Many people, including Bible-believing Christians, struggle to find a sense of purpose or fulfillment in their career. Author and business executive Shundrawn Thomas says that is far from God’s plan for us.
Thomas, the author of Discover Joy in Work, says we were meant to flourish in the workplace and that God wants to help us do so by changing our mindset daily and by mastering our gifting. It requires intentionality and effort, including understanding the Four A’s: attitude, approach, aptitude and achievement.
“If we start with having the right attitude, that then transitions to the next thing,” Thomas told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of “Greenelines” on the Charisma Podcast Network. “I’ve got to evolve my approach to my work. I have to learn to develop what people refer to as soft skills. That’s often about effectiveness in working with people, our situational awareness, the way in which we prioritize or prepare.
“People often ask me what is one of the most important skills I’ve developed, and that is listening,” Thomas said. “I work on it every day. People often lose their jobs over not developing soft skills like that because they don’t think of those as relevant or necessary for being effective or successful.
“I’ve often run into folks who feel like their careers aren’t going the way they want, or they’re not getting enough opportunities. But when you sort of unpack it, they realize they not necessarily investing a lot in their own development,” Thomas explained. “They don’t have the patience that perfects them. And there is achievement, which is really important.
“At the end of the day, we are at work for a reason. There are very real outcomes, things customers need or products we need to develop,” Thomas added. “When we are able to deliver, that’s when we feel a sense of achievement. You are designed to flourish in your workplace. You can do that through work ethic, character formation and work-life synergy to find better harmony between what we do and who we are.”
For more about how to experience joy in your workplace, listen to this podcast.
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