daniel chigunwe
Rutendo Gwatidzo
Changing Perspectives
One author once said, “Strong people stand up for themselves but, stronger people stand up for others”.
I was young and now I am mature, I have realised something about life.
Life has a way of humbling people and life also has a way of uplifting people.
Things can shift when you least expect it sometimes and you can wake up on the other side of life. Sometimes it is not about being structured or organised, things can happen beyond your control.
For instance, during the Covid-19 pandemic, some suddenly lost everything while others suddenly gained everything. While others lost business, others gained businesses.
It is important to treat everyone with kindness because you never know what people become tomorrow. Someone maybe a street kid today and tomorrow; that person can be found in the palace.
Look at the story of Joseph from the bible in the book of Genesis. Joseph was taken advantage of sadly by his brothers while he was young and incapacitated. Little did they know that Joseph was going to be their leader and was going to save their lives.
Kindness pays well
When someone seems not to matter to you at a particular time it does not mean that the person will continue in that state.
Someone who does not matter to you may actually matter to your children, friends or relatives. Thus everyone matters hence it is good to treat everyone with kindness.
I believe that kindness is never a mistake though some people may take advantage of it, in one way or the other it will eventually pay off well. The things other people do to others are inhuman. I wonder when did humanity cease to matter the most.
For instance, xenophobia is inhumane. I once witnessed an incident where a driver threw food to street kids in town. I was behind the driver who decided to share food with street kids. The sharing part was good however the way it was done was not good. The food was in kaylites and it was proper meals.
What I managed to see was rice and chicken stew. Instead of distributing the food properly, the guy was throwing at street kids and the kaylites opened such that the food spilt on the grass and on the tar.
Due to desperation, the street kids started eating from the ground. Some started fighting over what was left in the kaylites. What broke my heart the most is that the guy then started to take a video while laughing.
Where is humanity in so doing.
The gesture to give the street kids food was good but somewhere somehow the guy lost it. It appears he had an agenda besides giving the street kids food.
I started wondering whether he did this because of who the street kids where or because of who he was. Often times when we fail to display kindness, it reflects more about who we are than who the other person is.
Organisational status.
Many organisations are characterised by individuals who carry different powers. Some have hierarchical power and some have expert power while others hold resource power.
We also have coercive power and charismatic power just to mention a few. These different powers should be used for good under normal circumstances.
The challenge in most organisations is that the situations people find themselves in are not normal due to economic and many other hardships.
Many people are becoming self-centred and selfish such that the moment they realise they possess a certain power they tend to use it negatively and for their own benefit.
Many people trample upon others in the workplace using the different powers they possess.
Sadly, they carry on to mock and laugh when they cause others to cry. In other words, they abuse others in different ways using the power they carry. Be reminded if you are one of those that use their power negatively.
One day the power will fade away and those underprivileged today maybe more powerful than you are tomorrow.
Treat others well for the sake of even the people that you relate with. The negative effects of what you do today may also affect your relatives in one way or the other.
General facts.
Some are breadwinners in their families and others in the whole clan or the society at large. Be reminded to treat others well and to value everyone no matter how underprivileged.
Whatever you do to assist others, do it the human way knowing that they too have a heart and feelings. Yes, they may comply due to current situation however it does not mean that they do not feel the pain or see the ill treatment. Think about tomorrow, what happens if life humbles you and uplifts the person you used to ill-treat.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is the managing consultant at The HUB HR Consultancy – as a culture and change management specialist. She is a multi-award winning leader, consultant, speaker and coach. Gwatidzo also authored “ Born to Fight “and “Breaking the Silence”. Feedback: 0714575805/ [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo_Official fb public page.
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