Peggy Bodde: Using words to encourage and empower women

Peggy Bodde believes the workplace is an important area where Christians can demonstrate their faith through their actions and attitudes. Christians can be a positive influence on their colleagues and contribute to the overall success of the company.

Peggy Bodde believes rather than professing their faith, one of the key principles that Christians can follow in the workplace is to demonstrate integrity in all their actions. This means being honest, trustworthy, and reliable in their work. They should not compromise their beliefs or values for personal gain, and they should always strive to do what is right, even if it is not popular or easy.

Christians can also exhibit respect for their colleagues and superiors by treating everyone with dignity and kindness. This means avoiding gossip, rudeness, or any other negative behavior that can undermine teamwork and productivity. They should also be open-minded and willing to listen to different perspectives and ideas.

Another important principle for Christians in the workplace is to prioritize the well-being of others over personal gain. This means being generous with their time, resources, and talents, and showing compassion and empathy to those who are struggling or in need.

Finally, Christians can demonstrate a strong work ethic by being diligent, dependable, and proactive in their work. They should be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that their work is of the highest quality and meets the expectations of their colleagues and superiors.

In conclusion, Christians can set an example in the workplace by exhibiting integrity, respect, compassion, and diligence in their work. These principles can help them build positive relationships with their colleagues and contribute to the overall success of the company.

Peggy Bodde transitioned from senior vice president at Petzl America to a full-time writer and small business owner. Peggy Bodde runs a foundation called Sacred Work that provides women with free career and leadership coaching. She loves using words to encourage and empower women.

Peggy gets real about her life, her career, and challenges and has some great advice on networking and asking for a raise.

Peggy Bodde, I want to know something unique about you.

I think my origin story is a little different from most. I was out on my own at thirteen after a failed adoption, but the foster system was never involved. My adoptive parents were avid churchgoers, involved in the community, and kept an immaculate home. They adopted me when I was less than a year old. Despite outer appearances, they were unstable, and home was a dangerous place. When I left their house, I bounced around to various families until I landed with the Browns. They had five children already but welcomed me with no questions asked. I stayed there until I left for college.

My adoptive parents adamantly refused to give me any information about my birth mom or even my nationality. As a kid, I always thought of myself as a mutt. My adoptive parents were American and Japanese, but I had no idea what I was. I searched for my birth parents my entire life, and I finally found my birth mom seven years ago! She’s half-Italian and half-Polish, and my birth father is Chinese. She never told him she was pregnant, and he moved to a different state not long after she found out. My birth mom and aunts have become the family I never had. They love and accept me, and we make up for lost time every chance we get. God has redeemed my childhood years, and I am grateful.

Walk me through your transition from a vice president to a full-time writer and small business owner. What were the challenges?

I have to say that fear was my first biggest challenge. God had been prompting me to make this career change for several years. My degree is in English, and I’ve always loved writing. Throughout my business career, I was the resident scribe in addition to whatever formal title I held. I wrote everything from ad copy to job descriptions to policies and procedures. But—that’s very different from relying on writing as an income. I was afraid of the unknown and afraid of losing my corporate salary. I had a million excuses, which all came down to trusting God.

God knew that, so He gave me the push I needed when I was passed over for a big promotion. I was scheduled to interview for a C-suite position and ended up having emergency surgery on my spine. While I was in the hospital, my boss awarded the position to the other candidate. He wasn’t straightforward about what had happened. I found out from someone at our company headquarters.

This was a humbling, painful time, but God used it to show me that I had put my career on the throne. He had blessed me with my job to provide for me and my daughter, and I had allowed it to become an idol. Being passed over was a gift because it took me to a new level of surrender in my faith and propelled me into the career change God was calling me to make.

From that point, I mapped out a career transition plan with milestones, goals, a business plan, and a budget. In my last year at corporate, I started freelance writing on the side to make sure I could generate income. I researched all the necessary details and set up the framework for my business. After I resigned, I faced the next big challenge: chasing work. Because I wasn’t established as a writer, I aggressively pursued leads to maintain a steady income. I had saved a large chunk of money but chasing after work is stressful! Another challenge was trying to find my niche. I was writing and editing everything from fly-fishing articles to memoirs and web content. Finally, I settled into the educational publishing industry, and that is where I’ve stayed. I write textbooks remotely as my 9-5 job, and I write about the intersection between faith and work as my passion.

I love your tweets. You love using words to encourage and empower women. Talk to me about the power of words and how you are encouraging and empowering women.

Throughout my corporate career, I was passionate about mentoring others, especially women. I worked in a male-dominated industry for a male-dominated company, and I didn’t have access to female mentors. Early on, I made up my mind to fill that need for other women. I used my voice and words to encourage them, teach them, motivate them, and advocate for them. I spoke up on their behalf in the way I wished someone would have spoken up for me. I also equipped women to speak up for themselves: to negotiate, promote themselves, and deal with conflict.

When I left corporate, I knew God wouldn’t want me to shelve decades of business experience, so I founded a ministry called Sacred Work. Here, I provide free leadership and career coaching for women. I also help men, but most of my clients are women. I also just signed a contract with Moody Publishers for my first book: Sacred Work: A Christian Womans Guide to Leadership in the Marketplace. My hope is that this book can function as a pocket-sized mentor to women who need help with specific leadership challenges.

I find writing cathartic. What does writing do for you?

That’s interesting, Jerry because that’s the same reason I started writing! When I was a little girl, someone gave me a Strawberry Shortcake diary with a lock and key. I scribbled down everything that was happening in the home life that I didn’t understand. It was a way for me to process the world around me. I’ve continued journaling to this day. I also love that my journals are a written record of how big and how often God has shown up for me!

Who we are as followers of Christ informs what we do as leaders of people. I want to know more.

Too often, I think the faith community gets caught up in a scripted demonstration of what it means to be a Christian leader in the workplace. For example, always mentioning church when someone asks about the weekend or quoting the Bible to a coworker. Sometimes we put more effort into professing our faith than living it.

Leaders have to recognize that how we lead has the potential to make the biggest impact on God’s Kingdom. We demonstrate what it means to follow Christ with every decision we make, the words we speak, and how we treat our employees. Our relationship with Christ should prompt us to show excellence, broker hope, and love fully—this is how we embody Him at work.

Help me understand the Christian ethos of loving your neighbor at work.

Researchers say that over the course of a lifetime, we will have spent one-third of our lives at work. Whether we work remotely, in an office, or a combination of both—we spend big chunks of days and weeks engaging with our coworkers: over 2,000 hours a year. How we treat them is a much truer reflection of our faith than church attendance or going to a Bible study with friends.

There are simple actions we can take to love our neighbor at work:

Look for opportunities to encourage and support people: Ask God to open your eyes to those around you who may need help or a kind word. Then reach out. Send a message or an email. Make a call. Write a note. Buy the person coffee or lunch. Be present and listen.

Express gratitude: Thank people specifically and often. Is there someone who helped you meet an objective? Do you work with someone whose positive attitude is contagious? Did someone go out of her way to make your job easier? Be generous in giving recognition. Praise someone’s achievements in a meeting, to the person’s boss, or one-on-one.

Call out potential: If you notice employees with an aptitude or skill that may not be recognized or even official, let them know what you see. Encourage them to use their gifts, even if they work for someone else.

Invest time: Whether you’re a leader in your organization or not, choose to invest in the people around you. People who are new to the organization need to understand how the workplace culture works and could benefit from your experience. Informally mentor them to help them succeed.

A 25-year-old woman has been working very hard and wants to ask for a raise. Explain the process of how to go about it.

This is a great question. When I coach women through my foundation, they often ask for tips in this area. The negotiation process can feel overwhelming and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to. Here are the steps I recommend:

Have a macro understanding of what’s going on in the labor market, economy, and industry. Make sure you’re clear on how those factors are impacting your company.

Research and document salary ranges. I love spreadsheets! Document figures and sources. Be as detailed as possible. For example, you can’t just look for a marketing director; Drill down into marketing directors in companies your size and in your industry. Know how experience and education impact the range and where you fall.

Understand your company & total benefits package and how it compares to other companies. This will give you a well-rounded perspective as you enter into the negotiation process.

Document tangible accomplishments you’ve made for the company. Data needs to drive these accomplishments. What have you done to increase profitability, efficiency, or sales? How have you decreased turnover or increased engagement? What new responsibilities have you taken on? What were the measurable results? Quantify everything.

Identify your ask and what you’re willing to accept. Now that you have the documentation to back it up, name your number or a range. Then, make a list of three asks in priority order. Decide where you’ll draw a hard line. Remember, there are asks that fall outside of compensation (flexible schedules, education or training, title changes). Your list may include a mix.

Create a brief presentation to guide you through the negotiation process with your boss.

Schedule a separate meeting to present your request. Setting a meeting that’s outside of a standing one-to-one shows your boss that this is important: it’s a standalone topic.

If your boss needs time to think about your request, get a follow-up meeting on the calendar right then.

Networking is a big part of being in business. What are the dos and don’ts of networking for women?

This is an area I wish I would have paid more attention to when I was in corporate. I didn’t fully understand the value of networking. Many people are put off by the idea because it can feel fake and uncomfortable, but there are practical ways to do it.

Dos:

 Reframe how you view networking. Every person has unique gifts and abilities, and no single person has every skill, talent, or depth of experience. We’re all better equipped to be our best and do our best when we’re connected to other people.
 Identify your goal. Are you trying to find a job? Looking for a group of like-minded professionals? Selling a product or service? Searching for a mentor? Promoting a book? If you don’t set a goal, networking will never happen.
 Create a plan. How will you spend the time you’ve set aside? This may change from week to week. You might use it to find in-person events, Facebook groups, or to make connections on LinkedIn. You can also use the time to follow up with contacts you already have. Before each week starts, create an outline of what you’re going to do based on your priorities and needs for that week.

Don’ts:

 Be a taker and never give! You don’t want to be the person who only consumes content and asks for help or referrals. Engage with and support others. Proactively connect people who can help each other.
 Fail to set up a system. Organize and document your connections. Some people use the Contacts app on their phones and others use a simple word document. Note the person’s contact information and other details such as where you met, or who introduced you. Jot down the date and something personal or helpful they shared with you or even a need they have.
 Try to do it on your own. Find, join, or build groups with similar interests. One easy way to start is to look for groups that share the same goals. Choose keywords for an online search based on your goal. If you’re networking to find a job or meet professionals in your industry, search for groups on LinkedIn or Facebook.

I am fascinated by some of your posts and sayings. So in 50 words, I want to know what you mean by:

When our “sometimes” moments discourage us: We’re all human! We make mistakes and missteps. We get discouraged and sometimes fail, but these instances don’t define who we are. I believe God gives us a new identity when we trust Him, and that identity is secure and unchangeable.

God is not limited by our limitations: Because we can’t understand the vastness of who God is, we tend to limit what He can and will do. We hold back on asking His help because we think there may be a quota, yet His ability is endless and so is His willingness.

God is good, but is He safe? In Scripture, God allows Satan to torture Job. John the Baptist was beheaded. Jesus was crucified. Do I believe God is good and sovereign? Absolutely. But the Bible makes it clear that suffering is expected. As a childhood trauma survivor, I accept God’s sovereignty, but the only safety guarantee is the eternal one.

Finally, what is your message for my readers for 2023?

All good things start with one step. Your dream job, a promotion, the book you want to write, the blog you want to start, the career change you want to make—all these big dreams are possible. You simply have to start! If I can serve you in any way, contact me through my website.