March 25

Sometimes We Lose Our Strength

Q uestion: One of my employees stole an item from one of our customers. I have given him a second chance, but others are expressing a feeling of mistrust in him. What should I do?

Sri Gurudev: See if that employee is ready to openly apologize and repent for what he has done. It would probably be best for him to do it in front of the rest of the employees, not just the employer. People do make mistakes. Sometimes in a weak moment we lose our strength and do something that’s not right. The minute you realize that you have done something wrong, you should not hesitate to come and say openly, “Yes, I made a mistake. I was weak. I’m sorry for it and I will try my best not to repeat that. Please keep an eye on me and help me.”

If you are really interested in changing for the better, you should seek the help of others. This employee should come forward and openly apologize and ask for help. If that is done, I think not only the employer, but the other employees also will feel sympathetic and compassionate toward him and agree to have him continue in that job. 

If I were the employer, and if I had an employee like that, that’s what I would do. To err is human. Even the employer might have done the same thing at one time or another. We all make mistakes. It’s always better to forgive and forget, and not to always treat the person as a liar or a thief. We should give more and more and more chances for people to grow.