Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Category: Working Matters

  • Free or Trapped?

    Ever think about how you ended up in the job or career path you are in?

    You might be participating in a family business. Maybe a friend recruited you. You needed a paycheck and grabbed something that pays the bills. You wanted the prestige that goes with your profession. You chose to climb the corporate ladder to get the responsibilities, pay, and status that goes with doing so. You are trying to finance a certain lifestyle. Someone once told you that you would be good at this sort of work.

    What is your story?

    In particular, and the focus of this morning’s reflection, how much choice did you have in the matter?

    Was it the only job that was available? Would any other choice have felt demeaning or less prestigious? Were you responding to family expectations? Were you competing with peers? Were you desperate for any paying work? Were you protecting your job security?

    Whether we feel free or trapped is a huge factor in shaping how we deal with situations at work. Especially all that is complicated and unpleasant in our jobs!

    If we feel free (i.e. we chose our situation and feel we have a choice about whether or not we will stay in our situation), we are much more likely to be able (more…)

  • Quote to Consider: Counter-Intuitive Yet Wise

    quote-to-consider“Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your tasks.”

    Phillips Brooks

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #39


    Unexpected smiles are often reward enough.

     

    Karl Edwards

  • Loving Monday: On Guard!

    loving_monday“Wait a minute! The week hasn’t even begun, and I feel like I’m under seige.”

    There are demands coming from several fronts. There are complaints echoing off the walls. There are attacks spewing from your small and mean-spirited co-workers.

    Before you even have a chance to implement any game plan of your own, you’re knocked off balance and reeling from what feels like an assault on all sides.

    Demands, complaints and attacks are not unusual workplace dynamics. But when they all come at once it can be overwhelming.

    Instead of your usual calm and measured poise, you find yourself angry, defensive, and ready to strike back.

    This is the moment when you need to set down the phone, step outside, and walk around the block three times.

    The first trip around the block is for venting. Wave your arms in the air. Kick a tree or two. Shout out all those colorful adjectives that describe everyone else so (more…)

  • Quote to Consider: Learning from Mistakes

    quote-to-consider“Learn from the mistakes of others – you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

    Martin Vanbee

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #38


    Practicing his serious voice while driving.

     

    Karl Edwards

  • Quote to Consider: Choosing Boldly

    quote-to-consider“When you cannot make up your mind between two evenly balanced courses of action, choose the bolder.”

    W. J. Slim

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #37


    Meekly hoping insecure boss recognizes initiative.

     

    Karl Edwards

  • If You Could Change One Thing About Yourself

    If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

    Given our focus here on Working Matters, let’s forego the things that are not related to work like our appearance; things that are beyond our scope like our personality; or things that our out of our control like our popularity.

    I know, I just eliminated the best categories. I’m sorry.

    I realize there are many good reasons to avoid change. I realize that muddling through with the status quo is often preferable to risking the unknowns that come with change.

    But, for the sake of argument, let me ask again… If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

    Is there a skill you want to learn? A capacity you would like to develop? An aspect of your working style that you would like to expand? An unhelpful (more…)

  • Loving Monday: Facing Hateful Duties With Grit and Grace

    loving_mondaySome tasks feel like we’re being tortured and mocked at the same time. Some of the things we have to do are truly hateful, and we wonder whether we’d rather walk barefoot across hot coals or lie unprotected on a bed of nails.

    Postponing these life-sucking responsibilities does little more than prolong the anticipated pain without eliminating the impending eventuality.

    What is one to do?

    I wish I could make a case for procrastination. I am certainly an expert.

    I wish I could make a case for blaming management. They certainly excel at mandating waste.

    I wish I could make a case for a positive attitude. It would be so simple if we could change reality by mere force of will.

    The fact is that our jobs, all jobs, have nasty components to them.

    How to face those nasty components with grit and grace becomes the issue.

    One tact might be to turn them into a personal challenge or contest. Create a (more…)