I was swept into the spotlight (and a lot of Washington politics) in my first really visible job. I was named director of a special program at the Council of Better Business Bureaus (New York City and Washington) dealing with children and media. I had plenty of smarts, years of media savvy, and a household full of young children (my own and their friends) who were helping me to grasp the influence of media on children. I was up for the job: meeting industry reps at the Harvard Club, lunches, television appearances, visits to congressional offices in Washington, newspaper interviews, and meetings with consumer advocates. And then one of those consumer advocates dealt me a low blow. He filed a petition with the FCC in Washington, including my (innocent, I thought) exchange of letters with him. Those letters were proof positive, he said, that my program was not on the level. I was shocked to see my own signature staring back at me. How could I have been so naive? My integrity had never been questioned in such a public way, and it shocked me.
Then my attitude plummeted, out of control. Where would I, feeling so inadequate, get the strength to deal with the Washington scene? Leaving the thick document on my desk, I headed out to lunch, hoping the Manhattan breezes would whisk my troubles away. And yes, I went to the nearest library, often my place of refuge There in a book cart, was a clear message. You Can If You Think You Can. The book's author was Norman Vincent Peale, well known for preaching the power of positive thinking. In fact, I had read his famous best seller by that name. But I was struck by the grace of it: finding that book, that message, in my path, that day, right then.
Source: FaithintheWorkplace.com
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