LEADERSHIP
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
11.12.06
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Transcript:
My friend Dan once visited a business owner named Mr. Brown at his company headquarters. Dan enjoyed the visit: Mr. Brown was an excellent host, the picture of courtesy.
One day on a drop-in visit, however, Dan saw Mr. Brown's other side. When the business owner asked for a certain report, his employee had computer problems and could not produce the papers. Before Dan's eyes, Mr. Brown transformed from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. He cursed, shouted, and humiliated his worker. Dan and everyone else in the office felt sick.
This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Civility is not something to save for special people or special occasions. Where you find character, you find consistency . . . in the high calling of our daily work.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
READER'S COMMENTS
I use to work for a Dr Jeckll/ Mr Hyde at a bank that was always either calling me in the conferance room to "chew me out for somthing I did wrong" or "write me up" until finally on March 21, 2006, they let me go. I cried like a baby, but it was the best thing that happened to me. I'm in a new job and a new situation with a new manager who is the best. He's not a jeckll/hyde personality. In fact he's got a wonderful personality. He smiles and laughs all day long. I wish I would've met him the first time along.
gee 11/13/2006 6:07:36 AM
Everyone has worked for, or with, someone like this. I wonder how someone can be this way? We all have off days, when we are not as pleasent as usual, but to completely explode? Is it a self-control issue? Just wondering.
kmay 3/13/2007 2:59:49 PM
This reminds me of the verses which state that many will stand before Christ on Judgment Day where Christ will say "depart from me, I never knew you." Also, the parable of the wheat and tares comes to mind.
deaconsbench 3/13/2007 3:53:47 PM
I think sometimes its worse when Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde is passive agressive. It is so hard to read their emotions and you really don't know what has happened because they don't come at the issue directly. Even worse, when legalism becomes a part of the attitude.
Lady 3/13/2007 11:53:52 PM
I would pray for Dr.Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. He's obviosly a man conflicted. Through demonstrations of grace under fire. God may choose to open his eyes to the error of his ways. Overcome evil with good.
dennyneff 3/14/2007 3:20:35 AM
I work under a similar leader likehyde for 3years. I learnt how to hold my anger and out bust. Not easy but it help to wait until the right time when he accused me to the council. I was ready for it.When I was asked to defend my self ,the Holy Spirit gave me words and the Council so his bad side but asked me to leave. Ileft for a year and I had no job but now Iam excited with the new job and my senior supervisor is excellent and good. God allows such to eject you to a better level. But lean to put them behind and look to the cross.
Alisong 3/14/2007 9:00:53 AM
This behavior is okay if you work for a company who uses the "Platinum Rule" instead of the "Golden Rule." Personalities changes with moods so as a christian I must love him, but not agree with his behavior. He may not understand there is a standard "code of conduct" no matter where you are.
gosh 3/18/2007 9:10:57 AM
As an employee, I knew I was supposed to keep my temper in check. Sometimes it was very hard to do so. I worked under different managers and owners that displayed fits of temper. Had I acted the same way, I would have been fired. To me, their behavior was unprofessional. But, because of their position, they were not held accountable.
Peg 3/19/2007 9:34:17 PM
I worked for a man who has a terrible time keeping employees because he is very high maintenance and when overly stressed or angred has the mouth of a seafaring lumberjack. We are friends and love each other to death, but initially I was unable to tell whether he was yelling at me or to me, so I quit - three times. The last time I stayed away for eight months. When he called again asking for my help I said I would, but let him know it would have to be on my terms. He still has his moments, but when I'm there he calms down. It's happening slowly, but he's coming around. The more I come in, the less he curses, and the less stressed he gets. He owns a flower shop. Sometimes I can't blame him for getting so upset with his employees. In all honesty, I'd like to go off on a few of them myself for the condition of gthe flowers and plants my friend trusts them to deliver (and then has to get me to replace). A supervisor at another job humiliated me in front of my coworkers and when I walked away to cool down my previous supervisor (now her boss) stopped me to see why I was crying. Although I had not gone to him (remember, he stopped me), as far as my boss was concerned, I had gone ever her head. For the next year, she was hateful and did everything she could to turn the entire team against me. Yes, some employers are unreasonably difficult, but there are some out there who have good reason to be upset. Unfortunately, some (like my friend and previous supervisor) displace their anger on the wrong people at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Sometimes they just need to have someone tell them to shut up (in a roundabout way, of course). Yes, there is a way to make your employer accountable and keep your job as well.
MsChelle 3/27/2007 7:34:13 PM
One of the reasons for outbursts of anger is simply due to a sense of powerlessness that many people have today due to the economic situation and their helplessness to do anything about it. Control seems to be the only way to security, but it is an illusion. the control established by Christ is internal and generally involves a balancing act or a tension between the ideal and the real. Apparently contradictory ideas set up a tension in the mind which the individual finds desirable due to the fact that it enables and empowers one to be balanced, flexible, creative, and magnetic. Maturity is a matter of internal tensions, between the objective/real and the subjective/ideal which helps the individual to respond to the situation in an appropriate manner that advances one's cause.
After reading some of peoples comments and questions, about not understanding how a person can be a Dr.Jeckle and Mr. Hyde, I think we have to look a little deeper - Anger is a surface emotion or symptom of something deeper, an emotion resulting from maybe passed hurt or pain.
Like a car with steam coming out of the hood, the steam isn't the problem, we need to look a little closer and see why she or he is over heating , could be a broken hose , could be a plugged radiator. I think we have to be careful not to judge quickly and throw Scriptures at them that they will now be dammed to eternity in hell.
If we want to live by the royal law of love we need to genuinely ask these people can I help you, because we have the best news we know someone who can free you from you hurt.
paul