Prattville-Autauga Character Coalition Character Trait of the Month - Forgiveness | Community Spirit

FORGIVENESS… clearing the record of those who have wronged me and not holding a grudge.  

Most will agree that there have been times in our lives when we believed that we were wronged. The person we felt was unfair or hurtful to us in some way could have been a business associate, co-worker, a friend or neighbor, a stranger, or perhaps a loved one.

 There are several ways to handle the reactions to someone who we feel has maligned us. Carrying a grudge is the most common, and one of the most harmful, for it can afford a lifetime of hatred and distrust, which can carry over to other relationships in our life.

Forgiveness toward others is perhaps the hardest way to handle the situation, but it is also the healthiest and most healing.  H. Jackson Brown, Jr., an American author of numerous best-selling inspirational books, noted, “Never forget the three powerful resources you have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness.”  Our hope is that you will choose to find forgiveness in your heart for others.

                                      
    Growth Requires a Culture of Forgiveness
                                                                                      by Dr. Nathan Mellor
                                                           
                                                  If you have worked with others for very long, you already                  know the need for forgiveness.

                                                As a leader, you know some ideas you champion will not                                        be as successful as you hope. As a result, your                                                              colleagues might question if they can trust your                                                             decision making. This is especially true if the decisions                                                       you make result in the loss of opportunity or jobs for                                                        others. If you work in an environment that isn’t                                                                 forgiving, these missteps, which are the inevitable                                                           consequences of innovation, lead to a culture of fear and                                                insecurity. Creating a culture of forgiveness requires                                                      three key components:

Focus on process versus the outcome.

One challenge leaders commonly face is the self-destructive tendency to oversell. To generate enthusiasm or to help motivate the team, leaders can promise a future that is not within their power to create. Instead, focus on the way business will be conducted. For example, instead of just talking about sales goals, talk about how to create the customer experience that will result in increased sales. Emphasize the continual goal (the way of doing things) rather than the terminal goal (the specific number).

Be truthful and humble.                                                                

When things go your way, when the organization is surpassing expectations, recognizing the contributions of others sends a message that success is not limited to one person or a small group of people. When things are not going as hoped, most people are more resilient when they believe they are being told the truth. When a leader explains that a program or concept did not go as planned or hoped, they are likely already aware of the failure but hearing leadership talk about what they learned through the process can be reassuring.

Establish expectations.

In a climate of problem solving, it is fair to explain that innovation involves a process of trial and error before breakthroughs can be achieved. This margin needs to be built into the process and failures need to be communicated as an expected part of the endeavor.

Great leaders are able to maintain momentum while dealing with setbacks by using these difficult moments as opportunities for learning and growth.

“He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has the need to be forgiven.”

              Thomas Fuller, English historian, author

Information Source: Prattville-Autauga Character Coalition