day 313: 2010 Resolutions!

Today is the last day of 2009 and the last day of the first decade of the 2000's. Want to talk about how fast a decade goes by, think back to where you were on the Millennium and fast forward to now. Yes, the decade went by faster than we can TIVO through the commercials. And now, we sit down to get those New Year's Resolutions in order and to set our goals and objectives at work for the coming year. I offer this advice as those lists get written down and posted up on the mirror, in the calendars, on the refrigerator, etc.; if you really want to get things done in this coming year, rely less on yourself and the things that you must do, and lean more on God and what you can do for others. Purposed worKING was started because I felt called to share what God was saying to me about work, through the reading of His Word. His Word to us is filled with limitless lessons about work and life, but at some point we have to distill it down into our own framework and our own takeaways to apply to ourselves. What I am constantly amazed by is how God just keeps saying to us, "Don't go it alone" and "Don't do it for yourself". We are so conditioned in our culture to do both. We go to work everyday to do the best we can for ourselves and to succeed and achieve by what we individually do! So, how do we reconcile the conflicting messages that we get daily? We do this by staying in His Word, reflecting on our learning and confirming them with our prayers and counsel of others. If there is one set of things we should resolve to do in 2010 these are; to stay close to God in His word and prayer, resolve to take Him to work with us each and every day, and to set our minds to others for the year, not to ourselves. If we want to be really productive in 2010, then the last one on our list will take care of that for us. We get that promise in Titus 3:14: "Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive." I wish all the best for you in 2010. I am blessed by the faithfulness you show in your walk with the Lord. I know this to be true, otherwise you would not be reading this, this far. I'm looking forward to another great year of worKING to God's Purpose...together with you!

Reference: Titus 3:14 (New Living Testament)

day 311: The Difference One Meeting Can Make

If we were to stop and write down all of the people we meet throughout the course of our work lives, it would probably be in the thousands. Think of all of the people we meet at conferences, business associations, interviews, parties, dinners, co-workers on jobs past, and on and on. We might trade a business card, send an email back and forth, talk on the phone once or twice, and then years later think about them and wonder what ever became of them? Most we don't even remember that long. They are in our lives for a moment and then gone forever. Every now and then I will be walking through an airport and see a face that I know, but with little time and little reciprocated recollection, I just keep walking on. What if we were think about every meeting and every moment as ones that could change the course of our lives or the other persons? Of course this is unrealistic, but is it really? Each and every meeting and moment, we have at least the opportunity to make the best impression and leave behind a calling card of the "type of person" we are. We may never get a chance to speak more deeply than ask how someone is and be a listening ear at a time that someone else is in that need. But, that moment could mean way more to them than us, and that is the point. We are given this example in the baby Jesus story when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem. It was there that a man named Simeon laid his eyes on Jesus and, we are told, his life was changed and fulfilled within that instant. Simeon says in Luke Chapter 2:29-31; " 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” In that one meeting, Simeon's life was made complete and Mary, Joseph and Jesus never planned it to happen. I doubt that many of us will ever have that kind of impact over someone else, but just in the way that we respond, the way that we listen, the way that we care, the way that we take interest in another person, could be the meeting that they were waiting for and the meeting that could make a true difference in their life. Let us think about the importance of the moments and the meetings we are given as we plan and start our New Year.

Reference: Luke 2:29-31 (New Living Testament)

day 310: Starting At The Bottom

I was talking to a college graduate from last year who just found a job. As he described the job to me, he was very humble and grateful that he had any job to begin with. He told me that the job he had taken required him to start at the bottom and work his way up. I explained to him that this was fine and that most of us, myself included, did just the same thing. Not enough stories are told about those who started in the mail room and ended up in the corner office. That's mainly because most of us don't stay in one company long enough to see that full ascension cycle occur. But even when we change jobs, we know that we need to start at the bottom and work our way up. That may mean that we need to start at the bottom of the organization and the root of the work and learn the business from the ground floor, all done before we can be truly effective in our new role. Those that come in from the outside and act as if they know and understand the business before they really do, don't last long. This is a challenge for all of us, to work as though we don't know everything and continue to return to the foundations of our business and to the people who do the real work and value their work and the relationships we can have with them. Just a few day after Christmas we should be reminded that Jesus took the same approach. He came to the earth and started at the bottom of the bottom, as a baby, born in a manger in a stable and from there worked at his life like God desired to rise to be the King of Kings. We so often think that life and success should come easy and that we have "earned it already". Any time we start to fall into that attitude and we forget that life and success at work is really about what we do to work from the bottom up, then all we need to do is think about how our Lord started into this world and how He, without regret or disappointment, worked, learned and waited until it was time for God to bring about His purposes. As we enter into the last days before the New Year, let's not forget the example that Jesus provided for us and let us never forget from where we have come and how important it is to never lose sight of importance of starting at the bottom.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 312: Times To Be Loud?

The Bible is clear with us that to be silent in many cases is the best course of action. But we also read that there are also times for being loud. Work is that way too. There are many times when the best thing we can do is to keep our mouth shut and let others do all of the talking. By keeping quiet, we don't get dragged into the muck or have ourselves lowered to levels that would compromise our values and principles. We have all been in the situations where the emotions are running high and someone says something that he/she regrets. Even after the apology, the problem is that people are slow to forget at work so stories are told and remembered and then passed along. If there is one place that is hard to put a reputation back in the bottle, it is at work. So, we have to be even that much more cognizant and controlled at work. But there are also times to be loud. These are the times when we have to stand up for what is right and in the areas that compromise our values and principles. I feel for the people who have told me that they are sitting in jobs today because they are afraid or worried about getting up and moving somewhere else. They are staying in the jobs they have today even though where they work has become someplace that they no longer can trust or believe in the mission and how people are treated. God wants us to have courage to make the moves and get loud when we have to do so. This past week we likely all heard or sang the song Silent Night. It is a beautiful song and lyrics that give us the peaceful moment when Jesus was born. But even then, Jesus knew that He was going to have to put that silent night and moment behind Him. We read in 1 John 3:8 this account of why Jesus came to the earth; "... But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." Jesus knew that He was coming to fulfill not only the purpose of building up His Kingdom, but also to tear down the works of the devil. Tearing down and destroying means getting loud about some things! Part of our following of Jesus is to be sure that we are also doing our part to destroy the works of the devil. We do that by not taking the devil's side but by getting loud about what is right and living that life fully, courageously, boldly and unabashedly. As we ring in the New Year, let's all feel good about getting loud about it!

day 309: A Long Walk...

I've been known to say that our careers are much like running a marathon, because just like a marathon, being 26.2 miles, a career of 26.2 years (and more) is no matter how you add it up, long. And we don't really run our careers, we more walk them through and do the best we can to keep at it when the hills are in front of us, when we are in the valleys and when the long, unbending road in front of us seems only to end where our eyes can't see any further. This is our career. It's a long walk for all of us regardless of what our careers are and how many changes we have along the way. And in some years, like this one, I know of many people who have felt like it has taken all they have to just keep one foot in front of the other. My favorite movie of all time is Lawrence of Arabia. I don't know why, but some of the scenes in the desert and the long journeys that they take in that movie have always stuck with me. Maybe because the movie is so long too, I don't know, but I know that I have felt on more than one occasion that like the movie, the future was nothing but a mirage on the horizon and that there couldn't possibly be that much distance between here and there. One foot in front of the other has been a mantra for me on more than one job and one part of my career. Our careers are long walks that if we don't know where we are going and why, can for many days, weeks, months or years, seem intolerable. I wonder if this is how the Wise Men (the Magi) may have felt in the middle of their journey to see Jesus. Here they were, three men who decided to follow a star, a light in the sky, to see where it shone, to see if a prophecy was true. I have often wondered why others didn't do the same. If there was this bright light in the sky and there was legend, lore, prophecy that this would happen, why didn't many more didn't follow to see, if for nothing else, if the prophecy was true? My conjecture is that the three wise men were not the only ones who traveled to find the star, they were the just the only three who finished the journey. If it was like theologians and historians say it was, this was a multiple year trip, that was far from easy and in fact was from such a distance and terrain difference that the scenes in Lawrence of Arabia would look easy. Suffice to say, it was a long, long walk and only three finally showed up. We can take a lesson about our careers from the Wise Men. They followed what they believed to be the light and the steps of the Lord. They did not give up. They did not turn back and while they may have doubted along the way, they showed up in a spirit of appreciation, awe and gift-giving. Every day in our jobs we take steps along the way, steps that can be leading the right way, or the wrong way. Regardless, it is a long, long walk that we are on and if we don't follow the light we have been given, if we don't persevere, if we don't stay true to the real purpose, then we will miss out on the gift-giving that comes from giving glory to God in all that we do. There was a reason we call them the "wise men". They gave us a lesson of wisdom that we should never forget.

Have a very Merry Christmas eve and truly wonderful Christmas Day!

Reference: Matthew 2:1-2 (New Living Testament)

day 308: Immanuel

As we march into the closing days of 2009, many of us are taking some time, before 2010 shows up, to look back over our shoulders and assess the year. It has not been an easy year for anyone in the work world. Much has changed and we've had to change with it. If there was a year that tested so many people in the workplace, it was long before most of were working or alive. Those that remember the Great Depression are the only ones who have seen this much sweeping change and uncertainty within such a short time frame. When there is this much turmoil, we are all affected and that impact shows up in us. I reflect on the people I know who along with their job struggles have had troubles also show up at home in their families, marriages and personal lives. Work is hard enough without the extra emotional charge of not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Many of us are winding it up this week and will try and take some vacation between the holidays and with that comes the extra stress of being away and trying to keep up. This is also something to be managed for if we aren't cognizant of this extra amount of pressure it can really start the holiday break off on the wrong foot. It's kind of like the movie "Home Alone" when the family is so caught up in the rush and the stress of the moment that they forget who they have left behind. It makes a classic movie, but it doesn't make good life story. In these challenging times, we can be just like that family who left Kevin at home sleeping, except in all of the rush, stress, pressures and worry, we tend to leave instead, God behind and then when we feel too far away with no way of turning back, we scream out, "Where are you God?", when it was us, not Him, who left Him home in the first place. This is the week when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who took on another important name for all us to remember; "...and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" In these last few days before the Christmas break, don't forget that Immanuel is there with you. In His coming, he guarantees that He is with us at all times, never to be truly left behind, only diminished by us when we put ourselves ahead of Him. Can we close this week with us bringing God, Immanuel, back to work with us and make the commitment for next year to have Him with us every day!

Reference: Matthew 1:23 (New Living Testament)

day 307: In A Whole New Light

The last couple of years have caused any of who work to stop and rethink everything. We have had to rethink our company directions, the access to capital, the loyalty of our customers, the regulations that comes with doing business and all these and more causing a lot of us to rethink our careers and the feelings we have about the jobs currently hold. At the end of the year, it is always a good time do an inventory of how the year has unfolded and take stock of how things have gone. For many, and at least 1 out 10 Americans, this past year has not gone well in the job market. This has been a year where the bright light that we had been seeing with has dimmed and it has been hard to vision the future. What has happened to us has not been any fun and it has taken its toll emotionally collectively and individually. It seems everyone has been touched by the economic woes, or knows of many who have. As we finish a year with anticipation, we look for the light at the the end of the tunnel and expect for it to show up for us at any moment. I again reflect on the night of Christ's birth when the shepherds were in the fields, going about their work. Their work being hard, dirty, lonely and not on the list of most desired jobs. When, suddenly they were exposed to a new light, a light from heaven that revealed to them something that would forever change their lives and the course of mankind. These were just men going about their jobs, that day being just like all others, when they began to see things in a different light. That is what God does for us. He gives us through free will the ability to go through our daily lives, to do our jobs, and chart a life course. And then when we have drifted or out there where it is lonely, dirty and undesirable, He will give us His light to find our way to, and back to Him. His light shines as brightly today as it did over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. All we need to do is look for it and follow. Today, we start Christmas week. Can you look for the light to follow this week?

Reference: Luke, Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 306: Patience

As I was thinking about today's post, I realized that at work the rare time that someone tells you that you have to have patience is when they are telling you that you are not going to achieve something that you want, that they are in control of giving. For example; a promotion, a transfer, a pay increase or more compensation of any sort. I can hear myself having told others, "You just need to be patient". I also have used different words to say the same thing like, "It's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when". I can't say that this is all bad, it's just that the juxtaposition of this message with most of the other messages in business that makes the message difference so stark. In one conversation, like in most, it is about how fast can we achieve something, but when it comes to our own development and progression, we are to have "patience". That all said, we know that patience is a virtue and those who have a healthy dose of it seem to be happier and have more long-term endurance. It is one of the harder areas in our lives to balance at work because it means having both a long-term view while still having short-term "oomph". In this Christmas season, I think of a group of people who must have had an enormous amount of patience. These being the shepherds who were the first to be told and see the baby Jesus. Of course, they had to be shown to believe, but once they were in the presence of Jesus they knew then and there that He was the King. But think about what happened next to them. They went back to their work, into the fields, and then depending upon their age at the time, may never have known if Jesus was really the King or not. For another 30 years, they would have no indication of what they saw that night was real, or not. What faith the ones who held their belief all that time must have had. Even their best of friends and family must have begun to worry about them after they kept telling the same story over and over with nothing to prove it really happened. We are like that many times too. We trust in God for something in the moment that we know he can deliver, but after time, if nothing happens, our trust and faith erodes and dissipates as if we never believed in the first place. God gives us the example of the shepherds in Luke Chapter 2 as examples of faith and patience. We, like them, need to have the patience to wait and hold on to what we believe and in God's own time, He will reveal Himself once again. Today would be a great day to reflect on the patience of the shepherds and to challenge ourselves on our own patience level not only with God, but with others around us. He wants us to be the ones who have the patience, of Job and the patience of the shepherds.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 305: Big Shoulders

Any job that we do well comes with responsibility and accountability. I can't think of any job where something is not expected from the person doing the job. Even if the work is just sitting around at a desk (like a security guard), the person doing the job has to show up at the assigned time and stay through the scheduled work time. And while there are many jobs where at the end of the day, the work is left at the workplace, even that work can have us at the end of the day or into the night, rethinking the day and playing back what we did to make sure we didn't mess up or forget something. As we gain more responsibility, we take on more and more of the burden that comes with that responsibility. We even talk about it openly at work when we say, "to do that job you have to have big and wide shoulders". This comes from the story and image of Atlas holding up the globe on his shoulders. Some days it feels just like that and that weight can feel overwhelming. On those days we are best reminded of what Jesus came to take upon His shoulders. Hundreds and hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote that a child would be born and he would not only bear the weight of the lives and souls of each of us, but He would also be the bearer of all that we know. In Isaiah 9:6 we read these words that are so familiar to us at this time of year;

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

As a child born into the world, Jesus was given the government of our world to rest squarely on His shoulders. As you think about the pressures, the stress, the problems, the challenges, the needs of others and the obstacles in front of you, don't forget to rejoice that God gave us His Son who has already taken all of the biggest and toughest challenges on His shoulders for us. And what He is asking from us daily, is to just keep loading Him up. His shoulders are big enough for us to give all that we have to Him. He never shrugs and He never tires. He holds it all up, for us. So as we think about the baby Jesus over the next week plus and we celebrate His birth, let's also remember that this little baby took it all for us, gave His all for us, and waits on us to give Him more. There is nothing we should let sit on our own shoulders that distracts or detracts from us accepting the gift of His love and living the abundant life that He wants us to have.

Reference: Isaiah 9:6 (New Living Testament)

day 304: Appropriate Office Gifts

By the end of this week people will be leaving for the Christmas week, so between now and Friday whatever gifts that are going to be exchanged in the office will likely be given. As such, the business media pulls out their annual stories about the gifts that are given in the office and what is appropriate and what is not. Some companies have their own rules around what can be given to vendors or customers and those policies have to be followed. But few talk about what is okay to pass along to other co-workers, the boss, and subordinates. I was never much of a gift giver but if I did give a gift I played it safe and I would give, for example, the same book to all my direct reports. The reason we have to play it safe is that even a gift can be misinterpreted or worse yet animosity can be created if one person gets one gift and another gets something else. So, whether we like it or not, we even have to think hard about the gifts that we give at work. Another reason, I guess why we call it work. Here is a set of appropriate gifts that you can give to anyone and a set of gifts that can be given all year long, every day, to everyone. No, they are not Harry and David fruits. They are even better. The fruits of the spirit are the gifts that are all age, people and job appropriate. We read in Galatians 5:22; "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I cannot imagine a better set of gifts to give to others for this coming year. And how these gifts would multiply if we were able to give them daily and consistently. As we think about what it is that we can give to others, before we go to the superficial and the ones that are soon forgotten, used up, or thrown away, think about the gifts that you have as a believer and follower of Jesus and see if you can't start giving these gifts away, right away, even starting today.

Reference: Galatians 5:22 (New Living Testament)

day 303: The Season For Giving

This is the season for giving. We are gearing up at the office for the Holiday party, looking forward to time off from work to spend with family and friends, and we have to get that shopping done in the midst of everyone trying to get all of the work done before the end of the year. It becomes a very busy time and while it shouldn't be, it becomes a time of stress both at work and home. When the stress sets in, the worst comes out. In these times when everything is focused on getting everything done before the big day or the end of the year, we undoubtedly will be let down by others, not get everything we need from others, and them not get all from us that they need. There will be criticism for not working fast enough and challenges that will test our patience. The question is whether or not we will rise above the stress and the pressure or allow the stress to get to us? Remember, this is the season for giving and with the play on the words, the season for forgiving. If we can enter the time with both of these attitudes at the forefront of our minds and hearts then we can come through this year with our heads held high and our example and role modeling that we desire held intact. As we think about this through the season and if we need any example how to give and forgive in this time we need only look at the greatest verse of all in the Bible. In John 3:16 we read; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." In that one verse we receive the greatest gift of all, and only to be forgiven when we receive Him. Yes, this is the season of giving and the season of forgiving. Can we embrace this season with our hearts and minds set firmly both in giving ourselves to others and forgiving those around us? To get the most from this time of year and to truly celebrate the coming our King, we must be able to give and forgive.

Reference: John 3:16 (New Living Testament)

day 302: Not Who You Think...

In business we have become conditioned to think that it is with the people at the top that the best things happen. The press and the media always profile the CEO and Board Members but rarely are the rank and file or front line employees profiled, talked about or given the spotlight. I appreciate the CEOs who go out of their way to make sure that it is their employees who get the credit when the credit is due. But too many people try and take the credit and we when we see that happening there is a resentment than can build up and an attitude within the company that no matter who does what that the person at the top of the organization chart will take the credit. When this infiltrates the culture it is nearly impossible to remove it going forward. What is also scary is that this can sneak up on companies and because leaders don't see it, they may never know it is there, but the employees do. Any of us who are in leadership positions or who are even thought of as leaders on the team of our peers, need to be very sensitive and cognizant of not allowing ourselves to fall into the trap of taking credit. Amazing things are happening to all kinds of people in the company and sometimes even the most fascinating and exciting things can happen to those in the most unlikely positions. It is this time of year when we study the Christmas story. It is made clear to us that the most lowly of the least desired jobs were the first to be told of the birth of Jesus and see him in the manger. The shepherds who were just out doing their jobs in the middle of the night were chosen to be the ones to go and find Jesus. How come the angels were not sent to Kings, CEOs, and people in important positions? Because, God was telling us once again that He is there for us all and He can't see organization charts, hierarchies, or amounts on W-2s. The angels revealed themselves and the birth of Jesus to the right people, because as we read in Luke Chapter 2, they were frightened and amazed. I only wish I could have heard their first hand account of that night. I suspect that any King or CEO listening to their stories wished they had been able to have been there. This week as you work, remember it is not who we think who has the most amazing things happen to them. Take a moment to recognize those who may feel like they get left out or forgotten. One word of encouragement and thanks this week could make a difference and they may well see your faith and belief coming through your words and actions.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 301: Who Moved My....?

Many a business book has sold well on the idea of all of us being movable, adaptable and open and ready for change. It's the way of business today. If we can't change and react rapidly we get left behind or obsoleted. I have seen many an organization that was so flexible to change that change became the driver for the company. These are the organizations where every six months there is a major reorganization of the company and it can sometimes feel like the only constant is change. What I watch out for and fear in those companies is that there comes a sense that they must change for the sake of changing without any firm strategic or directional footing. Change for the sake of change itself is not all that organizationally healthy. As workers in a company, we are asked to change individually as well as corporately. We have to flex with the new initiatives, the new boss, the new co-worker, sometimes the new owner of the business. We have to be corporate chameleons sometimes because the colors around us change so fast. There is a watch out here too. That warning is that we can't be changing our own values and principles to just satisfy the direction du jour. We have to be centered and grounded somewhere. The new boss that has a whole different approach to how people are treated or what is appropriate as actions in a company setting, can set a new tone that we are going to be expected to adapt to, to go with the flow, and to be considered good at change. But there are sometimes where we must be immovable. Just because we are believers doesn't mean that it is any easier to see all of the changes that are coming at us. Of course, the big changes are obvious but like the frog in the warming water, sometimes it is hard to see it coming. Paul says to us this in 1 Corinthians 15:58; "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." Paul is telling us that if we work enthusiastically for the Lord first, then we will be able to be immovable in those areas where we need to be steadfast and rock solid. Today, you may be asking yourself in the mirror questions and wondering who you have become? It is never too late to return to where you know you need to be immovable. Today, would be a great day to make the move back to where you know you and God want you to be.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 15:58 (New Living Testament)

day 300: Hand In Hand

"We'll walk hand in hand through this", said the boss to his subordinate as they talked about the hairy project they had in front of them. The subordinate thought about that statement as he walked back to his cubicle, knowing that his definition of hand in hand was far different than his bosses. As the one who was going to be doing the work, putting in the long hours, formulating the presentation, and putting his neck on the line if they missed the deadline or didn't succeed in completing the project, what he wanted from hand in hand was someone who would be there for him each and every move and someone to help with the real work. His suspicion that there were differing definitions was correct, for his boss was thinking that hand in hand meant that as a good manager he would get out of the way and let his employee work independently and he could be there as support, guidance and air cover in case anything came up. And at the end of the project, the employee would get the credit, but everyone would see that he had managed the project well. As far as those long hours, days and weeks, he could check in on the employee regularly and offer to provide any help needed, knowing that with this employee, there would never be a request. Hand in hand meant two very different things to these two people. Work is like that many times. We desire a level of support, partnership, and comradery that is an unrealistic expectation. Yet, we long for that tight-knit, side-by-side, deeper working together. The truth is that it rarely happens and when it does, it is a gift. So, we have to look beyond people for that level of support. David says in Psalm 37:24; "Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand." The only hand in hand relationship we can expect without any fear of disappointment or letting go is the one that comes with a personal relationship with God. Today, you may feel like you are in hand to hand battle at work, when all you want is hand in hand working. Move your expectations away from the people around you and claim a hand in hand relationship with God and watch what happens. He wants to be hand in hand with you everyday, all day, and with you as much at work as anywhere.

Reference: Psalm 37:24 (New Living Testament)

day 299: Who I Am

I was on a Southwest Airline flight the other day and because I had to power down my Kindle e-book during takeoff and landing I picked up the Southwest Airline magazine and browsed through the articles and advertisements. In the back of the magazine was an ad for the airline itself and all it was were pictures of employees and their employee identification badges that said, "What I do" and "Who I am". The "What I do" statement were what you would expect, First Officer, Accounts Payable Manager, Aircraft Mechanic, etc. It was the "Who I am" blurbs that stood out; "Speaker for Recycling, Volunteer at a Children's Hospital, Mentor, Box packer at a food bank, Walker for shelter animals, Support for military families, and on and on. With each one I read, I was touched and when I would go back and look at their pictures and then their job titles, their jobs took on so much more importance to me. They came alive. It made me think about how it easy for us at work to just worry about "what I do" and to pay little attention to "Who I am" and to many times just hide that "Who I am" under the proverbial bushel. As believers who work to bring our purpose to life, on our jobs and in our workplace, we should spend more time thinking, deciding and talking about, "Who I am". That is the part of us that makes us alive and human to others. It is the "Who I am" that is the real, unselfish, giving, caring and loving person. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23; "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me". He is saying to us that we have to subordinate the "What I do", to the "Who I am". Can we think about this today and be sure that we have a good strong definition of "Who I am" that aligns squarely with who God wants us to be?

Reference: Luke 9:23 (New Living Testament)

day 298: Persuasion

We all know people at work who are more persuasive than others. It seems like no matter what they tackle and who they have to convince, they are able to persuade, convince and win over others. Sometimes it is their knowledge, other times it is their experience, but mostly it is their ability to influence and how they use their personality and communication skills to persuade other people. A lot of times these are also people we like because they have figured out how to connect with many different types of people. The other characteristic that makes them so persuasive is that they have confidence that others may think cannot be possible. It is like the confidence is automatic and unwavering within these individuals. It's impressive. When we look at these people and then compare ourselves, we likely ask the question, "What is it that they have, that I don't?" Once dissected past the skills, knowledge and experience, looking at confidence levels is probably most important area to becoming more persuasive. No one can be persuasive if they lack confidence in themselves and their position. I not only see this regularly in business but also in many people's lives outside of work. As believers there is no reason for us to lack confidence in anything we do, because if we take the power of God with us into every situation, then we can go forward with all the confidence needed. We read this in Ephesians 3:12; "Because of Christ and our faith in him,we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence." This says that if we can go to God boldly and confidently with our needs and issues, then we can rise from His throne with the same confidence and boldness. From there, we can walk forward with that underlying foundation of being persuasive. The more persuasive each of us can be, then the more others will look at the examples within our lives that make us different and our lives intriguing to others. Today, think about what it is that you need to be more persuasive.

Reference: Ephesians 3:12 (New Living Testament)

day 297: Follow The Leader

Yesterday in the Children’s Church that I help teach at our church one of the other teachers was talking to the kids about how important it was that we follow Jesus. In the course of her teaching she asked the kids why it so hard to follow Him? One of the smarter and quicker to answer kids said, “Because we can’t see Him”. As I listened to that answer I also heard more than just a child’s response, I heard a business person’s lesson on how to be better at following Jesus in our work lives. At work it is always easier to follow someone who we work more closely with than it is someone who we have little interaction and/or only hear about what he/she thinks or says. I believe this is one of the reasons that all of the management and leadership studies show that our direct and immediate supervisor or manager is the person who we trust most at work. The layers of people above us and the hierarchy that comes with those layers, dissolve the trust, layer by layer. It’s just hard to trust someone you don’t know and it’s impossible to follow someone you don’t trust. If any of us are managers or leaders then we should be aware that we carry a great responsibility and burden as the person who others are counting on and trusting with their work, their jobs, their careers. And our leaders are counting on us to follow them as they do their best to lead. They look to us to fulfill their wishes and support the vision, mission and objectives of the company or their area. When we “fall in line” and follow, they are pleased. When we stray and go our own way, they are not happy with us. The same is true of how we follow Jesus. No, we cannot see Him. No, we cannot expect that we are going to receive a divine intervention or an audible “word” from God telling us what to do. As much as we would love it, we are not going to get the direct words of Jesus like in Mark 1:17, when He said,“Come follow me...” We don’t need those as we have been given so many ways within His word to know how to follow His leadership. At work we are expected to follow a leader, in our life we are expected to follow THE leader. If we can apply the same amount of concentration, effort and commitment to following Jesus day in and day out, as we do to follow a leader at work, we may find that the rewards we begin receiving from being a follower are multiplied many times over. Are you being a follower and living out daily the expectations and desires of God? Would those around you at work know that you follow a larger leader in your life? As we close off this year and we plan for next year, now would be a great time to start thinking about how to improve our following skills.

Reference: Mark 1:17 (New Living Testament)

day 296: Working On A Slant

I listened as it was described to me the pains and troubles of working on a slant. The context was working outside on the land where the ground is on a hill, on a slant. The same work that can be done on the flat and level can take 30-40% more time when you have to work on a slant and even the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, and the most able, have to call it quits early when they are working on a slant. As I listened to this, I could feel my hamstrings, my back, and my neck saying to me, "don't you even try it". For me, manual labor is not easy anyway, and like most of us, I know the feeling of being bent over the garden and yard for a day and how I feel the next day. Thinking about doing that on an incline where it is not only strength but also balance and the use of other muscles to keep upright and stable, makes me sore just to think about it. As I listened, I also heard a metaphor for how we all are sometimes asked to work. We may not have to go and clear a hill of weeds or brush, but we many times are asked to work on a slant within our own jobs where we are pushed, strained, and stretched to a point we don't think we can go on. The slant may be an unfair circumstance, or lack of resources, or lack of direction, or not enough time, or not cooperative co-workers. The slant can come at us in many different ways. And regardless, we mush react, act and overcome. But after too many hours on the slant we are just like the physical laborer, we have to call it quits because we don't have any more in the tank to give. As believers, we have someone to call on to help us level the land in front of us. God gives us His promises that He will be a rock, a foundation, a steady place in the midst of the not level and shaky. We read in Psalm 62:2; "He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." God has built His and our fortress on His rock, which is as level and workable as any we could ever imagine. When we get ourselves caught on the slant and can't keep our balance or are losing our strength to lean up and into the hill, crawl up on His rock to find that balance and steady footing you need. Today, you may feel like you are working on a slant, and maybe have been for a long time. Know this, God does not want you to fall down any incline. He just wants you to stop looking for the level ground on your own. As soon as you allow him to give you your footing, the field will level and you will find yourself on steady ground once again. Because of this promise, don't ever let the slant get you down!

Reference: Psalm 62:2 (New Living Testament)

day 295: The Main Thing...

I was in meetings yesterday with a very talented and accomplished business entrepreneur who runs a very successful company. He also happens to be a strong believer and leads his company with God-driven and faith-filled principles. As we were talking he referenced a few times a quote that he had heard a long time ago, that was later said now broadly attributed to Stephen Covey; "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing". What a simple concept, but such a hard thing to do. What I noticed about when this CEO would say this was that he was talking out load to himself as much as he was talking to me and the other people in the room. This simple statement is not only a philosophical statement, it is also a constant priority reminder and gut check on ensuring that you are doing the right thing first, the right thing most and the right thing for the right reasons. It is a natural tendency to drift in our work. There are so many different priorities that are put to us daily. There are the priorities that come from our boss, those that come from our peers, those that come from our customers and those that are our own priorities that we want to do ourselves. So the main thing can drift and the main thing can get out of focus and the main thing can slip down the list into one of the other things. So, not only do we need to know what the main thing is, we may have to say it out loud to ourselves a few times a day, to remind ourselves what that main thing is and to keep that main thing, the main thing. As believers God also tells us through His word what is our main thing. He says in Proverbs 4:25; "Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you." God is saying to us, don't let yourself waiver or become unfocused, just keep the main thing, the main thing. And we know what that main thing is as we bring our purpose to our work. Our main thing is to bring glory to God in all that we do. Today, remind yourself of the main thing and see if you can keep it the main thing all this day and don't hesitate to say out loud a few times as a reminder, "the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing".

Reference: Proverbs 4:25 (New Living Testament)

day 294: Fresh Air

Sometimes when we are at work and we are at our wits end there is nothing better than going outside and getting some fresh air. There have been many times in my career where I have said to myself and others, "I just need to go for a walk, I'll be back". Just the change of air can make the difference between hope and despair. We get pent up in one place and we need a change of venue, a change of location, a change in the sights, sounds and smells around us to clear our head. I once read a study that we can become 40% more productive by changing location for what we are doing at the moment. That makes sense to me as when I really want to concentrate and get something done quickly, I take that work into another room or to another desk, away from my office where I can get distracted with all the other things that I need to do. That change of venue really helps. The same can be said for a change in environment like the change that comes with different sights,sounds and smells around us. The most subtle of changes can take us away from the fixations we have on one thing and allow us to concentrate on what we need to do. We also can get that change and breath of fresh air when we change the people around us for advice and counsel. If we are stuck in a problem or feel like we have run into a brick wall, we probably also need to change the people who are giving us our advice and look for others who can add a new perspective and give us new and fresh ideas. Many times that new way of looking at things can open up our minds to another idea or another solution. The wisdom of the Proverbs brings this to us as well in Proverbs 27:9; "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense." How many times have you felt "stuck" in a situation, sometimes so stuck that it feels like you just can't breathe and you know you can't figure this out on your own? I know I have been there many times and the breath of fresh air has come from someone else who takes the time to hear out what is on my mind and then adds their take on the problem. That extra thinking, those caring words, have been what helped me through the issue. When we try to go it alone all the time, which can be the tendency for many of us, before long we are breathing our own air and everything feels stale. We need that fresh and sweet air that comes from the advice and counsel of a friend. Find that friend of yours today and seek out their counsel before you make another decision and also see if you can't become that friend to someone else who needs your counsel today.

Reference: Proverbs 27:9 (New Living Testament)

day 293: Sense Of Direction

Work takes good sense of personal direction and yes, it would be ideal if there was an "app for this". But there isn't. It just takes good common sense and emotional intelligence to navigate through the complex weave that are organization structures and people relationships. It's an odd combination that takes us as people and places outside of our home and comfort zone into a place where we know some (but maybe not all) of with whom we work and we spend our time and energy against objectives that we don't really own (unless it is our own business) but instead we kind of "rent". My nephew who has graduated college and now working in his first real job is reading Atlas Shrugged for the first time. While I personally disagree with Ayn Rand's totally self-centered and atheistic beliefs of Objectivism, I still love the book as there are good challenges to us as "workers" in her literature around how we each need to be productive and adding to a collective innovation to better work and companies. My nephew is looking at his own job through this lens and wondering if he really is making a difference or not. I don't think that he is alone in that question. Work is complex on so many fronts both physically and emotionally. It many times boils down to the complex nature of people and who we each are and what makes us up. We each, each day, add or subtract from that complexity by out attitudes, cooperation and spirit of teamwork. It is no wonder that it takes a great sense of direction to navigate successfully through a job. And when we are faced with that complexity and how it can sometimes overwhelm us to the point we don't know which way is up, we should stop and marvel on it and praise God for making it all so intriguing and interesting. David writes out of his difficult experiences and turns his needing for direction into a praise in Psalm 139:4; "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it". David found his sense of direction within the marveling of the complexity. Today, you may be facing a navigation issue at work. You may not know which way to turn with a problem or with another person who you are struggling. Or you may be wondering, like my nephew, "what am I really doing here"? In those moments, remember the words of David and praise God for the complexity and the workmanship. May God give you the sense of direction you need to make the complex simple and to allow you to navigate with confidence.

Reference: Psalm 139:4 (New Living Testament)

day 292: Thresholds

I have written before about how different our attitudes are when we are going to work versus going home. Many people will talk about how they are "different people" at work versus home, and they don't like it. They talk about how they are positive, enthusiastic, optimistic at home, but on their way to work it feels like all of that life is sucked out of them. What happens that makes us feel this way? Why is it that when we start thinking about work that a whole different set of feelings and emotions creep up on us, and why does it have to be that way? Since no one but ourselves can control our emotions and feelings, it doesn't have to be this way and it all begins with the management of the thresholds. Each day we cross the threshold of our homes on the way to work, then we cross the threshold of our workplace. Later in that day we cross that threshold again on our way home and then we return to the threshold of our home for the last crossing of the day. If we were to think intently and deliberately about our emotions and feelings each time we make those crossings, then our attitude can be managed consistently. And that consistency is important in how we are viewed, appraised and interpreted by others around us, both at home and work. What God has to say about this can be found in Psalm 100:4; "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name." The point here is that we can make any threshold His gates and His courts. It is all in how we think about our work and homes and the attitude that we bring into them within our hearts and minds. We can cross any threshold in a place of thanksgiving and praise and make them a place that can be called His. This week as we come off the long weekend focused on thanks, let us not lose that spirit and instead bring that same thanksgiving and praise to God with us as we cross the thresholds to leave home, go to work, leave from work, and go back home. May each threshold be the thresholds that are His.

Reference: Psalm 100:4 (New Living Testament)

day 291: 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?

It's not unusual in most religions to hear someone call someone else, "brother" or "sister". The Catholic religion formalizes it with people who are "brothers" formally established from an order. We don't call each other brothers or sisters at work though. That would be strange. But not so strange for the military where a troop will be thought of as a "band of brothers". At work, we just aren't that close nor dependent on one another to establish that we can or will treat each other like brothers or sisters. Although, when we step back and think about it and all that we go through together and put each other through, there is no reason why we shouldn't be establishing relationships that are that close and that important. I am fortunate that I have some lifelong friends who have come from the places where I have worked. A few I would even call "brother". In each of these friendships we shared an experience together where it was hard and/or we both went through something individually that was the same, in essence, and we can share and reflect on that moment in time. This is not unlike the military where soldiers who share a foxhole in battle become lifelong friends, companions and brothers. The Bible speaks of this in Proverbs 17:17; "A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." There in lies the difference between a friend and a brother. When someone is there for us so they can help us in our time of need, they feel like a brother/sister and oh, how we need these people often in our careers. If we miss the opportunity to know those brothers and sisters at work, who are there for us when we need them, then we are missing out on a big part of the positive experience that can come from work. And just as bad, maybe worse, is when we aren't establishing ourselves as brothers and sisters for others because we are too caught up in us and our own thing. Today, take a moment and think about the people who you work with and think about who might call you brother or sister and why? And, who wouldn't, and why not? If you are there for others in their time of need, you are more likely than you think to be thought of as the big brother/sister that you never imagined. We all need a brother/sister. Can you become one today?

Reference: Proverbs 17:17 (New Living Testament)

day 290: Thankfulness

I am just going to come out and say that there is not enough of a spirit of thankfulness when we are at work. Something not good happens when we put the key in the door or swipe the card key and cross the threshold into our workplaces. Sure, we tell people thank you throughout the day and we finish our emails with "thanks", but do we really, really have a spirit of thankfulness when it comes to our work and the people who we work with and around? When we are truly thankful for something we cherish it, we protect it, and we do whatever we have to do to keep that object, experience or person firmly in our lives. If we were to heave everyone go around the room in a business meeting and do like we do in church and point out the things we were thankful for, it would be an interesting exercise to see what people highlight and even more interesting to see what they don't mention. When we do this at church, like I did this past weekend with the kids in my Sunday school class, the words come from the heart; family, friends, a house, food on the table, loved ones who care and pray for us, our church, the ability to freely worship, etc. And in this day and age, from adults you hear a lot more people sincerely thankful to have a job. But, if we come out from under the steeple and do the same exercise in the board room, I suspect the answers would be much different and way more superficial because the spirit of thankfulness is not alive and well in the workplace. Yes, there is a thankfulness for having a job in the first place, but even that is transferable and temporary. The spirit of thankfulness is getting down under the surface and really appreciating and loving something or someone for what they do and how they support us, and in return us caring so much that we would do nearly anything to keep them as part of our lives. This is a week where we should be going about the work of becoming thankful to others around us. Where that starts is with returning to the One who we can all be thankful and asking Him to instill that spirit within us. We read in Colossians 2:7; "Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." If we want to be known and seen as someone who is thankful we have to position our lives and ourselves to Him first. Someone at your workplace today needs to know that they are appreciated and that you are thankful for them. Can you seek them out, find them today and reach out to them with a spirit of thankfulness and really tell them how thankful you are for them? What you get back in return may be a whole lot more good than you ever expected.

Reference: Colossians 2:7 (New Living Testament)

day 289: Garment Workers

Over my vacation I finally got around to reading Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Outliers". Among the many stories that he tells, which all reinforce his message that each of us gets to where we are in life through the assistance of others and circumstantial opportunities, he goes deeply into the details the the rise of the number of successful law firms in New York City that grew out of the children of first-generation immigrants who were garment makers. This story about the number of garment workers' children who grew to be the educated and leading lawyers is in itself fascinating. That we all, or at least the many successful and talented people that Gladwell chronicles in the book, are the by-products of others, whether those people know it or not is even more fascinating. This not unlike the fact that we are certainly products of the prayers that went before us. A Grandmother or Grandfather, a teacher, a parent, or someone at church who prayed our names, have all influenced and been a part of our lives. The part in Gladwell's book about the garment makers' offspring reminded me of the Bible verse in Isaiah 61:3 that says we are to "put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness". A garment of praise? a spirit of heaviness? What is Isaiah trying to get at with us? The spirit of heaviness is one that we put on ourselves like a heavy coat that weighs us down. When we feel sorry for ourselves, or let ourselves feel lonely, of when we become ungrateful, or when we become selfish. These are all the things that can lead to our spirit getting loaded up and loaded down. The only we can break that spirit is to replace the heaviness with the garment of praise. A garment of praise is right there with us at all times, starting with us thanking God for all of the great and wonderful things he has done for us. The Bible calls us to fill our minds and think on the things that are wholesome, good and right. When we are feeling burdened and weighted down with all of the heaviness that comes with this world, we need to be sure that we rise above those emotions and that we start thanking and praising God for the good things in life he as given us. And with these praises and this thankful attitude we will be donning our garments of praise and squeezing out the doubtful thoughts and burdensome questions. God gives us the assurance that He will rescue us from any situation. Likewise, He will removes any spirit of heaviness that we feel, if we will only accept His garment of praise. Like the garment workers who worked so hard and so diligently to rise above the forces that would have kept them down, we too, as believers, need to be the first to shed the heaviness and welcome the gifts of the Lord and be the most thankful of people. In this short Thanksgiving workweek, start today with putting on the garment of praise and thankfulness!

Reference: Isaiah 61:3

day 288: Coaching

Coaching in the workplace is being talked about again. In the last few months I have been approached to be a coach, been asked about coaching programs, and asked to recommend coaches. What I believe is happening is that the cutback in internal leadership development and human resources support is catching up with companies and executives are looking around and realizing that they they need to have their people developed and coached, but have no where to turn. Everyone could use a good coach. There are no great athletes who succeed that do not credit a coach along the way as part of how they reached their best performance. I would also venture to say that many of us have found our informal coaches as well. These are the people who we lean on to give us advice, shoot straight with us and be a sounding board when we don't have anywhere else to turn. The unfortunate part is that these people don't always have the opportunity to see us live in action, everyday, and be on the sidelines to "coach us along" as we work. That is the added value of having a formal coach. Even one of the greatest men of the Bible had to have, in the ways of the time, a coach. When Moses pushed back on God and told Him that he did not have the skills to approach Pharaoh and represent the Israelites, God gave him his brother Aaron to be there for him. And in this case, Moses and Aaron coached each other and together the two of them performed to God's request. What it must have been like to have been in those pre-Pharaoh meetings and having Moses and Aaron setting their strategy and plans and coaching each other on how best to convince Pharaoh to set the Israelites free. And then having God in the conversation too, well, wow!. This all begs the question of who do we have in our work lives who could be our coach to help us through the struggles of living and working our purpose in our jobs? Is there someone who you work with who shares your beliefs where the two of you, or maybe even more, commit to coach each other and to take the accountability to make each stronger and more capable as role models and examples of the life and ways of Christ? Now may be the right time for you to find that coach and to be commit to being a coach for someone else.

Reference: Exodus 4:27-31 (New Living Testament)

day 287: Throw Off The Covets

I have a friend who just lost out on the job as the senior HR Executive for the one of the "hot" companies in the alternative energy/transportation space. She was called out of the blue by a recruiter who talked her into considering the role, interviewing, falling in love with the company and the management team, preparing on how to communicate her departure from the very good company and very good job that she has now, and emotionally being in the new role. She had gone as far as seeing herself in the new job and she was playing it all out in her mind. Then, last week, after she had gone through all of the interviews and was waiting for the offer to be delivered to her, she got a call from the recruiter that the company had decided to go with someone else for the position. I read the email from her and I braced myself as I scrolled down the message. I expected to hear the disappointment and the border-line anger jump off of the page. But, lo and behold, it didn't, she didn't. Instead, what I read was a very mature and gracious acceptance of the fact that "maybe, it just wasn't meant to be". She then went on to write, and I think say to herself through her note to me, that she works for a great company, she likes her job, she loves her team, and respects her boss, so why should she fret? She said, "I felt honored to be in the consideration, now back to work". I say, "wow", because she is, in my experience, one in ten who can take this attitude. Too many times to count in my career have I watched job and career envy eat someone up from the inside out. If they didn't get the job or the promotion, or someone else looks like they are getting ahead of them, or they feel like they should be the one to get the next promotion, etc., they let coveting take over. We know from the earliest of our Bible teachings that we are not to covet and we most always put that in the context of other physical possessions, etc. But, we can also put that job that someone else got, that promotion that got away from us, that extra bonus payment that a co-worker received, that consulting assignment that a competitor won, all in the bucket of things that we shouldn't covet. My friend is not a believer, but in her situation, she acted like one. As believers and followers of Jesus, we have to be the same way. If you are right now covered with coveting, today would be the day to throw off the covets and let your true faith and assurances shine through.

Reference: Exodus 20:17 (New Living Testament)

day 286: What Hav e You Done For Me Lately?

After having been out of the country for nearly three weeks and all of that time without email or phone access, I entered back into news and data orbit wondering what had happened while I was gone. It didn't take long to catch back up and find out who won the world series, what was happening on healthcare reform, the Fort Hood tragic deaths, etc. Of course being the work and job guys I had to check in and see what the October job loss numbers were (better but still a half-a-million losses for the month). As I dug under those numbers I saw some familiar companies who had made job cuts over the past year, again announcing reductions in their staffs. I put myself in the shoes of the employees at those companies where there have been multiple layoffs over the last couple of years and the feeling of going to work each day not knowing if another shoe will drop or not. Not knowing who to trust after having heard the message multiple times that "we believe now we have cut as deeply as we can". After the second or third round, any of us would begin to lose trust in those speaking and leading. As I was discussing this topic with a senior HR Executive, I said to her that job security for most people has become baseball like in that they think they are only as good as their last at bat so they worry and become anxious over every day. They feel like they must be ready to be tested each and every day because someone could be evaluating them as to whether they are in or out of the next layoff. As believers we have promises and assurances that can allow us to accept this testing and the testing of our faith. God says to us that we are to put our present and future in His hands and when we are in doubt, turn that doubt over to Him. We read in James 1:12; "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." Allowing our spirit to change and be influenced about the worries of our job security or the constant testing of our job performance, could well be God just checking to see where we are drawing our confidence and strength from. If we are relying on our sources to pull us through, then we succumbing to the temptation of putting our own sources we are putting our selves in front of God instead of allowing Him to be in control. He says in James that He blesses those who patiently endure. He goes on to tell us that we will receive our crown of life as our reward. If today you are right on the brink of feeling like you can't take the testing or the "what have you done for me lately" attitude from your boss or company, step back and reflect on the verse from James and draw upon the promise of what will happen if you just can patiently endure.

Reference: James 1:12 (New Living Testament)

day 285: "Living My Future"

We just returned from nearly three weeks of vacation in Africa. It was a remarkable trip in so many ways. Whenever given the chance to see and experience a part of the world that is 180 degrees different in perspective than what you live daily, it becomes more than eye-opening. The difference in the work and lifestyle of people is also stark. While I write daily on the obstacles that we face in our work, we should be reminded that there are still many people in the world who's work is to daily acquire the resources to be able to subsist for that day. It is hard to fathom until you see the women who spend five to six hours a day gathering and carrying enough firewood or water for the day at hand. Men who live from the river or the bush months at a time to acquire enough fish or money to return home for a few days to be with their family and hand-off their carry, before they head out again. There is a certain living in the present that is unique and from what I learned with the people who I was able to interact, this living and working in the moment is not at all consuming or frustrating. It is just the way it is. I think about the times that each of us lose sleep worrying and have anxiety about our future or the decision that needs to be made about the next job or relocation. It seems to me from what I saw in Africa that these are not thoughts that are indigenous to the human experience. These are anxieties and worries that we create on ourselves. There are no ads for anti-depressants or mood-elevating pills in Africa. A man named, Lazaro, one of our safari guides, who also was a minister in his local village church (400 people and growing) told me that he not only loves his job, but that he was born to do what he does and he is "living his future". He has found the way to pull the future to the present and live in the moment. God tells us to do the same thing when in Matthew 6:34 He says, "don't worry about tomorrow...". God would not tell us this if He wasn't going to provide for each of us and that He knows that like the Africans that I met, that today is enough for today and that tomorrow will take care of itself. Are you living your future today? Today, would be a good day to see if you can remove the worries of tomorrow and focus in on the blessings and the moments of today. Give thanks for those moments and give thanks for having a great today to experience.

Reference: Matthew 6:34 (New Living Testament)

day 284: Early Days

We each can remember our first day on a new job and what it feels like. We wake up early on that first morning with some butterflies in our stomach, not quite sure what to expect knowing that we are going to meet lots of new faces, hear lots of names that we will have a hard time remembering, and be assigned a workspace where everything will feel new and different. We spend the first part of our time of that day rearranging our workspace to make it more comfortable to how we work and what we expect and then meandering around to meet those who sit around us, etc. Even with all of the nervousness and anxiety, there is hope, a positive attitude and a high level of optimism that anything can be achieved. The early days are exciting days. If only we could harness the energy of the first day and bottle it up and hold onto it. In these early days we don't let others round us down or hold us back because we are young or new into the job. The best of the best find a way to not let the naysayers get in the way and the best know how to bring others along with them without alienating them or making other feel like they are stepping on their toes, etc. What is most important is that each of us when we are put in these new roles that we are positive and enthusiastic and we not let that enthusiasm wane. Timothy sends the same message to new believers in 1 Timothy 4:12: ""Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." Because we are new in our jobs, young in our careers or young in our faith does not mean that we cannot be good examples and strong role models. Many times it is the first days that we establish out long term reputations with others. It is so important that we are diligent on how we act, what we say, and how we behave any time and especially, in the early days.

Reference: 1 Timothy 4:12 (New Living Testament)

day 283: Decent and True - Part 1 (redux)

While I am completing my vacation time this week, I will be running some repeats of post from the last year that seem to have resonated with many of you. Thanks and look for new posts beginning on Monday November 16

Wednesday, October 8, 2008
day 6: Decent and True, part 1
How easy it is at work to lose two core values; decency and truthfulness. Whether it be the words from our mouths that cross these values or how we treat one another, these two values are ones that can either build or lose your reputation in the workplace. Let's start with decency. There is decency with a capital D that for me is the obvious conforming with the laws of decency. At work there are plenty of policies today that will tell you what these are. Just the training of sexual harassment is enough to guide you for what is acceptable at work or not. But there are other forms of decency that must be observed. How one treats or talks about their peers, their boss, and/or their staff members, can cross a line of decency that is damaging beyond repair. We take it so often for granted that the back-biting or talking down to others is just common place for business today. Being decent to others is a higher form of being a good person. Another form of decency is in the words that we choose to use. When I became the CEO of SNOCAP in 2005 I made the decision that I was going to change my vocabulary (more like clean it up) and not use profane words in the workplace. I was not always perfect but what I did notice that was without ever saying anything to anyone about my expectations of them as to their language, I noticed that if I didn't curse, they didn't curse. And if they did, it was usually followed by an apology to the group. Believe me, in my business career, I have said it all and heard it all too, so I'm not a Puritan or a prude. Instead, I try and follow what Paul had to say in Romans 13:13, "We should be decent and true in everything, so that everyone can approve of our behavior". You see, when you are decent at work you get a high approval rating. It's foundational and the perfect place to start as you work to be approved in what you do. It's a simple lesson but I recognize not as simple to implement. However, today is as good of a day as any to change out the indecent words that you might use and be sure to do like my father taught me, "if you don't have anything good to say about someone else, just don't say anything at all".

day 282: Orientation (redux)

While I am completing my vacation time this week, I will be running some repeats of post from the last year that seem to have resonated with many of you. Thanks and look for new posts beginning on Monday November 16


Wednesday, May 20, 2009
day 160: Orientation
When we start a new job there is always some sort of orientation session that we have to go through to learn about the company. Most times it is not as thorough or as useful as we hoped, but at least we get the baseline human resources information that we need like how to fill our benefits forms, get paid correctly, and some understanding of the baseline policies, procedures and rules. What is usually missed though, unless the company's HR team is really good and have buy-in from senior management, is the information on how things "really work around here". That's the orientation that we really need. We need to know who is important, how communication flows, the unspoken rules and expectations, the buzzwords and language, etc. What we are looking for is the inside look at the culture and the behaviors that will make us feel, as quickly as possible, that we are "insiders". This kind of information is hard to obtain and for the most part even if we were told what these things were we would still have a hard time understanding what is what until we had lived and worked in the culture for awhile. Unfortunately, many companies are not very forgiving and the mistakes made in those first few weeks or days can be hard to repair. How are we supposed to know that you don't just walk into so and so's office without and appointment, or that such and such doesn't read his emails so sending him an email is like sending a message in a bottle into the ocean only to wonder if it will ever arrive. These are the unspoken things we need to know that we just don't receive in orientation. The same is true in the bigger scheme of life and how we are to deal with other people and conduct ourselves in situations that are presented to us. We learn throughout our lives from teachers, role models, trial and error and of course the Biblical teachings that we have at our fingertips but it is a life-long orientation in which we are enrolled. David gives us a prayer to God that helps us with this orientation. He says in Psalm 119:7; "Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live. For your instructions are my delight." What a great prayer for us to pray each and every day. Lord, give me your tender mercies so that I might experience life and let me delight in your instructions. If we were to say that prayer and then enter into His word each day with a spirit of learning and orientation He will fill us with those instructions so that we gain the knowledge and the "rules of the road" of life. You may be in a situation at work today where you don't really know which is the right path to take. When you go left, everyone else goes right. When you make a suggestion people look at you like you don't know what you are talking about. You wish you could just go back into orientation and start all over and this time be told everything you really need to know. Well, you do know by now that there is no remedial orientation so you have to now figure it out on your own, or so you think. You don't have to figure it out all on your own. God will help you understand what you need to know if you will only bring those questions to Him as well. He will open the ears and minds of those who can help you at work and he will show you the paths to take and give you confidence in the decisions that you make. Pray David's prayer today and and look for His instructions and then look to His orientation program. There is no better one that has ever been written.

Reference: Psalm 119:7 (New Living Testament)

day 281: Wage Authority (redux)

While I am completing my vacation time this week, I will be running some repeats of post from the last year that seem to have resonated with many of you. Thanks and look for new posts beginning on Monday November 16

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
day 197: Wage Authority
Early in my career I was asked to compile and present annual "wage authorities" for the manufacturing plants where I worked. These entailed an analysis of the pay scales of all the employees in comparison to the competitive pay in the area factored by cost of living index adjustments. After all of the analysis, I would then present the findings and recommendations to a headquarters group and they in turn would provide me with the "authority" to deliver or negotiate a set annual wage increase for the employees. Later in my career I was asked once to defend the opposition to an increase in the federal minimum wage law. Even later, I lobbied against the state of California in their efforts to lower the exemptions to the wage and hour law that would keep employees in the technology fields exempt from overtime requirements. At each of these junctures I didn't feel bad (at the time) about what it was that I was doing as business requirements necessitated that a certain labor wage was maintained to make the numbers work. That is the way business works after all; like every other investment, whatever the amount of money invested or spent needs to generate a return that is greater than the cash outflow, otherwise there is no profit to be gained. The same expectation is true with people. If a dollar is spent in labor then the expectation is that a greater amount of labor value is returned. These decisions are made every day in every office, every where. You may be making them right now too as you look at a promotion, or a merit increase, or an evaluation from added responsibilities, or a new hire starting salary, or even a reduction in pay proposal to keep from a layoff occurring. What does any of this have to do with our Purposed worKING? In my study of the book of James I was struck by his verses that can help us think through our responsibility and the boundaries we should guard in these situations. James sends a "warning to the rich" that seems extreme in today's terms but the underlying message is there for all who make or recommend wage decisions. He says in Chapter 5, verses 4-5: "For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty." The verses go on to say that we can become condemners and killers of people who have no power to defend themselves. At the time, I am sure that James may have meant it literally, but we can see today how figuratively we can also condemn and kill the work ethics and spirit of others just as easily. What I hear in these verses is that God does not expect us to not be good at our jobs of leading businesses and making smart and good business choices, but that He does expect us to be fair and much more sensitized to the wages of the "field workers". I take this to mean that part of our responsibility is to to know where the line of fairness is when it comes to the pay of others and to take the stand when we feel the the line is being crossed by the business. As I reflect on my past experiences, I'm not sure I always used James' litmus test in finding that line and staying on the right side of it. My prayer today is for those of you who are decision makers for the pay of others that you add a new dimension to the wage authorities that you prepare in that you add your own prayer for discernment and wisdom as you conduct the analysis and make your determination of what is fair. At stake are the spirits, attitudes, loyalty and trust of those who work with you and the judgment of God. So, ask first the higher authority to help you find the line and stay on the right side of it

Reference: James 5:4-5 (New Living Testament)

day 280: Godly At Work (redux)

While I am completing my vacation time this week, I will be running some repeats of post from the last year that seem to have resonated with many of you. Thanks and look for new posts beginning on Monday November 16

Thursday, December 4, 2008
day 45: Godly At Work?
I hear it all the time, “it’s so hard to be ‘Godly” at work”. When I hear it from others, I reflect upon my own work life and cringe at the memories of how I handled myself on many occasions and the poor example that I many times set. I also lament that my example might have hurt the cause of someone else who was trying harder than me to be more Godly and then they would see me and feel let down. When we are so emotionally and physically intertwined with other people for the hours we are when we are working we can easily slip into the ways and the words of others. I always marveled when someone senior would come into the company and before long, the words that person used became the words of their subordinates and before long their peers. I once worked with a person whose favorite phrase was, “I don’t disagree” and before long everyone said the same thing. There was nothing outwardly wrong about that phrase (other than it sneaked in a passive aggressiveness into the culture and before long no one ever disagreed outright) but it was a great example of how we become chameleons at work and can find ourselves sharing the words and behaviors that wouldn’t normally be ours. I also know that those words and behaviors from work then creep into home. So, what are we to do? What if we try and try but still can’t seem to keep ourselves above the temptations and the fray? What we have to do is quit trying to go it alone and instead ask God to do His work on us as we go to work. If we allow ourselves to receive the power that God has covered us with then we can find enough of that power to keep ourselves Godly when we are working. In 2 Peter 1:3, we are told just this: "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life...". Today, think through how you can let God give you that power so that today, day by day, you can find yourself living a Godly life…at work!

Reference: 2 Peter 1:3 (New Living Testament)

day 279: The Upside Down Pyramid (redux)

While I am completing my vacation time this week, I will be running some repeats of post from the last year that seem to have resonated with many of you. Thanks and look for new posts beginning on Monday November 16

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
day 192: The Upside Down Pyramid
Back in the early 1990's there was a lot of talk about how companies that really understood their employees would be thinking differently about the organization charts of their companies What they would do is invert the traditional organizational pyramid with the CEO upside down so that the front-line employee would be at the top of the pyramid, not the bottom. It was a visual way of trying to show that they wanted the front-line employee to feel like they were all there for them. Companies started renaming their headquarters into "service centers" or "support centers" with the idea that the senior executives and the people in headquarters were there to serve and support everyone else. Those ideas hung around for awhile but now we hear less about them. The principle was right though. If you are manager, you are there to support and serve the needs of those who work for you, not the other way around. Those who think that they are the boss to have others serve them find out sooner or later that they aren't very good bosses. Servant leadership is about knowing who is really doing the work and being there for them. There is no better example that the leader who served others first than our Lord. We read in Mark; "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." The thought for today as you go to work is how are you serving others? Are you looking at the needs of the people on your team and in your organization and trying to figure out how you can best provide service to them? Or, are you waiting for others to serve you? I think we all know the right answer. See if you can't turn the pyramid upside down today and take a different vantage point and become the leader or team member who serves others. You may find that it is a much better view from that vantage point.

Reference: Mark 10:45 (New Living Testament)

day 278: Girl Scout Cookies

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Jason Johnson, an entrepreneur, technology executive and Chairman of Tedx San Francisco

Typically we spend more of our waking hours with our coworkers than we do with our family or close friends. Then, suddenly, either a coworker leaves the company or we leave the company, and our interaction with our coworkers is reduced to an occasional phone call, email, or maybe a cup of coffee. The opportunity to spend frequent hours with our coworkers is lost, and so is the opportunity to 'give' of ourselves. In years past, a coworker might approach me and ask me to buy Girl Scout cookies or donate to a cause they are raising money for. At such times, I might find myself saying "sorry, I'm training for a triathlon, no cookies for me" or "sorry, I've already agreed to sponsor Kevin in accounting". Then a few years back, I heard a sermon on the radio from Jack Hayford in which he stated that when someone asks him for something - in his desire to follow the teachings of Jesus, Hayford seeks to give at every opportunity. When reflecting back to my former places of employment, I can't help but think of lost opportunities 'to give freely' to my coworkers and show them that I celebrate (and demonstrate) my recognition of the blessings bestowed upon me through the action of giving freely. Hopefully by way of the new social media tools, we may all have the opportunity to connect with some of our former coworkers, and be given the chance once more, to 'give freely' to those who need to know where all blessings come from.

Reference: Matthew 10:8 (New Living Testament) "Give as freely as you have received!"

day 277: Proper Stewardship: Work as a Noble Cause

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Steve Bloom who along with the work he does, lives in Florida where he watches his daughter jump horses and his son play football...and he dreams of many things.

If you are like most workers, your job is more of a means to an end than the end itself. You probably enjoy some of what you do at work, but not all of it – maybe not even most of it. Depending on your age, you may have dreams of finding that perfect blend of vocation and avocation -- the job that provides money and meaning – the workers’ grail itself. Others may have left these dreams behind years ago, opting instead to pursue meaning in their lives outside of the workplace. The conundrum here is that we spend so much time and effort at work that it often leaves little energy for pursuing anything else --whether it is meaning, rest or just fun.
And as a believer, you are equally frustrated by your inability to witness in the workplace. Few places are more politically-correct than modern corporations, and it generally isn’t acceptable to talk religion on the job. So we stuff our beliefs down inside our business shoes watching for some small, inoffensive way to let others know we follow the Lord. And although it is important to role-model Christian living without being outwardly ‘Christian,’ doing so sometimes just isn’t enough.
On weekdays, we therefore deal with this double-bogey of not having a job that provides deep meaning and of being overly careful not to offend co-workers by sharing our beliefs. We save our sacred time for weekends or evenings, but these precious hours spent in worship or service are dwarfed by time spent at work. For some, it may be easier to stop pursuing Christ at all rather than continue to fight this seeming losing battle.
But God’s creation needs the stewardship of good business people. In Genesis 1:26, God creates man and gives him the earth to rule over, and in Genesis 2:19 God allows man to start creating order in the world by naming the animals. God in essence gives mankind the earth to manage, to plan & care for, to run like a sacred family business. Therefore good managers and business people are necessary stewards of God’s creations.
In a recent sermon, Rob Bell suggested that all workers who engage in producing a good or service in exchange for a reasonable return are practicing the kind of stewardship described in Genesis. Bell reminds us that God intends us to do something positive with His creation – to explore, to organize, to multiply, to bring order. Bell tells business people their “task is sacred, holy and profound” and implores us to do our work “in a Genesis way.” We should therefore view our work not as a means to and end, but as a noble function in God’s world – a mission field where we grow the Father’s harvest.

day 276: Mentoring...Who Me?

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Cecelia and Joe Gonzalez, who asked not to be attributed, but I am doing so anyway as my thank you to them!


When we look at leadership in our organizations we often think of the CEO. But the reality is…successful organizations need leadership throughout. As our companies struggle in this economy, we often look for the magic bullet. What will be that one key strategy that will turn our business around? There are many things that need to change. And one of the most important things to change is that we ALL take on the responsibility of leadership. From the top of the organization we need a clear vision, but we must all examine how we can do things more effectively.

We have heard it said many times that it’s the “small things that get ya.” So instead of looking big let’s look small. Let us look at every aspect of what we do each and every day, and how we can make it better. Imagine a company of 1000 people making an incremental improvement on a consistent basis. Improving the way in which we value our resources --- money, customers, and most of all our own people. As we look at the wisdom in our organizations most of the time it comes from experience. So who will be the mentor to share what incremental changes need to take place? The people who have done it. Where will the most effective organizations in the future be coming from – we believe it will be from those companies that mentor best.

Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges said in their book, Lead Like Jesus, “Jesus understood from years of personal experience the challenges of daily life and work. Although Jesus was God, He was not ashamed to do a man’s work.” Ashamed, too proud, too busy … whatever our reason, we must overcome it.

As we look at the incredible mentor, Jesus Christ, he chose 12 ordinary men to save the world. So who will we chose to change or organizations and our lives? We must pray and listen to who God is putting in front of us. Not just at work but everywhere and all the time. This is not a 40/50 hour a week responsibility. The ultimate mentor said in John 13:12-15 after he finished washing his disciples feet, "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Let’s have our mentors be like Jesus and pray we are servant leaders ourselves.

Reference: John 13:12-15

day 275: But God

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Jason Illian who is a published author and technology executive who has a passion for helping people live more purpose-driven lives.


"BUT GOD" is the most powerful phrase in the Bible. Just when we felt completely hopeless, when our relationships were beyond repair, when we made mistake after mistake and things seemed un-fixable...BUT GOD.

"Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. BUT GOD chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. BUT GOD demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:7-8

We often forget that God's saving grace isn't just fixated on the afterlife. It is abundantly poured out on each of us everyday. Christ didn't die to save us from only hell--He died to save us from this ho-hum, run-of-the-mill, sin-infested existence where we run into the same problems over and over again. He died to save us from ourselves and from the daily monotony. He wants our everyday lives to have meaning and purpose.

If you are living for the weekends, God is talking to you. If you are counting the hours until work is done, God is talking to you. If you are lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and wondering why you should get out for another day of the same old thing, God is talking to you. He isn’t dangling a carrot out in front of you for a gift that will never be experienced. He desires for you to live the exceedingly abundant life. Now. Daily.

God is bigger than our problems, no matter how large we've allowed them to grow. So when you feel like you've come to the end of your rope, when your life has officially spiraled out of control, when you feel like burying yourself in the bottle or in someone else's bed, remember...BUT GOD.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Romans 5: 7-8

day 274: Too Busy

While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today's post comes from Jason Illian who is a published author and technology executive who has a passion for helping people live more purpose-driven lives.

Most of us are just too busy. We are too busy working on our jobs, working on our bodies, and working on our relationships. We are too busy trying to “get ahead” and “get on top”. But ahead of whom and on top of what? Instead of stopping and talking with God, we often speed along until all the wheels come flying off. Like the rest of the briefcase-packing mammals, we wrestle with traffic and kids, but very rarely do we ever wrestle with God. We are just too busy.

But God will wrestle with you whether you are ready or not. We often misread the story of Jacob wrestling with God, assuming that Jacob was on the offensive. But if you look closely, the scripture notes, “So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” (Genesis 32:24) God jumped Jacob, not the other way around. God was on the offensive. And He did it at a time when Jacob should have been getting some sleep and preparing to meet Esau. He did it when Jacob’s life was exceptionally busy.

God will speak to you at the most inconvenient times. He does it so that you will learn to tell the difference between what is urgent and what is important. Most of our current busyness is matter of urgency, not importance, and that is why we are drained at the end of the day. We have forgotten that God shouldn’t be part of our day; our day should be part of God.

When you woke up this morning, what were your first thoughts? Did you prayerfully consider what God had on His heart, or did you gravitate to the 9 a.m. meeting, the international conference call, or the sales presentation with the executive team? Too often our thoughts are on the latter and it is a reflection of where our hearts are. Disconnected from God.

Most of us are just too busy. We have our arms so full of good things that we can’t reach out and grab God things. We shouldn’t neglect our daily responsibilities as parents and providers, but our meaning and purpose has to be rooted in Christ-centeredness. If you don’t wrestle with God, He will wrestle with you.

We often hear the advice that we have to learn to say “No” to certain things. If you can learn to say “No” to the urgent things and “Yes” to the important things, you’ll be surprised at how quickly your life becomes aligned with God’s will. There are many ways to fill a life, but only one way to fulfill it.

Reference: Genesis 32:24