Bosses Take Losses

Dear Chaplain: I need some quick advice. My husband and I had small but lucrative construction business. We lost a major contract and now we have to lay off a team of people, including our daughter-in-law. I’m totally agonizing over this because it not only affects our business and our income, but our son’s finances and our grandchildren. I’ve tried to figure out every way I could to keep my son’s wife on the payroll but I just can’t do it. How do I tell the team?

Signed, Feeling Horrible

Ask the Chaplain

Dear Feeling Horrible: Thank you so much for reaching out with your question. I know you feel horrible right now, especially being in the position where you’ve been able to help so many people provide for their families, including your son and daughter-in-law.

Being a prosperous business owner isn’t just about what you receive for yourself, it’s also about how you’re able to help enhance the lives of others. Every day isn’t going to be a good day in life, and every season isn’t going to be a good season in business; but we have to weather storms in order get past them both.

The Apostle Paul in the book of Acts was in the midst of a treacherous storm. In order to save himself and the crew they had to lose some things. I’m sure it wasn’t easy and it didn’t feel good seeing the things they desperately needed being tossed overboard, but they made and executed some hard decisions for the good of the whole.

I would suggest that you pray and ask God to give you wisdom on what to say and how to say it. Then make a plan and stick to it. I suggest you share with your team how you feel from the heart, and then be completely honest about having to let them go. Some may be hurt and take out their frustration on you, but I believe most will appreciate your honesty. And who knows, maybe somewhere in your near future God will bless you with an even bigger and better contract. Keep your head up and remember, bosses take losses! Some of the most successful people in life took some really significant losses, including Jesus, who took the toughest loss of them all for us. He choose to lose his life in order that the world might be saved.

Be blessed, be encouraged, this too shall pass. Ask the Chaplain is written by Rev. Dayna Spence, an ordained minister, licensed evangelist, and chaplain who’s served as a hospital chaplain and is currently serving as a hospice chaplain Chester County area. Please email “Ask the Chaplain” at 4thechaplain@gmail.com or write to, PO Box 1284, West Chester, PA 19380.