In my early years of ministry, any faith discussions I had with large organizations were quickly squashed by the HR department. The tide is changing. A recent article in Personnel Today, titled, “How to create an inclusive workplace for religion,” outlines steps for HR professionals to build a more faith-friendly culture. At the article’s closing, the author writes, “For ...
As I presented our annual budget to our board, I knew this coming year was a big step up for us as a ministry. As a former accountant my focus became too much about covering payroll. Fortunately, my board wisely redirected me to focus on the key to funding. People fund vision, not expense. Nehemiah was a great vision ...
For those businesses holding on to the notion that employees should check their faith at the door, they might look at a new Marist poll. When the survey participants were asked where they go to seek moral guidance, 63% said they turn to religious teachings. Most business leaders would admit that they would like an ethical workplace. If most ...
The celebration of Labor Day is a reminder of the ongoing tension that often happens between employers and employees. When employers feel their sole purpose is to maximize profits, they may jump to the conclusion that minimizing labor costs is their duty. When employers became too heavy-handed in the 1890s, employee pay and working conditions became deplorable, spurring a ...
To prepare future bank presidents, the bank in which I began my banking career had a well-developed management training program. Since my goal was to become a bank president, I worked to get an invitation into the program. This intensive two-year program gave its participants exposure to all aspects of the bank and to its top leaders. Did you ...
After my father’s passing, I made many phone calls to secure my mother’s survivor benefits. During one call, I talked to a woman with a thick foreign accent who seemed uncertain what information to gather. For almost an hour she asked me the same questions multiple times. Just when I thought we were wrapping up, she blurted out, “I have ...
When my friend, Ray, was young he had many uncomfortable meetings with his boss. He usually felt intimidated, was belittled, and often felt his boss hated him. Years later, when Ray’s boss departed the organization, he said to Ray, “Don’t forget who trained you!” Until that moment, Ray never realized that this man was working to train him to ...
As a bank executive I was required to complete an annual conflict of interest report for our bank regulators. This report was looking for any affiliations and any financial transactions I was involved in with outside organizations that may also have a relationship with the bank. Although it felt like an invasion of privacy, I recognized it to be ...
Kathy and I recently witnessed an educational performance on shepherding by a shepherd from Ireland. He highlighted three qualities about sheep that I found instructive. The first we discussed is defenselessness. The second quality is their natural inclination towards community. The shepherd contended that when sheep dogs or predators approach sheep, the sheep begin to huddle together. They have ...
Many historians believe the seeds of Independence Day came from The Great Awakening. The revival of the mid 1700s brought to the church a different view than the strict social class structure of the Enlightenment philosophy. Historian, Bernard Bailyn, claims that the evangelistic efforts of The Great Awakening challenged the traditions of their day by teaching that the Bible ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
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