Have you ever seen a career woman at a conference or in the workplace and thought that she was beautiful? Maybe it was the way she spoke or presented herself that impressed you or, you might have been swayed by the way she was dressed. How do we define beauty in the workplace?
My very first corporate job began at the positive working atmosphere at Dole Food Company’s beautiful headquarters in Southern California. The culture was enriching with great amenities, benefits, work perks, and the opportunity for career advancement. With that were also the corporate policies, including a requirement for all employees to wear formal business suits to work. I was surrounded by many beautiful and intelligent women. The importance of the outward appearance in those days was necessary; however, looking beyond the well-tailored suits, there was an extraordinary beauty that was exhibited by these career women.
Even though I had a good working relationship with my supervisor, her boss, Esther, was more supportive of my welfare and career development. Esther invited me to join in group meetings to share work concerns and issues and was always eager to get my input to make improvements.
Esther’s boss, Linda, was exceptionally great and despite her position as the overall boss, she took interest in mentoring me on goal setting and offered guidance on a career growth plan. Both of these ladies were amazingly beautiful, successful, and influential. Not only was I amazed by their genuine love and support, but their vast generosity of giving left a great impression on me till this day. It wasn’t surprising to me to learn that Linda volunteered for her church’s outreach program and served soup at the shelter to the homeless in downtown Los Angeles.
As I matured in God and grew to learn about the love of Jesus Christ, I finally got it—the Lord had surrounded me with those beautiful women for a purpose. They did not preach the Word of God to me at work, but through their actions of giving, I experienced the love of God. Who says that we cannot be powerful women that exude beauty in the workplace? These women that the Lord positioned in my path several years ago were not only beautiful and classy on the outside but they displayed an overwhelming impression of the Christ-like nature through giving. They each had the compassion to reach out and help others to succeed. Their goal was to offer guidance and support to help me achieve my career path and to become successful.
I have come a long way since my Dole days, yet I never forget about these amazing people. With that experience, I also look for opportunities to make an impact on others. As women, our outward appearance is important in the workplace if you want to be taken seriously and promoted to a position of influence, and yet it cannot be compared to the inner beauty given to us by God. The beauty that comes from the spiritual and innermost depths of our soul is what leaves a permanent, if not everlasting, impression on others.
Next week we will discuss specific points to consider as you strive to bring forth your inner beauty in the workplace.
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