Send to KindleThis past Sunday, our pastor spoke about forgiveness; not an unusual topic for a Sunday morning. But, as I considered his words, it occurred to me that his words were really a good leadership lesson.
Some years ago I worked for a boss that was, well, not a very good leader. We butted heads a lot and there were a couple of times when his actions severely impacted both my department and me. I haven’t worked for him for years, but I still vividly remember those times. In short, I’ve been holding a grudge.
It’s not uncommon. Sometimes we even like to be mad at someone. The trouble is, by staying angry, we use up emotional energy that would be better spent helping our people succeed. Here are the steps I’ve taken to help me move on. They’ll help you too.
1. Take a moment to think about what it is that has you upset. Don’t worry too much about who was right or wrong, just examine the facts of the case.
2. Analyze what you can learn from the event. What could you have done better? Is there an opportunity to help someone else grow? The incident may teach you that the other person just can’t be trusted, or maybe has a particular weakness that you should be aware of. This isn’t a chance to gain advantage, but to learn how you might avoid future conflict.
3. Now say, “I forgive that person for what he or she did. I’m going to just let it go and move on. I’m even thankful because I’ve learned something from this incident.”
Don’t waste your precious energy holding a grudge. Go ahead, forgive someone today.
