My Boss Is Satan’s Offspring

My Boss Is Satan’s Offspring

No, I really didn’t make that up.  As usual, the rich life stories I hear in working with people in transition offer enough real anecdotes that I don’t have to be very creative in finding phrases that colorfully describe real situations.

In anticipation of meeting with me, a very “successful” young lady wrote this in her pre-coaching form:  “My company is going in a strictly money-motivated direction, and my manager may very well be Satan’s offspring.”  She further validated her suspicions with lots of examples that certainly convinced me she might be accurate.  While we saw the humor in her portrayal I also helped her go through a list to confirm the possibility of a less than Godly work environment.

Here’s the checklist to tell if your boss (co-worker or the guy in the mirror) is Satan’s offspring:

• Immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures
• Hostility and fighting
• Jealously, outbursts of anger
• Selfish ambition, dissension, hard to get along with
• Complaints, criticisms, arguing and causing trouble
• The feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in his own little group
• Envy, drunkenness, wild parties

This list is actually a mixture of this lady’s stories and another source I refer to frequently.  If it sounds a little familiar, you might want to check the list yourself in Galatians 5:19-23 (The Living Bible).

It’s a well-known fact that we tend to take on the characteristics of those around us.  We recognize this phenomenon easily in children.  Clothing, music, foods and slang expressions all quickly become a reflection of the group of friends involved.  We do much the same as adults.  If the list of characteristics above describe your work environment, you are likely to start exhibiting those same characteristics.  And if you bring those home with you, your family will start to reflect those same traits. 

Fortunately, if you want to break that cycle, we also have a list of what to expect in a healthy, positive and Godly environment: 

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control 

Not too difficult to tell your boss’s allegiance, is it?  And if you’ve gotten sucked into the first list, you can decide today to move to the other camp.  Your words, actions, and attitudes easily show which “boss” you are following today.

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“Keep away from angry, short-tempered men,

lest you learn to be like them and endanger your soul.”  Proverbs 22: 24-25

Do You Have PLSD?

Well, here’s a new term for you.  There is growing body of evidence that says survivors of layoffs often experience severe feelings of fear, grief, guilt and anger – and it’s called Post-Layoff Survivor Disorder (PLSD).  Of course we need a name for any malady, probably a psychiatric category, a way to file an insurance claim – and basically an excuse for the negative feelings.  Closely related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD), Post-Layoff Survivor Disorder victims (meaning you still have your job) should try these tips: 

• Talk to someone about your feelings.  Don’t just bottle it up and keep it in – find a coach, counselor, co-worker or friend to share your guilt and fear.  Try this before pills or medical claims.
• Connect with your recently departed colleagues.  While you suspect they hate you for being allowed to stay, you may be surprised to find they are relieved and excited about all the possibilities.  Hopefully their enthusiasm will be contagious and help you endure the stress of your ongoing position.
• Find ways to increase your contribution where you are.  You may not be happy about having to do your own work and the work of three people who were let go, but show the company you are up to the challenge.
• Continue to clarify your highest areas of competence.  Don’t assume you’ll be at the same place forever – make sure you know how to describe your marketable skills in three sentences.
• Don’t allow your fear and anger to sabotage your best work.  Take a deep breath, take a brisk walk around the parking lot, release those negative emotions and get back to work.
• Make sure you have a life outside of your “work.”  Remember, work is simply one tool for a successful life.  Jobs come and go, but that should not change the direction or quality of your “life.”

 And be confident that if your guilt and fear are not addressed, you are probably sabotaging your current position anyway and will soon join the ranks of the laid-off where you will no longer have to suffer from PLSD.