By Prof Vicent Bagire
“Let’s have an opening prayer!” This statement is common at many gatherings in Uganda, certainly, including national political and institutional events. It has become a standard agenda item for many meetings. By nature, work behaviour is knitted by spirituality – our
individual and common belief in the creator and trusting in His presence to guide us in our lives.
Let me narrow down to praying in management, especially at meetings as point of reflection for Christian managers as we start off 2023. As we entered into the New Year, definitely, many people made a personal opening prayer for 2023. Publically, all places of worship held prayers to start the year. We routinely pray before eating and starting off some activities. We are aware that Uganda at state birth was entrusted to the direct protection of the Almighty creator, in our national motto: For God and my country.
At management level, praying is an important aspect of organizational life at work places, irrespective of one’s religious denomination. For most religious institutions, when we are praying in our gatherings, it’s like a given, an expected action before meetings or other events. However, being in a secular setting and an opening prayer is called for before a meeting starts is not merely fulfilling routine. Organizational meetings involve making serious decisions that affect people. Such decisions may have ramifications that are life changing, but when managers gather in their diversity, there is uncertainty, intrigue, pretense and at times direct confrontation. Ideas, words and in extreme cases, actions cross paths. In the wisdom of the opening prayer, it is believed that the worst would occur if God is not invoked right from the start. Our intellect is limited.
As noted above, to make decisions that affect life requires divine guidance. Within our Catholic gatherings, it’s pretty easier to frame the opening prayer as we start with the sign of the cross. When we are in a diverse public space, we seem to fear doing so, or we rightly choose to secularize the start. By saying, let us pray, the accompanying words are easier entrusting the meeting to God. What of the ending? Some have taken the breadth of ending “In the Name of Allah, I have prayed; some profess the Christian identity and say, through Christ, Our Lord; I have also heard some taking a middle line, in your name I have prayed.” Then, silently, I enjoy it when, after such a prayer Catholics make a sign of the cross. Nevertheless, majority who lead opening prayers in secular meetings end “un-ceremoniously”. However, as a student of management, I think it is okay to direct the prayer through one’s channel of faith as the prayers at meetings are for the common good.
Therefore, as we get into months rolling on this year, let us cherish that item on the agenda. More so, as Catholics, we are challenged to witness to Christ in our work milieu. This is one opportunity to do so when nominated to. Let us be witnesses wherever we are. That was one such strong formation I received in the many years as a member and leader of the YCS (Young Christian Students) movement and witnessing Christ in the students’ world. Now as managers, such formation should live on among us.
