Imagine discovering a video of yourself saying horrible things that could easily destroy your reputation and your business while knowing it’s not you. Unfortunately, artificial intelligence now makes it possible for your enemies or competitors to be able to produce what is called a “deep fake” video. Recently, a TikTok video of Dolly Parton went viral, then was abruptly shut ...
Some borrowers who seemed to have strong ethics when I loaned them money suddenly became unethical when they felt they had no choice but to lie or cheat. One retail business owner talked about how important his word was to him. But when the owner’s business was failing, I caught him in several lies and discovered him selling our collateral ...
In this series, we are looking at five traits common to successful entrepreneurs. Today’s trait is Loving Accountability. Holding ourselves and our partners accountable is essential in launching a startup business. Successful entrepreneurs constantly monitor progress towards the goal, identify shortcomings and demand action to address root causes. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love. The unconventional ...
If you’re like me, you have likely allowed words to escape your lips that have caused far greater harm to someone else than you considered. A word of gossip, or a critical word, can undermine the credibility or reputation of the one you mentioned. When we learn of something said about us personally, it can cut us to the core, ...
Pastor Joe was surprised when the bank informed him that his bookkeeper was stealing money from the church. The bookkeeper was a recent widow struggling financially. When confronted with her crime, the Church’s bookkeeper was devastated with regret. She quickly agreed to a repayment plan. At great sacrifice, every month she made payments to repay the debt. Eventually the elders ...
Many companies have embraced tying their product to a noble cause by making charitable donations when their sales volume increases. Others have tied worker productivity to their philanthropy as well. Stephan Meier, a professor at Columbia Business School, however, has discovered that corporate philanthropy tied to worker productivity can sometimes backfire. An Economic Journal study discovered that when worker productivity ...
Coach Tommy Bowden developed a system to help shape the character of his football players called CARDS. Today I want to talk about R for Responsibility. Responsibility and accountability go hand in hand. One of the biggest transitions for younger employees is the area of responsibility. It’s a sign of maturity when employees assume responsibility and complete their required tasks. ...
Coach Tommy Bowden developed a system to help shape the character of his football players called CARDS. Today I want to talk about the A for Accountability. Tommy points out that some basic skills that used to be taught in the home, like time management, are not as prevalent today. Many young people today are raised in undisciplined homes with ...
Philip Schwadel and Sam Hardy wrote in The Conversation about the connection between religion and morals. They studied the question, “When someone quits their religion, does it have a residual effect on their morals?” They categorized people into “consistently religious,” the “religious dones” and the “consistently nonreligious.” The “religious dones” are people who have left their faith. When the researchers ...
A common problem I’ve heard this year from small business owners is supply chain issues. Many businesses are dependent upon suppliers to produce the finished products that their customers need. This year the supply chain has been disrupted for multiple reasons. Sometimes due to a shortage of microchips or materials in high demand. Other times it’s due to the long ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
