
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. “ (Rom 12:17-18 NIV)