For many small businesses, cash flow anxiety can cause them to be very reluctant to make financial commitments. At times, they may even be tempted to break their promises. The Apostle Paul was concerned that the Corinthian church was about to break their promise. In 2 Corinthians 8, the Corinthians had made a pledge to help other struggling churches. Due ...
After a promotion, Quentin found himself in charge of an entire department, overseeing a large budget and more than thirty people. He took this good fortune personally and regularly communicated his esteemed place in the organization. He began talking pridefully all the time about “my team.” It rubbed people the wrong way because Quentin was erroneously communicating his personal ownership, ...
When I was a single young banker, I attended the wedding of a friend. As I struggled to find a seat, the only person I knew was the new President of the bank where I worked at the time. I had been in this President’s office previously and saw him frequently in loan meetings, so I slid in next to ...
In this series we’re discussing the challenge of being a good shepherd. Last time, we discussed the importance of caring for the needs of your flock. Our second challenge is to create a peaceful and safe environment for your team. Working directly with customers can leave some employees fearful and anxious. If they are not supported by management adequately, the ...
For many, I suspect Memorial Day suggests a recognition of the fallen soldiers from World War I, World War II, or Vietnam. But you might be surprised to learn that Memorial Day initially began after the Civil War. From 1865 to 1868, multiple cities hosted ceremonies recognizing the soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the Civil War. ...
Recently, Kathy and I hired a company to do some work on our home. We interviewed multiple Christian led companies and chose the one who had the best reviews and who we thought was most likely to adhere to God’s standards. Unfortunately, we were disappointed in the outcome. We tend to hope that if Christians are working for the Lord ...
While finishing my undergraduate studies, my graduation date was set for December. My new job with a national CPA firm started in January. My schooling was paid for by my hard work, some student loans, and in the final semester, through some desperate use of credit cards. My credit card repayment plan revolved around my first paycheck. However, in January ...
My wife, Kathy, regularly calls business leaders asking how our team can best pray for them. Over the last year, Kathy has noticed one common request. They often ask for prayers for their adult children. Many speak of children who have “ghosted them” due to political or social disagreements. When Kathy delicately probes about the underlying issue, most share one ...
In this series, we’re discussing five guiding principles on negotiating agreements. The final principle is to lean towards being generous. In the story of Joseph, Egypt had seven years of famine. To afford to buy food, all Egyptians sold their land to Pharoah. Pharoah, however, needed them to farm the land, so Joseph worked out a win/win sharecropping arrangement. In ...
In this series, we’re discussing five guiding principles on negotiating agreements. The fourth principle is to always work towards a win/win agreement. Stan was a bank customer who believed he always needed to win all points of every negotiation so that the bank was the loser, and his business was the winner. Although Stan won occasional battles, it didn’t bode ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
