Good morning! It hardly seems like a whole week has passed since the last MMM, yet I know it has because it was a brutal week that I am glad is in the past. I look forward to an easier week this week -- says the eternal optimist! And speaking of work, how ironic that I as I moved fluidly through the various chapters of 2 Chronicles, I should get stopped by a chapter (18) that totally reminded me of work. Absolutely reflected, thousands of years ago, what I have experienced in the 21st century. What is it that captured my attention? The killing of (or at least turning on) the messenger. But first, let me relate the story.
Jehoshaphat, the grandson of Solomon and great-grandson of King David, came into power as King of Judah. in this position, he decided to ally himself with Ahab, King of Israel. Together, they considered waging war on the Aramians in Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat agreed to support Ahab but wanted him first to consult with a prophet of God. Ahab turned to Macaiah, who prophesied destruction. Since this is not what Ahab wanted to hear, he had Macaiah imprisoned and fed only bread and water to ensure that he would return -- the proverbial blaming of the messenger for the message. Not heeding the message, Ahab did what he had wanted to do all along: he want to war. And he was killed. Not listening to messengers can be dangerous!
Reading: 2 Chronicles 18.
Meditation: "Don't kill the messenger" is a message that I deliver to new managers at least once every year. That is during the time that we have our annual reverse evaluation.
The reverse evaluation is a management tool that I have introduced into every organization that I have overseen in the past 20 years. It is a highly effective tool, but it is rare that I can get others (peers) to use it. However, a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, someone who served as a member of the Board of Directors for an organization over which I presided 15 years ago, fell in love with the tool and has disseminated it as part of his consulting practice. I don't know how many of those companies may have adopted it, but one thing is certain: It only works if you don't kill the messenger.
Essentially, in the reverse evaluation representatives from each subordinate unit collect anonymous feedback about what management policies work and don't work for productivity, motivation, positive organizational culture, and general happiness of the work force. Sometimes, employees feel like they are rating their bosses, and I suppose that to some extent they are. The representatives provide the feedback publicly at an offsite. This can be somewhat embarrassing and off-putting to managers if they are interested more in what they can get from the workforce or their image than the truth (i.e., like Ahab, wanting to have the truth twisted to match what they want).
For new managers, this can be a very difficult experience. Most survive it and come to respect their Maciahs and welcome their insights and information. We have a saying in my division: "We love and protect messengers." However, there are upon occasions those new managers whose egos (like that of Ahab) will not let them accept the truth. As a result, also like Ahab, they perish. I nearly always have to replace them.
As for me, I make a promise to the unit representatives (the Micaiahs) that I keep: there will be no repercussions from telling the truth regardless of how difficult that truth may be to hear. That goes for everyone, beginning with me. If I am doing something that is impeding employees' productivity and/or happiness, I want to know about it so that I can avoid it. I have no intention of marching to Gilead if that is not where I should be going!
Contemplation: That is far as I can go with you this Monday morning. I must retire to private prayer to thank God for giving me so many good "prophets," to praise Him for the ways in which He helps me suppress the ego that would otherwise rise up during moments of receiving truths I do not want to hear, to repent for any times I have closed my ears to such input, and to ask Him to help me develop the much greater humility that I need. Now I retire to spend as much time as I can in contemplation, my favorite part of the day, letting God take over the direction in which my relationship with Him moves.
I will leave you to your prayer and contemplation, but first, I would like to bring to your attention a Monday morning prayer post that you might enjoy:
Fr. Austin Fleming, priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor in Concord, Massachusetts, posts a prayer each Monday morning that he calls "Monday Morning Offering." I enjoy his prayers very much. I hope you also will find them inspirational. He has graciously given me permission to include a link to his blog on my Monday Morning Meditation posts. (During the week, he also posts great homilies and other thoughtful discussions. I enjoy reading those, too.)For additional inspiration throughout the week, I would point out two sets of blogs: (1) the list of devotional blogs that follow the enumeration of Monday Morning Meditations on the sidebar of this blog and (2) my blogroll, where I am following a number of inspirational priests and writers about spiritual matters. I learn so very much from all these people. I highly recommend them to you.
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