Building Others

I was seated down reflecting on what to write this week and it seemed like nothing was coming not until this evening. Usually, I write a lot of articles at once but never upload any until prayerfully; God lays a message in my heart. There is this unexplainable peace that comes when I have the right article for the week. This is the latest it has come but I have never for once doubted that God will not drop an idea either through experience, reading something else or observing.   It was during one of such experience tonight that I felt the need to share this write. Firstly though, how are you?

I intentional left that space to allow you to pause and answer. Don’t be too quick to say fine and move on. Really think about that question and ask yourself, how am I doing? It is always a good idea to take time off and personally check in with yourself and the awareness from such reflections is one that helps your growth trajectory.

It was meant to be a 15 minutes conversation but it ended up consuming more time than we expected. This was a great team project and effort that was going well until this particular call happened. The problem, one team member was looking down on the other team member. Looking down on a team member always slows the pace of any project because the other party will not give off themselves fully in a way that benefits the project. In some instances, it is easy to pull out of the project depending on the career capital you have acquired but in other instances, you will just have to continue working with this person that looks down on you.   

Looking down on others is a sure way to stunt your growth because you lose the opportunity to gain valuable lessons and experience from the person you look down on. There are cases where we look down on people because we are quick to pass on judgment even without speaking with the person as a result of their race, appearance, religion, social status and even level of education. That is wrong and I don’t subscribe to such mindset. In this article, however, I am referring to cases where you have had an opportunity to speak with someone and know them personally but still choose to look down on them.

They may not be privileged like you to be able to afford the things you can afford or live as you live but that does not stop you for treating everyone with the respect they deserve. These are people with a heart of gold, filled with the spirit of hope but are not yet where their full potential can take them. We all started from someone in our journey to where we are today always remember that.  Rather than allow your ego and the need to feel dominant over others prevail, be kind and respectful to people and have a posture of gratitude. You may say in your heart that you don’t look down on people but your actions say otherwise. People will believe more in what you do than what you say and can tell from your actions that you are looking down on them.  Rather than look down on people, find ways to add values that make them a better version of themselves and not your version of them.