Fatherly Virtues

Holy Homework Father Bob Pagliari

In a recent survey, college students were asked which virtues they most often associate with fatherhood. Their responses were almost equally divided among three: strength¸ wisdom and protection. We can appreciate how these characteristics apply to home life, but do they also fit for the workplace?
Strength
This fatherly attribute underscores the genetic reality of our species. On average, men are 15 to 20 percent bigger than women. Although more inherent than acquired, the idea of strength could be considered a household virtue if dads used their muscles exclusively for lifting heavy luggage, changing flat tires, opening vacuum-tight jars or helping with any other domestic activities that require brute force.
If we expand this definition to include psychological strength, then fatherly power could easily carry over into the work-a-day world as force of character. What organization wouldn't eagerly welcome an employee who has the strength to make decisions rather than waffle, to act on those decisions rather than procrastinate, and to take responsibility for the consequences of those decisions rather than shifting the blame onto someone else? Each of these takes strength, a fatherly virtue that we can all demonstrate on the job.
Wisdom
The fatherly virtue of wisdom can definitely transition from the home into the business whenever men become mentors.
Sometime during their developing years, most children claim they want to be just like dad when they grow up. Granted, this admiration may wax and wane during the adolescent years but, for the most part, the virtue of wisdom enables dads to serve as venerable role models. This is also true on the job. Ambitious new hires welcome the opportunity to learn the ropes from a seasoned supervisor. The key to the virtuous side of this coin is relying on a wise manager who enjoys educating apprentices and generously gives extra attention to mentoring them.
Employees with seniority not only work hard but they have also acquired the wisdom to work smart. Moreover, they are willing to pass on their experience to the next generation as long as their trainees are receptive to learning. At home, children need good role models. On the job, employees need good mentors. This ability to model best practices stems from the fatherly virtue of wisdom, a virtue that blesses the homestead and enriches the workplace as well.
Protection
In a recent television sitcom, mom explained to the children that dad is the irreplaceable protector of the family because he's the one who kills the spiders. All spiders have eight legs and needle-sharp fangs for injecting venom into their prey. However, there are more than a few two-legged tarantulas in the world today.
Men transfer this fatherly virtue of protection from the house into the office each time they defend their coworkers against the poisonous stressors at work that could lethally harm them. Protecting others' rights, reputations and even their jobs is the essence of heroes. People who insist on fairness or refuse to slander others or legitimately cover their colleagues' backs are surely bringing the fatherly virtue of protection into the workplace.
For Holy Homework:
During the week before Father's Day we can post a sincere thank you note on the bulletin board expressing our appreciation for those fatherly virtues that all the members of our staff bring to the organization. Most especially we can highlight the benefits to home and business associated with strength, wisdom and protection.