As a young employee in my first corporate job, I quickly learned that executives were powerful people to be feared and followed. One executive in particular, a former Navy officer, commanded authority. He knew his stuff and expected respect. But that image completely fell away when I walked into a classroom one evening to take a class on boating safety. ...
I was leading a non-profit board when we faced a divisive issue. Emotions were high, so we brought in a seasoned mediator to help us find a solution. The mediator recommended activities focused on building relationships and consensus to allow us to move forward. I, and a couple other board leaders, decided the issues couldn’t wait. We pushed through ...
In leading any organization there are constant challenges and decisions to be made. Some decisions are more difficult than others, which can leave me feeling inadequate at times. That’s when I yearn, and seek, the wisest counsel I can find. Fortunately, I have access to boundless wisdom. Recently, faced with some difficult decisions, I was reminded of the importance ...
I was leading a non-profit board when we faced a divisive issue. Emotions were high, so we brought in a seasoned mediator to help us find a solution. The mediator recommended activities focused on building relationships and consensus to allow us to move forward. I, and a couple other board leaders, decided the issues couldn’t wait. We pushed through a ...
Over the years I have served on many different boards. Occasionally, I’ll serve alongside another board member who dominates the conversation, expressing opinions on almost every subject. Unfortunately, center-of-attention kinds of people don’t usually ask many questions or seek understanding. Instead, they tend to only offer uninformed opinions. This means that their input often overlooks important facts. They haven’t ...
Many seem to believe that science and religion inherently conflict with each other. A Mind Matters article about Elaine Howard Ecklund’s study of scientists’ attitudes towards religion, however, may help debunk that belief. Through more than 40,000 surveys, Ecklund found, that at least 30% of scientists declared a religious affiliation. Her study also discovered that two-thirds of United States scientists do ...
A friend of mine was considering some speaking engagement opportunities to teach potential business prospects about his consulting niche. But my friend rarely teaches publicly, and when he does, unfortunately, he struggles to hold people’s attention. Many professionals build their business by writing books and teaching to generate leads. But not all people are gifted teachers. Some people speak ...
In leading any organization there are constant challenges and decisions to be made. Some decisions are more difficult than others, which can leave me feeling inadequate at times. That’s when I yearn, and seek, the wisest counsel I can find. Fortunately, I have access to boundless wisdom. Recently, faced with some difficult decisions, I was reminded of the importance ...
In 1 Kings 3, King Solomon was forced to make a tough decision. In this story, two women had babies, one of which died. Both women claimed the living baby was theirs. God gave Solomon the wisdom to offer a brilliant, but unsettling, answer. Solomon asked for a sword and declared that the baby be cut in half. The ...
An economic indicator I find valuable is the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index. This index checks the pulse of small business owners. The 50-year average score for this optimism index has been 98. Last month, the index fell to 88.5, the lowest level since 2012. The primary concern listed in the survey by these entrepreneurs is ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
