In his book “Second Wind for the Second Half,” Patrick Morley describes questioning the team he hired to paint basketball markings on the driveway around his garage basketball hoop. When the team seemed to take a long time to get started, Morley asked if there was a problem. The team foreman said they were checking and rechecking measurements before they started work. “We’ve learned from experience that unless you have the right starting point, ...
While studying Matthew 9 recently, I pondered Jesus’ concern for the souls of the vast crowds that were following Him. He told His disciples to pray for workers because the harvest was plentiful, but the workers were few. Then my Bible had a new chapter, making it appear that the story was finished. I wanted to know what Jesus did ...
Professors Denise Daniels and Elaine Ecklund developed a Faith at Work Matrix for the different ways we can live out our vocational calling. The third way we leverage our work is to realize that work serves the common good. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy visited NASA. When he asked a janitor who was sweeping a floor what he did, ...
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 ...
August is a special month for many children. First graders graduate to second grade, fifth graders become middle schoolers, and eighth graders become high schoolers. There is a clear progression in school that provides a sense of accomplishment as students move from one grade to another. Through this time-tested system, young students develop and mature intellectually and emotionally. Many ...
If you knew for sure that today was your last day on this earth, what would you do? On the day many call Maundy Thursday, Jesus knew it was His last day. Instead of finding his mother and brothers or going off in solitude, Jesus chose to invest His last day serving and training His leadership team. Jesus humbly served ...
Kathy and I recently enjoyed the Kansas City Symphony as they performed “Star Wars.” Dozens of professional musicians worked together to make an incredible blended sound. In contrast, I remembered joining a rock and roll band as a teenager. We each played the songs without respecting the other instruments. We sounded terrible! My respect for the symphony grew when I ...
In this series, we’re discussing how to move towards working 80% of your time in your areas of giftedness. After you’ve determined your strengths, identified where your time is spent, and determined who to delegate work to, it’s time to turn your attention to your team. Begin by helping your team determine their own individual strengths and where their time ...
In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Her final question is, “Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?” Talented people can perform different types of functions effectively. However, each person has skills that they love doing. By asking about what they do best and exploring how ...
In Harvard Business Review, Susan Peppercorn highlighted five questions to help you retain your employees. Today I want to talk about her fourth question, “What are we currently not doing as a company that you feel we should do?” When you can make this question specific, for instance, asking, “What are we not doing in our marketing efforts?” it will ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
