Dissolving Tensions in the Workplace

I love the old cowboy movies where the cowboys would sing to the cattle at night to keep them from stampeding. I've had learn similar techniques in the workplace.

In the early days of my career, I always hated to see David, our controller, headed my way. I wish I could say that Dave was a mean, nasty guy. But he wasn't. David was a good guy. But I always felt he was meddling in my business. And, in my young, aggressive state, I didn't have time for people meddling in my business. I have a feeling he felt those shields go up when he came asking questions, and some of his own shields went up. So, while we were always friendly to one another, there was a certain tension building.

In most businesses, tensions build up between divisions. As an example, in publishing, the sales and marketing department is expected to sell books—lots of books. The product development department is expected to find and produce books that will meet needs and sell well in the market. However, when the pressure to make budget is intense, the sales folks may claim the books being published are not as strong as they should be. On the other hand, the product folks come back and claim the sales and marketing team never maximize market saturation. Such tension can be healthy, keeping everyone on their toes. However, it can also get out of hand.

Same is true with other departments. The controller and CFO have a job to do. They manage the accounting team and watch the budget closely. They often have the task of asking the tough financial questions, so many a manager and director tend to avoid them, if possible.

I'm not sure why, but one day I decided to take a different tack with David. Perhaps I realized tensions between Dave and I could easily escalate to a new level. However, more than likely, God was working on my conscience. After all, if I truly believed the words I preached, the Kingdom of God is about giving our lives away, not becoming overly defensive and stubbornly guarding our turf. So, I decided to purposely visit with Dave in his office and start asking for his opinion on certain business matters. For my young over-confident ego, it felt like torture.

But a funny thing happened. Dave warmed very quickly to these visits. He still asked the hard questions—that was his job. But the tension grew less and less. In fact, he started taking a sincere interest in my business and what I was trying to do. As David saw a different side of me, I saw a different side of David. Wouldn't you know it, I found a lot of what he said made sense. In fact, I became a more responsible business person through the process.

As a result, now, as a consultant, I often like to bring the controller and/or CFO into the sales and marketing discussions, when it makes sense. It makes for a great team effort and in a small way, brings unity to the company.

I learned many lessons through my experience. There are ways to influence those who seemingly oppose us other than being on the defense. It takes great wisdom, because every circumstance has its own unique curve in the road. However, such wisdom can change the people who oppose us—and it can change our thinking as well. The stressful world of the workplace is part of the Kingdom of God as much as any part of our lives. But in the crazy world of our daily work, that's easy to forget. Let us pray that God will grant us the grace to have a willing spirit toward those who make us uncomfortable, to listen and pray for wisdom and guidance. Often, the person who benefits the most may be ourselves.