PSM 650 S 2020
Wisdom at Work
The Instruction of Amenemope
http://www.perankhgroup.com/Instruction%20of%20Amenemopet0_l.jpg |
The Instruction of Amenemope is a New Kingdom work most likely written between 1300 to 1075 BCE. It is written as instructions from the scribe Amenemope to this son. A piece of wisdom literature, it describes what qualities, attitudes and behaviors are needed for a happy life, even in a time of difficulties. It also seems to have influenced the writing of the Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. |
The Instructions are divided into 30 numbered chapters (really paragraphs or verses). Below are some sample chapters from the 1976 translation by Lichtheim.
9 Guard your tongue from harmful speech,
Then you will be loved by others. . .
10 Do not befriend the heated man,
Nor approach him for conversation.
Keep your tongue from answering your superior,
And take care not to insult him.
Let him not cast his speech to catch you,
Nor give free rein to your answer.
Converse with a man of your own measure,
And take care not to offend him.
16 If you see one greater than you outdoors,
Walk behind him respectfully;
Give a hand to an elder sated with beer,
Respect him as his children would.
The arm is not hurt by being bared,
The back is not broken by bending it.
A man does not lose by speaking sweetly,
Nor does he gain if his speech bristles.
The pilot who sees from afar,
He will not wreck his boat . . .
In the spirit of the Instructions of Amenemope, write a set of instructions to a new employee in you field that will help them manage the workplace so that they succeed (they don’t have to be in free verse like the Instructions of Amenemope). Success is defined by having a workplace with low stress and high efficiency. It will be a place you were happy to work at and a place that when you seek a new job your current workplace has a great reputation.
This should cover the following areas: how they should behave to manage your work; how you will behave to manage your supervisor; how you will behave to manage your co-workers and finally, how will you behave to prevent misconduct so that your reputation is not tarnished. There is some overlap in these, but there are also differences. For example, always being appropriately dressed crosses categories. But something like making sure you have a one on one meeting with your supervisor once a week (for what reason?) fits only in that category. Notice that I’ve used the word manage in the instructions; this is to indicate that your instructions are making it clear that you are proactive in carrying these out.
You should wind up with a minimum of 10 instructions . . . a sentence or two for each instruction so that it’s clear what you’re the intent is. Remember that this is discipline specific; some things will be the same for everyone but there should also be specifics related to your job. Remember, the intent is that anyone who follows your advice with be more successful than those who do not! This is a one page assignment; also be sure to replace the XXXXX on the document with the appropriate text. The first XXXXX are your name; the second XXXX is your discipline or broad job description. Turn in only the last sheet.
PSM 650 S 2020
Wisdom at Work
The Instruction of XXXXXXXXXX
Success in being a XXXXXX comes from following these instructions!