December 2000: Making Resolutions
In many cultural traditions, this time of year stimulates reflection about our lives and assessment of possible changes we want to make in the coming year. The tradition of setting new year's resolutions invites us to look back over the year and determine what issues are important to focus on in the new year.
Several cultures share this tradition at this time of year. Omisoka Day is celebrated in Japan on January 31 as a time for taking stock of one's life, cleaning house, and paying debts. During Ramadan, which ends this year on December 26, worshipers engage in self-purification and renewed commitment to their spiritual life. The African American holiday of Kwanzaa provides time for cultural reaffirmation and renewed commitment to family and the community.
So in the spirit of these traditions, it might be useful to engage in similar reflection within our work communities. What is it in your work environment that you enjoy? What is it about your work colleagues that you value and respect? What has been your most valuable contribution to your team or work unit? Our busy workloads don't always allow us time to acknowledge our colleagues for the skills, creative ideas, and friendship they bring to our work lives.
Similarly, what have been the biggest challenges during the past year? Are there relationships that have been strained because of work tensions or misunderstandings? Is there something you can do to mend some fences between your colleagues? Are there ways in which you could stretch yourself and act more respectfully at work?
At a recent meeting with a campus unit, we discussed how individuals in an organization could manifest greater respect for one another, and several good ideas were generated. One person suggested that people not reply immediately to e-mails that push their buttons. It was suggested to "sleep on it" and reply later when the heat of the moment is over. Someone else asked people to be more flexible with one another and allow others to have bad days or times when they might not behave at their best. Yet another person suggested that she would like individuals to talk directly to the person who is bothering them and stop the gossiping.
During this time of reflection and "taking pause," perhaps we all could benefit by re-reading the Principles of Community and asking ourselves if there is something more we each could do that would create more respect and generosity in our work units. What we each choose to do might be very different, but our collective efforts would transform our campus into a place where we enjoy coming to work every day. If there's someone with whom you've had a long-standing conflict, you might consider one more attempt at coming to a better understanding. If you need help, Mediation Services provides a wonderful service for assisting people in talking through their differences and working toward mutual agreements.
We spend so many hours of our lives each day at work. It just makes sense to make our time at work more enjoyable for ourselves and for our co-workers. In the spirit of this season, may we each consider what we might do to foster greater kindness on campus.