My wife, Kathy, loves the study of people. One condition Kathy often discusses with me is narcissistic personality disorder. The Mayo Clinic describes this disorder as, “a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others.” Research shows, ...
When I ran track in high school, I learned that relay races are won or lost during the handoff of the baton. In November, Disney terminated their CEO, Bob Chapek, and brought back Bob Iger, their previous CEO. Although there was a lot of focus on Chapek’s failures, in my opinion the biggest failure was Iger’s mistakes. Iger was the ...
In this series, we’re looking at a framework as an answer to the question “How do I involve God in my business?” Previously, we’ve described the foundation, and what we call a first and second level business. A level three business is focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Level 1 and 2 businesses can be just as godly, but ...
In this series, we are looking at a framework as an answer to the question “How do I involve God in my business?” The foundation of this framework is obedience to what God has revealed to us in His Word, the Bible. In Matthew 22, Jesus once said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with ...
Some leaders conduct business with zero sum thinking. They believe that one person’s gain is another person’s loss. A win/win solution is hard to comprehend. Zero sum thinking permeates many competitive situations. If your competitor convinces one of your customers to switch to their service, you might assume that you lost and they won. But what if losing that customer ...
Early in the ministry I recruited our oldest daughter, Megan, to help with our bookkeeping. She did a remarkable job, but I knew eventually she was destined for a medical profession, not this ministry. Many small business owners engage their children in helping with the family business. When these children are groomed for future leadership positions, it can sometimes ...
A young budding entrepreneur contacted me recently about a new business she is working to start. Her first step towards entrepreneurship, however, was somewhat surprising to me. Rather than researching her potential customer’s needs and why they would pick her product over the ones they currently use, she formed a corporation. She could have waited years before incorporating. In ...
When I was in banking, we occasionally complained about competing with credit unions and savings and loans. At least they were local, however, and we could compete using a more convenient location. In today’s world, banks, and most other industries, are now competing with online alternatives. Leaders who refuse to seek counsel beyond their traditional industry consultants run the ...
In this series, we’ve been discussing advantages for small businesses. Our fifth and final advantage is local products and services. For example, in Kansas City, many companies have tried to identify their brand with the Kansas City Chiefs football team. People are often fond of their hometown. If potential customers feel you are part of their community, rather than outsiders ...
For a few years, Unconventional Business Network has subleased space in a small and open format. We recently moved into our own office space with offices, conference rooms and significantly more space. As we head into 2022, the new year and new offices gives our team an opportunity for fresh beginnings, but more importantly, a moment to stop to rejoice ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
