This Week’s Good Work Insight

I was told to ignore it.

Early in my career I taught night classes to adult students at a Christian university.

We had evaluations after each course. I taught 10 courses a year.

My supervisor told me to ignore the worst feedback–as there were always naysayers.

In year three, I decided I was sick of the most critical feedback. I wanted everyone in the class to learn and have a great experience. And some of the feedback piqued me.

So I committed to try to make at least one change from the harshest criticism: 10 times a year.

In year five I got a note from the dean–congratulating me on my excellent reviews. I am still proud of that note. I had to work hard at being flexible–at getting better. And I created more value for my students, the department, and the university.

Because we are in the Octave of Easter, I would like to show the overlap of the concept between work and the spiritual life.

Venerable Bruno Lanteri–quoted by Father Timothy Gallagher in Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement–wrote:

If you want peace in this life, you must, first of all, decide to accommodate yourself to circumstances and not demand that circumstances accommodate themself to you.

You must, secondly, strive to practice uniformity of your will with God’s. It is he who disposes everything, arranges everything, and permits all that takes place.

We need only seek and follow the plan of his fatherly love for our lives, which is always to provide us opportunities for practicing different virtues, at times one, at times another . . .

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Reflecting upon unpleasant feedback and finding opportunities to change – to make better habits – is what it means to be human: to better serve others in work, our families, and the God who made us all.

Cordially,

CEO & Founder

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