Baptism by Fire |
| Credit: Andrew K. Gabriel |
What does it mean?
• "Baptism by fire" is a phrase commonly used to describe a person or employee who is learning something the hard way through a challenge or difficulty.
• In many cases, someone who starts a new job must undergo a baptism by fire, meaning they must immediately deal with one or more difficult situations. No one is immune to a baptism of fire, which means new and old employees, members of a company's management team, and others can experience one. The phrase, which has its roots in the Bible, originated in Europe.
Understanding the Term
• The phrase baptism by fire is rooted in the Bible's Matthew 3:11. "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
• Baptism by fire has also been adopted by the modern work world-primarily in Europe. A baptism by fire may refer to an employee's strength, wit, and quick thinking to come out on top of a situation-whether it's deliberate or by chance. It is sometimes considered a good way to quickly train a new employee. The rationale being that they will have to deal with complicated, real-life situations sooner rather than later.
Examples of its usage
• For instance, a new trader may find the market is moving violently and often against them. They survive their baptism by fire if they can successfully execute their trades with minimal or no losses regardless of which way the market moves.
• Similarly, the chief executive officer (CEO) of a big company may suddenly face their own baptism by fire when a public relations (PR) crisis hits.
0 Comments