Bahá’is in Business: Professionalism in the Workplace
by Morris Taylor
Bahá’ís
must strive to reframe society’s attitude about what it means to
work, said Taylor.
He stressed the importance of expertise, competence and care on the
job. He also highlighted Shoghi Effendi’s quotation about the necessity
of earning a living and about life as a struggle and the means of progress.
Taylor was surprised he had full attendance at the 8 a.m. workshop.
He and the audience shared laughs about work experiences and the desire
for a higher standard. Any work we do can help us develop spiritually,
Taylor said.
Reliability, self-discipline and respect for others are essential in
work, and success is more a function of attitude and how we handle ourselves
and others than of skill. Taylor discussed the importance of the first
impression, organization, timeliness and dress. He warned that tone
in e-mail can be easily misinterpreted and said workers need more rest
than they usually allow themselves.
He also noted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s encouragement to have goals
and high aspirations.
—Barb Hancock, reporter
