Make an effort with the turkeys as well as the eagles

I read some advice in a business magazine that said,“If you want to fly with the eagles then don’t scratch with turkeys.”It was getting at the idea that if you want to move ahead in the corporate world, you need to hang around the right people—the people who can benefit you—and avoid hanging with the losers.

Your workplace?

Have you noticed people in your workplace who only make an effort with people who can do something for them, but are aloof and lazy in relating to everyone else? Or maybe your boss has his or her favourites. For example, they might only go to lunch with a select few. This kind of behaviour creates division and mistrust in the office, and those who are left out feel undervalued.

Compare this to a CEO I heard of who made the effort to have breakfast each week with small groups of his employees until he had met everyone in the organization, from the most senior person to the least. It can be a great morale booster when a boss makes the effort to treat everyone equally and ensures each person feels valued.

Stop and consider: Do managers and bosses at your workplace have their favourites? How about you?

God’s way

In the New Testament, James rebukes Christians who show favouritism. He gives the example of a rich person coming into a meeting and being offered a special chair, then a poor person coming in and having to sit on the ground. James is stinging in his rebuke when he says:…have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? - James 2:4

Their thoughts are evil because this is not the way that God treats people. He offers a privileged position in his heavenly kingdom to every kind of person. God does not show favouritism. And we are to love our neighbours whether they are rich or poor—whether they are eagles or turkeys.

So if we were to rewrite that business saying I mentioned from the Bible’s perspective, it would go: “If you want to fly with God, make an effort with the turkeys as well as the eagles”.

How to love the turkeys

So if you are a follower of Jesus, you need to make an effort to be as considerate to those who are below you in the organization as you are to those who are above you.

You don’t have to stop prioritizing who you spend time with—you still need to get your job done. But as you have the opportunity, make an effort to be kind and friendly to anyone who crosses your path, including the cleaners you bump into after hours.

Making an effort to remember the names of subordinates also sends a powerful message that you value everyone equally.

Pray: Give thanks that God’s kingdom is for everyone. Pray that you would love everyone equally at work. In your prayers, mention people by name.

To find out more about workplace ministries and how to get started talking about Jesus where you work contact our team at City Bible Forum