Have you ever said or thought to yourself, “I could get my work done if I didn’t have to deal with people?”  Or, If I didn’t have to work with people this job would be great.” We chuckle and respond I know what you mean. Yes, I agree things can get frustrating, when working with people, but having this mindset is bad thinking.

Let’s face it we’ve all encountered times in the workplace where interpersonal relationships with colleagues and co-workers have resulted in tension, friction, conflict, or miscommunication that has adversely impacted our ability to get work done. It also can result in fractured working relationships and a toxic work environment. Trying to sort through these “people” matters can be time consuming and laborious.

Every job in the marketplace has an end goal of serving customers – people. If it wasn’t for people, none of us would be employed. I get it we have job responsibilities, tasks, projects, sales quotas, reports that are due, deadlines to meet, and meetings to attend. There are workplace expectations, job descriptions, and performance standards that we are expected to fulfill.

However, our attitude and mindset have everything to do with how we function in our jobs. Question – “What’s more important the task or the relationship?” Years ago, I heard a phrase that changed how I approached my work, especially as a leader. “God doesn’t use people to get work done, He uses work to get people done.” That’s a profound statement that has changed how I lead. In other words, don’t use people. I understand, at the end of the day the services we provide and products we produce are what our jobs are for. How we go about that though has significant implications.

When someone comes into your office while you’re in the middle of a task or project, do you get aggravated, roll your eyes and see them as an annoyance, interruption, or distraction?

The key principle here is don’t value the task over the relationship.  When we value task over relationship, we are interacting with our co-laborers in a transactional rather than a transformational manner.

Don’t look at people as interruptions. Those “interruptions” are often God ordained opportunities to minister to and speak into the life of a fellow human being. You never know what that person is experiencing and going through and how a kind word or listening ear, may change the trajectory of their day, or even their lives.

Early in our marriage author and Christian leader Josh McDowell made a statement originally aimed toward parents that completely changed my thinking and parenting process. He said, “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.” Now I don’t have time to completely unpack that, but this statement is so true.  When we are more concerned about our children’s conduct than we are in cultivating our relationship with them and molding their character, we’ve missed it big time. Valuing rules over relationship is what contributes to performance-based Christianity instead of the loving and intimate relationships God wants us to have with Himself and others. This statement is vitally important when raising our kids but it’s also applicable in all of our relationships in life, including at work.  

In my experience I have found that when task is valued over relationship it leads to resentment. However, when relationship is valued over task, it creates healthy relationships and actually helps promote peak performance and greater productivity.

When God created us, He created Adam and Eve and humanity for relationship with Himself and to live in community with each other. Then He placed them in the garden to work the land. Let’s not get it backwards.

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