Patrick O'Connell

Appreciation

(I wrote this one some time in August 2006 after attending a workshop about 'Appreciation.' Not sure why I didn't post it then but here it is. I will eventually post the lists I refer to. In the meantime, make sure you're telling everyone how much you appreciate them.)

I recently attended a workshop that focused on values in the workplace. The experience was positive and I learned much. But there was one bit of information that was quite beneficial. It concerned appreciation and its importance in our relationships. We conducted several practical exercises that were designed to help show us how we could show appreciation to others in the work-place. Showing intentional appreciation for what others do can have enormous benefits in our lives.

I soon begin wondering why not try and implement some of these ideas at home. The organizers of the workshop were one step ahead and provided all of us a list of appreciation statements that we might use in our private lives. It's called 30 Days of Appreciation from Parents to Children and 30 Days of Appreciation for Spouses.

I am going to use the list to generate statements for each member of my immediate family. I'll try and provide you their responses. At some point I'll post the entire list.

God at Work

Seems many companies are becoming more faith-friendly. Here's an article by Marc Gunther, senior writer at Fortune, all about it.

I'd be curious to know what your experience has been.

A Conversation About WorkLife Balance

Last Thursday I had lunch downtown with my friend Jeff and a business contact he has, Clif F.

Jeff knows my interest in work/life issues and thought that it would be good for me to meet Cliff who is retired, involved in several non-profits, and does a great deal of work for the church. Clif is also a successful businessman who worked for reputable investment firms in both New York and Chicago. He is passionate about his faith and how one balances work/life issues.

Here are the key take-aways I learned during my conversation with Clif:

1. First off, make sure you're in the right job. Each of us has gifts and you are going to be better at some things than others. None of us is good at everything so it's critical to find the things you do well and find a job that fits.
2. Your job should energize you. You can't be energized by everything in your job, but it should be balanced. The energy is what keeps you passionate about what and therefore integral to a successful career.
3. It is NOT necessary to forsake money and the world for the cause of Christ. God has designed us to live in the world. It is key that we do not become it but that doesn't mean we need to flee from money (which is the world to a great many people).
4. Living in the world is the hard part. Cliff says that he's seen too many Christians become cocooned in their Christian circles. They tend to only have Christian friends and participate in Christian causes. We can't further the cause of Christ by avoiding the world.
5. The workplace is ripe for missional activities. Of course, Cliff doesn't recommend proselytizing to the point of annoyance, but he did indicate God needs missionaries in the corporate world just as much as he needs them elsewhere in the world. You don't know that God needs