My wife and I love watching the “Wonder Years” reruns. Kevin Arnold, the lead character, was my age and lived a similar teenage life as I did. Recently we watched an episode when Kevin went to work with his father. This episode reflected how management styles have changed in the workplace since 1968. Bosses during that era seemed to be ...
In 2015, REI stores, known for selling outdoor and fitness apparel, made a bold move. They declared that Black Friday had gotten out-of-hand and they were going to close their stores to encourage people to spend time outdoors instead. Since their mission is about encouraging outdoor activities, their move, in alignment with their values, sent a strong message about their ...
The Fifth Key to Financial Success – Generosity Giving money away hardly seems like a key to financial success, yet it is! In my book, “Unconventional Business,” generosity is my Fifth Key to success. R. G. LeTourneau pioneered and patented hundreds of earthmoving equipment ideas. After some spiritual turning points, RG realized that God owned everything, not just 10% of ...
In 1 Samuel 30, David and his men saddled-up to fight the Amalekites who had plundered and kidnapped their families. Two hundred of David’s men, however, were exhausted from a previous battle and chose to stay behind to protect the supplies. After David was victorious, the men were allocating the spoils when they proclaimed that those who stayed behind didn’t ...
Dan, an acquaintance of mine, loved giving away large sums of money, as long as he received credit for his generosity. Unfortunately, Dan acquired much of his wealth from deceptive business practices. In order to increase his profitability, and ultimately his generosity, Dan covered up the shoddy workmanship of his products with attractive packaging. Many of his customers suffered significant ...
Tim Weinhold, Director of Faith and Business for Eventide Funds, penned a well-researched article about the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. He discovered that, The 62 wealthiest individuals now own as much as the bottom half of the world's population combined -- 3.6 billion people. And the top 1% now owns more than the remaining 99% combined. ...
In my book, “Unconventional Business,” I highlight four marketing challenges that many of us face in the marketplace in trying to do marketing with truth and love. This week I’ll address each of these four challenges, beginning with “Pricing.” In the 1980s, Mary Hudson’s business empire crumbled when she was convicted of tampering with the gasoline pump prices at her ...
Paul was a pharmaceutical salesman who called on a doctor’s office in his new territory only to learn that they had a rule. They only allowed the first three sales reps on any given morning to actually meet with a doctor. Paul was fourth! Then Dan stepped in. Dan, a sales rep for a competing company, approached the doctor’s assistant ...
Tim Weinhold of Eventide Funds, wrote a well-researched essay on the “Wisdom of Shared Rewards.” He contends that, biblically, workers deserve to share in the profits that come from their productivity. Until the mid-1970s, corporations existed to serve customers, employees, communities, and shareholders, and worker’s pay was closely tied with increased productivity. In the late 1970s the corporate philosophy changed. ...
When I was in banking one of my largest accounts was a construction-oriented business led by Sean. He squeezed his vendors for all he could get out of them, rarely providing anything in return. Sean’s business was profitable because he drove his people hard and squeezed his suppliers to manage the expense side of the ledger. But few people enjoyed ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
