“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 5:26 (ESV)
Yesterday, we explored jealousy and how it can cause our Thanksgiving thermometer to go cold. Today, let’s share about the corporate setting where others may not celebrate your progress.
I received a recent promotion, which some of my peers did not celebrate. But while negative vibes flowed, I checked myself to ensure there was no arrogance or provocation on my part. You see, it is harder for us to accept when we are the defaulter, provoking others with our arrogance (Galatians 5:26).
Arrogance comes from the Latin arrogare “to claim” or claiming credit to advantages that we are not entitled to. Are any of us guilty?
Our brand of leadership should seek to share the proverbial pie, promoting the complementarity of ideas and the celebration of others. We should seek the duality of personal and team development. Leading with empathy and providing psychological safety for team members to feel included, experience learning, be a contributor, and have challenger safety.* Our success in corporate spaces should be measured by how the collective team grows more than our personal accolades. In this way, 1 Corinthians 3:7 (KJV) will ring true:
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
So was I guilty of ‘arrogare’ in my self-check? Maybe, even if I have been intentional about celebrating colleagues with poems for birthdays and workplace anniversaries (my platform to introduce God’s blessing in corporate language).
To avoid provoking colleagues, we must actively listen, communicate, collaborate, and respect the ideas of others. More importantly, let us not be entrapped by hubris because of our academic, economic, or professional status compared to others. No arrogance should be found in God’s children, only love.
Remember, our work colleagues are all potential siblings in Christ, ripe for evangelising. By cooperating in corporate spaces, we can help reset others’ Thanksgiving thermometers.
Read: Philippians 2:3; Proverbs 13:10
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 28:18-28; 1 Peter 3; Ezekiel 45; Ezekiel 46
*(Timothy R. Clark on team building tips at LeaderFactor.com)
