While Wishing You a Happy Diwali, I thought it prudent to pick up one subject and pen down for Self-Introspection.
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| Temptations at times can lead to distress |
Temptations
- the word itself
conjures up a whole lot of images in our mind. Temptation to own a villa, to
buy a new car, go on an overseas trip, become a CEO of a company…the list can
range from small to mammoth. This reminds me of Irish author Oscar Wilde’s
words –“I can resist anything except temptation”. For many of us this statement may be true but
according to me resisting temptation should become an inherent strength of
every individual as temptation can lead to frustration and unhappiness.
There
are various kinds of temptations that engulf us at different stages of our
lives. Let’s start with the temptations in the professional world. Being
ambitious to scale the career ladder is quite common but a temptation to
achieve this at a supersonic speed can become sinister. The last 3 decades in my professional life
has taught me many things which include observing people around me and learning
from them. I shall begin this blog series on temptation by listing
down some of my observations of temptations at workplace:
Temptation # 1 - To
pass the buck
Deadlines
are not met, team leader is not happy with the first quarter results? What do
you do? Simple. Just pass the buck. Blame it on your colleague for things going
wrong at your workplace. The temptation to pass the buck is quite common but refrain
from doing so as it doesn’t send the right message to your employee and also
reflects badly on you.
Temptation # 2- Be
popular rather than responsible
Who
wouldn’t want to be the most popular person in the office? But popularity
should be earned through hard work, perseverance and by gaining the trust of
your colleagues. The temptation to be
popular but not responsible is an easier route to take but it’s unlikely to
last long as people will quickly see
through your façade. Always remember that popularity and accountability goes
hand in hand.
Temptation #3- To
indulge in gossip
The
temptation to chit chat or gossip is one of the biggest bane that imperil workplace
environment. A person who succumbs to
this temptation will come across as someone who is deceitful and idle. Office
politics
can adversely affect performance, team spirit and integrity.
Temptation #4-
Compromise on ethics and morals
By
being dishonest or unfaithful, you are not only cheating your conscience but
jeopardizing the trust placed by the organization in you. I have often seen
that people compromise on personal ethics to please their bosses and get fringe
benefits. For instance, agreeing to a HR policy or a financial policy that is
unethical just because it is proposed by the top management is a fine example
of the aforesaid temptation.
Honesty, integrity, hard work and
responsibility are sure to usher in success and accolades at work place. The
moment you compromise on these tenets, you are less likely to see success and
in all probability may invite brickbat and trouble.
Temptation #5 – Rest on
your laurels
I
am sure you must have heard of the famous quote - There is no end to learning. If you are tempted to rest on your
laurels or be happy with whatever little you have achieved, it indicates that
you are consciously putting a full stop to your learning process and career
progression. Experiencing a sense of
accomplishment is fine but this feeling should be transitory. Look inward,
introspect and motivate yourself and reach for the stars!
These
are simple time tested methods to combat temptations at workplace. I will be
happy if this will help you in your professional life.
“Accomplish
but do not boast, accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance,
accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing.”
― Lao Tzu
― Lao Tzu
