“But, I didn’t do anything! It’s not fair,” proclaimed the young boy to his parents.
The family was sitting right in front of me in church. Clearly, he had been aggravating and taunting his younger sister for much of the service.
Because of the angle, mom and dad were oblivious to most of it until the little girl said a little too loudly for the setting, “STOP!”
We like to think that this kind of behavior is limited to kids and we all outgrow it sooner or later. The reality, however, is that the very same things we used to fight about in the sandbox, or in church, as little children with our siblings or our friends are the same things we often fight about in the workplace. The fights are the same, only the arena is different. People want to get their way at the expense of someone else.
People want to play with the toy truck or the conference room when someone else has it. People talk behind other people’s backs and choose up sides. People say I had the shovel or the idea or that client first. People blame others when the block castle gets knocked down or the presentation doesn’t go well. People want to hang out with the popular kids or the popular adults often at the expense of doing the right thing. Kids steal food out of other kid’s lunch boxes or the refrigerator in the break room. You don’t need any more proof than this that we still operate like little kids in the adult world.
It takes courage to take responsibility.
It takes courage to be the lone voice against the popular voices.
It takes courage to stop the backstabbing in your workplace and say you won’t be a part of it.
It takes courage to let someone else get the credit.
What are the sandbox, or church pew, issues affecting your workplace today?
Do you have the courage to step out of the sandbox and begin to truly act like an adult?
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
Do you need a speaker for an upcoming event? I’d love to be that guy. You can reach me at dave@cultivatecourage.com or 952-200-7499.
You can now buy the book “Cultivate Courage” on Amazon! https://amzn.to/2BUrgJY
This is an updated post from March of 2015.
A sandbox problem I deal with is that I see what toys the other kids are playing with and i want them – not content with the toys I have.
Ron, that is so true. As adults we call it “keeping up with the Joneses!” We’re never satisfied just like when we were little and played in the sandbox!
My sandbox issue is the fear of the bully, or getting involved in something that is right, but then dealing with the Conflict that follows. Life, Marriage, Work, Play, all of these areas present sandbox issues that I now recognize, so we must choose to avoid the sandbox, play alone, or be willing to stand and fight for what is most important and right. As someone that just recently turned 70, I have never been good in the sandbox, and my biggest regret is my tongue sometimes wagged more than it should have, thus, creating conflict. Your being able to identify the sandbox relationship to real life issues will go a long way in allowing me to understand what it is I am fighting and learn to share, zip my lip, and play nice…..THANKS Dave!
Craig, my ability to identify the sandbox issues is the recognition of that in my own life. So often, when I’m upset with someone, it’s more about me and my own selfishness than it is about the other person. Life is always interesting!