RECEIVING MINISTRATION

If we are to learn, we have to get rid of the fear for being wrong.

Everyone can teach us however we do not learn from everybody. I guess that explains why we do not remember everything we were taught in school. The smartest of men is the most prudent of them. One with the ability to humbly take on a mantle handed over to them and even run faster no matter the weight and size it comes with.

 Receiving the mantle is not the issue for we all have hands stretched out to receive. The problem however is how to. Many times the ministration of feedback is done with many underlying factors; anger, personality, experience, attitude and many more. I actually know what it means to take your time writing a research proposal or even preparing a presentation just to get the most negative of feedback without the slightest salt pinch expression of gratitude.

So how do we position our spirits to be teachable and learn from anyone regardless?  Simple; HONOR.

Honor is that spell cast on oneself to humble you into knowing that a person went before you regardless of how much more intelligent and richer you have become overtime. It is the place that acknowledges how important it is to be ministered to and illuminates one’s eyes to the sight of what a blessing it is to be given feedback and take on the ministration in temperance amidst all the attitudes, moods and other disposition that it normally comes with.

 Everyone can teach you but you do not learn from everyone one. Position your spirit to be a teachable one that can learn pretty much everything from anyone. Receive the mantle with honor and humility. 

MINISTERING APPROPRIATELY

Communication, they say, is the simplifier of all complexities. Do I agree?

With two-way communication dominating management, feedback is undeniably inevitable. We however often forget the power of our tongues to slay and create.

“Human beings are spirit beings” says Noeline Kirabo. Her implication is every communication is not only ministration to the body senses but to the spirit too. I believe feedback is an opportunity especially if negative and ministered with positive intent. Having greatly profited from it, here’s how to appropriately administer a good dosage;

The first I named the “sand witch”. The name is derived from the fact that negativity is sand witched between two positives (POS NEG POS). The sender initially appreciates the recipient and further goes on to affirm the good work they have done after the negative has been brought forth. So go ahead and serve the sand witch, beef or vegetable, it’s still a sand witch.

Beef or Vegetable! Its still a sand witch!

According to Dale Carnegie, criticism has never yielded intended result for it puts the other party on the defensive. Therefore fight temptation to criticize another but rather seek to understand why they did it that way. This then gives you a right to suggest an alternative without necessarily putting the other on the defensive or eliciting resentment.

Having applied these two, I testify of reaping their fruit and believe the same will accrue to whoever dare applies. We however needn’t negate the basic principles on which feedback rotates. A Smile or jolly face while ministering feedback always comes in handy to neutralize the negativity being delivered. Descriptiveness, timely delivery as well as spot on non- ambiguous responses also do wonders.

Don't forget to smile
Photo Credit; Kyusa

On the other hand, feedback is often rendered void of its power when delivered in private. It gives an assumption of indispensableness and special consideration to the recipient. Therefore, depending on the situation, feedback that ought to be delivered publically should not be taken into private.

Avoid Giving Feedback in private

The biggest barricade to perfect ministration to spirits is failure to appreciate. Could we adopt a culture of appreciation and thanksgiving not only in thought and mind but also in speech?  Let’s learn to say “thanks” from the depth of our hearts even for the smallest of things.

Yes I agree! Communication is the simplifier of all complexities. But only when conducted appropriately. Let’s therefore simplify complexities through mastery of ministering appropriate feedback to people’s spirits.

 Start to minister...

DISEASE VS SYMPTOM

“No one deserves to feel worthless” Rebecca Black.  This expression is limitless in context, work environments inclusive. So what exactly causes one to trample over another? Render them insignificant in self- judgment and make them feel much less of what they really are- Worthy! Let’s discuss work place bullying.

Whereas rationale for bullying is extremely wealthy in content, I capitalize on the root in which all the others stem. Self-esteem! Having been a bully, many of my actions drew inspiration from a desire for appraisal and fulfillment. The place of deficient intrinsic approval caused a hunger only satisfiable by an extrinsic. Absurd though are the means through which the extrinsic was sought but perhaps “the end justified the means.”

Similarly, a multitude of workers today score low on approval within consequently leading to its pursuit without. While stories of managers sabotaging progression of their subordinates up the corporate ladder are peculiar no more, the underlying truth remains intimidation by the brilliance of the latter therefore frustrating them as reinforcement to the former’s insecurities

Work place bullying is merely a symptom 

Work place bullying is therefore merely a symptom of a latent disease accumulating within a system continuously reducing its CD4 count rendering us much more prone. Low self-esteem ought to be handled by the horns through managerial involvement in understanding employees, positive appraisal, compliments and appreciation of their work amidst several other interventions geared towards eliciting increase in their self-evaluation.

However personal initiatives such as positive self-talk, awareness of self and many others are not to be ignored for no one can do as much for us as we can.

Since it’s wiser to treat the disease rather than the symptom, may the treatment begin!