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 ...
Leslie was frustrated with her boss. Although he told Leslie privately that she was performing well, that support disappeared whenever another manager questioned Leslie’s work. Her supervisor failed to defend Leslie and instead deferred to other managers, telling Leslie it is better to “go along to get along.” Although Leslie loved the company and her work, her supervisor’s behavior caused ...
My first professional job was as a daily newspaper reporter. I got along with all my coworkers except the publisher’s assistant. Reporting to the top executive, she had (what I thought was) a condescending attitude to the lowly reporters, and to me, in particular. On my last day, I sent flowers and a card to the newsroom, listing everyone – ...
When Susan received an email from a client who was frustrated that no one had responded to his earlier note, she was surprised by the sender’s tone. His words expressed his anger at the organization’s lack of response. Susan could have returned the sender’s emotion or ignored his not-so-subtle sarcasm. Instead, she took responsibility for a mistake that was not ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
