day 146: Recognition and Perks

When we think about the affirmations that we get at work we can feel pretty good about them. Most great companies will have some form of recognition program where the top people, as measured by performance and/or results, will get singled out, applauded and then given some form of extrinsic recognition. I have seen trophies, certificates, pictures, parking spots, cash and even get-away trips. I just spoke with a person a few weeks ago whose company singled him out for the top honor and he was rewarded with a surprise trip to Russia. That's pretty cool by any standard. We read a lot in the press today about irresponsible companies who give these trips and they come off as "boondoggles" or "extravagant". That is not for me to judge, but I do know that recognition in front of one's peers works and an incentive for better performance is created. So, I see nothing wrong with recognition, that is unless we start to "need" it. Yes, if we are seeking out the recognition of others as the goal and the end-game then the motivation is wrong and if we are making the recognition the primary motivation then we run the high risk of allowing ourselves to become obsessed with the "pats on the backs", etc. What is wrong with this you say? On the surface it can't really do much harm can it? Probably not, but down deep inside we are beginning to want to lay up our treasures in the wrong places and we are searching for the recognition by other people versus from God. Jesus speaks about this when he talks about the spiritual leaders of his day who were all about what others had to say about them and how they were treated and recognized. He says, "Everything they do is for show...and how they love to sit at the head table at banquets and the most prominent seats in the synagogue". He is talking against their need for recognition and the need for the perks that come with an office. In business we are also used to perks. There was a time when I had access to the corporate jet. No more. Recently the commercial airline that used to give me so much recognition reduced my status down to the same as the casual traveler. When I found this out it bothered me so much that I was obsessed with it for days on end. It felt like something had been stripped from me. The truth is that I don't fly enough anymore on that airline to have earned the perk status. But still, I was obsessed with the loss of recognition. This is not the way that God wants us to operate and work. We can't let these artificial accolades take us over. He wants us to fix our eyes, heart and mind on Him and to live and work the purpose of bringing Him glory and let all the rest fall away from us. As you think through the areas in your work life where you seek recognition or perks, give a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself if you have let it go too far? What would happen and how would you feel if the recognition or perk went away tomorrow? How you answer is how important those things have become to you.

Reference: Matthew 23:5,6 (New Living Testament)

day 145: Troubling Hearts

It's confusing sometimes with the work we do. We claim that none of this is so important that we are going to let it get to us but then we end up taking our work home with us figuratively (and many times literally) and either dumping our emotions out on those around us at home or holding it inside of us so tightly that our mood and actions are affected. This is when those around us feel like we are really taking it out on them. Either way, we allow our work to get so deep within us that we allow it to affect who we are. I remember once a work situation that was so troubling that I literally felt a physical weight on my shoulders to the point that I couldn't even make it go away while I was out running (my usual stress release). That day I had to pull up and walk because I just couldn't get rid of the stress and the troubling feeling. I suspect that I am not alone. It could be the hard decision to be made, changes that need to be executed, difficult conversations to be had or just a pile of work that needs to be done sooner than you think it can be completed. However it comes it adds up quickly and before long it can feel like it is overtaking you. Jesus talks about removing the troubles of our hearts and giving them over to Him. We see this in John 14:1; "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." It seems so trivial to bring our work issues and problems to God when there are so many other things that are bigger, farther reaching, and more about the hurts and pain of other people. But that is not what Jesus says. He doesn't say bring everything to me other than your work problems. We can feel comfortable in that God wants us to bring glory to Him in how we work and if we are troubled then we are losing out on the promise that has been given to us if we will only trust in Him. It is when we are giving it all over to Him that we are in the spirit and closest to working our purpose. Give it a try today.

Reference: John 14:1 (New Living Testament)

day 144: Honey, Please

Last week my cell phone rang while I was in a department store. It was a woman who I work with on a non-profit board and she was "fit to be tied" because someone else on the board was treading all over a project that she is trying to lead and get off the ground. She was upset and trying to figure out how to diffuse the situation but still get the point across. That same conversation, change the names and the reason, was happening at that time (and is probably happening right now) across any number of companies across the country and around the world. Who does what, who is in charge, who is taking the next steps and who is trying to one up the other person is a constant dialogue thread at work. As this person and I settled on the best way to talk to the other person to calm the situation and make everything as productive as possible we fell back on the axiom that honey always works the best and that she should be talking to the other person in a way that acknowledges that everyone has been heard and that their thoughts and feelings will be considered. If I had been faster on my Scripture feet I would have been able to have quoted Proverbs 15:1 for the situation at hand: "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare". What a great lesson to hide deep within ourselves when faced with these moments that we feel we need to be sure and get our point across in response to something that is out of bounds, off alignment, or crosses a line with us. A gentle word of understanding, a soft response of recognition, or a calming set of words coming from us can suck the negative energy from the conversation and the room, leaving all of us able to to communicate more openly, positively and productively. One of these instances is hiding around the corner for you. It might be today that it flares. When it does, remember the words of Proverbs and see if you can find the gentle answer within you and add your own spoonful of honey to the situation.

Reference: Proverbs 15:1 (New Living Testament)

day 143: Who Has The Authority Here?

The title of this post sounds like something out of cop show doesn't it? It is the classic line when the detective shows up on the scene and there is the skirmish about who has jurisdiction the local guys or the Feds. It's almost so cliche now in TV and films that you see it coming. The same thing happens at work. A crisis occurs or a problem needs to be solved and after lots of people have run to their corners to hide, there is a group of people who step forward and say, "I'm in charge here" (now that sounds like Alexander Haig doesn't it?) or "I can fix this problem". Then there is the work skirmish about who is really in charge and who has authority or not. Many times these decision will fall along the lines of who is most senior, etc. but there are lots of times when peers are chosen to lead, fix, solve, or analyze because they bring their own personal "authority" to bear on a situation. The person's own commitment level, interest, passion and credibility will be the determination of authority. Sometimes authority is given like when Jesus called His disciples in Matthew 10:1: "Jesus called his twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority..." Even then, Jesus taught them the lessons they needed to know to be able to travel the land and carry that authority with them. The people who gain authority are the ones who earn that authority. Authors David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen write, "Those who are in true positions of leadership demonstrate authority, spiritual power, and credibility by their lives and message. If they don't, they are not true leaders." The alignment of who we say we are and who we really are in how we act and speak, are the rites to earning true authority. Today, you are going to be asked to have an opinion, or to make a decision, or to stand up and act aligned with something you have said or believe. That moment of choice is another step in the authority building for yourself...or not. As you face these moments, know that God has called you, like His disciples for you to have the authority of Him. It is then up to you to decide to live within that calling or not. Let today be a day of consistency, alignment and authority building for you.

Reference: Matthew 10:1 (New Living Testament)

day 142: Character Acting

Some of the great actors of our day are "character actors". These are the actors who, at their job of being an actor, can play just about any part and when given a role they are able to draw upon inspirations, experiences and observances of human nature and personality to become the words, the emotions, the personality of the person given to them, as if it that character was them personally. I've noticed over the years that people at work are character acting. Everyone is given their role in their jobs and they slide right into that role and become what they believe they should personify for others. And like great character actors, they take on this new personality and role while in their own lives they might be someone totally different. Over the last 5-7 years many companies have begun to do credit checks on their financial department prospective employees. Why? Because they learned over time that many people who played the role of financial expert at work could have terrible credit ratings and poor financial management at home. And, if you can't manage well at home, then how good will you be in the job? Makes sense to me. But, in character acting, you might be so good at being who you think you should be that everyone else is fooled as to who you really are. As believers in the workplace, we are to fight this tendency and be transparent and be who God wants us to be at all times. Yes, and be the same at home, work or play. We all use the examples of the great men of the Bible as the role models who we are to examine and follow their lead. But sometimes they looked so strong, so in control of themselves, so powerful and so close to their walk with God that it is hard to try and cast ourselves as even remotely being like them. We want to draw upon them as our inspiration but it seems too remote to find how we could be like them. They played roles in the Kingdom that seem way above our ability to ever play. But this was not the case. These were normal men and women, like you and me, cast into roles within their communities, families and jobs and because of where they drew their own inspiration, from God solely, they became some of the great Biblical leaders and role models. How do we know they were like us, the Bible tells us in James 5:17: "Elijah was as human as we are...". Today we are being asked to play a role at our job. We play it the best we can and we do become a character actor each day. Yet, we want to be sure that the character that we draw upon is "real character" the character of God and the inspiration that he gives us to live our lives in the way He has told us we should. Each word we speak, action we take and decision we make can and should be drawn from the dialogue and inspiration of the man with the greatest character to ever walk the earth. In that sense, let us all be the greatest character actors we can be.

Reference: James 5:17 (New Living Testament)

day 141: Weigh Stations

Where I grew up in Southern Indiana it was standard fare to be on the highways with many 18-wheelers and in some cases the double length ones that when they went by you they seemed to go on and on forever. Of course during bad weather or at night they could be downright scary. The trucking system is part of the backbone of America. Without this industry, the transportation of goods would come to a standstill. Each time I am driving on the interstates with high truck traffic I watch for the weigh stations to see if they are open or not. It doesn't matter to me with a car, but since being a kid I have been fascinated with the amount of weight that each one of those trailers can hold and the tractors pull. Enough obviously, because we have weigh stations, that they can carry more weight than the road can handle. I also think about the truck driver who has those multiple tons of weight and force behind him/her at all times depending on the power of the engine, the torque of the transmission and the friction of the air brakes for their own personal safety. All of that moving behind the driver is a real and always recognized burden and impending force of danger. In our jobs we all have our own set of weights that are put upon us. The weights show up as an extreme workload, hard to meet deadlines, or co-worker turmoil, etc. Weights that we wish we could pull over to the side of the road, get weighed and have someone make us rest, remove the weight and "take a load off". I suspect that there are a lot of us who wouldn't even mind a fine if it forced us to lessen the weight. Easier said than done though isn't it? Well, God gives us the chance to lean on Him to remove our weights. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Jesus is our personal weigh station and He will remove those burdens that are weighing us down. All he asks of us is for us to be willing to slow down, pull over and pull up to Him and then let Him start throwing off the tons of stress and worry. Today, before you park your car or walk into the office, take a moment to imagine that you are pulling or stepping up on God's scales and then give yourself over and let Him remove those weights before you head into the office. The rest will come and you will recognize and feel the lightening of your load.

Reference: Matthew 11:28 (New Living Testament)

day 140: Watchmen

"Watchmen", the movie, just came out. It is based on the popular graphic novel of the same name. Like the themes of many comic books and superhero movies you have a group of people with special powers who because of their past experiences and influences use these powers for good and the protection of society from evil. Or sometimes they get all tangled up in themselves and they end up on the side of evil versus good. The reason that this theme is so powerful and works over and over is that we all have something in our past that we would like to overcome or some experience that has shaped how we think of helping others and we want to fantasize every now and then that we have our own special powers that we could use for the good of others with an alterego that could live out the hero's life. To me this is how we are at work a lot of times. We come to work with our capes and shields on and try and be the superhero who can save the day against the "evil competition" or "forces" that are working against our company's collective good. And the halls of the workplace are filled with egos and superegos dashing, flying, teleporting themselves across the globe to conquer. It's a funny image if you imagine a set of superheroes and you put the heads and faces of those you work with on the bodies and costumes of the superheroes and place them around the Board Room table. There is an element of the superhero mentality that God does want us to take to work with us. He wants us to be the "watchmen" of our time. In Isaiah 62:6 he tells us the type of watchmen we are to be when Isaiah prays for Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray to the Lord day and night for the fulfillment of his promises. Take no rest, all you who pray". Watchmen on the walls was the way of protecting a city and throughout history we have many examples of the watchmen who walk the walls to protect those inside. Isaiah pulls on this metaphor to find the watchmen who through their prayer and relationship with God provide protection over the people of Israel. These "watchmen" were true superheroes. Is God not asking us to be the "watchmen" of our day and to walk the walls over our workplaces and be the ones who through our prayers, our everyday life example and our striving to live out our purpose in our work, be the watchmen over the other believers within our workplaces? We all have a little superhero in us and shouldn't we be bringing whatever those special powers and talents to work with us to do His super work?

Reference: Isaiah 62:6 (New Living Testament)

day 139: Memo To Phil, Conclusion

For seven days now we have been able to look into the short letter written from Paul to Philemon regarding Onesimus. Paul wants Philemon to take Onesimus onto Philemon's team and to mentor and give him an opportunity to grow and develop under Philemon's leadership. We have seen that in just one letter that Paul has modeled and given us the words and the tone of a true leader. As we conclude this series, there is one other message that is important to glean from Paul's request to Philemon. Throughout the letter he very much centered his words as supporting and respectful and if we stopped right here it would be a great set of lessons for us in our everyday work but there is more. We all have had, or have now, bosses, who are demanding and push us to do more and get better. Sometimes this is done well and respectfully and other times (the ones we most remember) our bosses have not been respectful of us and we wonder, "do they even understand me?". Our time gets disrespected, our self-esteem gets challenged and our opinions can get belittled and sometimes we might just feel taken advantaged of as a person. Regardless, when this happens to us we find ourselves unhappy and resentful. We find ourselves wishing our boss would be more like Paul. But, the other lesson to see in the letter to Philemon is that Paul was not a push-over kind of boss and he made it clear to Philemon that he expected, regardless of the words he used, that Philemon "raise the bar". In verse 21 he says; "I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more.". Paul expected that Philemon would get better and raise his performance. Now Paul says it in a nicer way than most bosses, but the same expectation is there. If we are thinking that this thing called work is about finding a level of performance that we feel comfortable in and then setting cruise control, then we are going to be sorely disappointed. We must strive to get better, work smarter and more efficiently. For some it may be we need to actually work harder, find another gear within ourselves and constantly be growing and bettering ourselves. Paul was not going to be happy that Philemon just accepted his request and complied. He was not going to be satisfied until Philemon did even more than what was being asked of him. As we conclude this series of posts, my prayer is that you take in all of the lessons and examples that Paul has given us on how to lead and the words that he chose to make a request of his subordinate, and that these lessons help you in your own points of leadership, but also that you see that work is about being led, developed and grown and yes, sometimes pushed to the next level of your potential. Your attitude on how you accept all of these messages from your boss is as much about your own happiness in your job as anything else. Each and every day we are faced with the choice of how we will respond when faced with new challenges. The challenges will not always come to us in the neat, tidy and respectful words of Paul, but let's try and listen through the words that do come to us and respond in a way that would be fitting for how God wants us to be within our work and on the job.

Reference: Philemon 1:21 (New Living Testament)

day 138: Memo to Phil, Part 6: Partnership

As Paul was asking Philemon to accept Onesimus onto his team, Paul calls on Philemon as his “partner”. It’s interesting in business and at work that we use the word partnership quite a bit but how often do we really treat someone like a partner? Having a partner is like having an equal. Treating someone like a partner is treating them like you would treat yourself (why does that sound familiar). Yet when we talk about partnering at work what we really mean is that we are going to spend time with that person, work along side of them, ensure that they are getting the right support, etc., but when it really comes down to it, we are still out for ourselves and at the end of the day we want our agenda, our careers, our needs to be met over the other person’s. That is not true when in partnership. In the work world we are in today it is hard to create true partners unless the financial and career rewards are totally aligned and the same. Start up businesses can create the magic of partnership, but even law and accounting firms which are partnerships by definition end up being political, cut-throat and individual versus team-oriented. In the book of Philemon where Paul has asked a big favor of Philemon, Paul says to Philemon in verse 17; “So if you consider me your partner, give him the same welcome you would give me if I were coming.” Paul asks Philemon to act like a partner and then gives him the example of what a true partner would do; live out the actions as if they were being done to his partner or himself. Our jobs would be so much better if we truly approached others at work like they were our partners. If we trusted in them, honored them, took them into full consideration and shared in the successes totally with each other. For some reason, we stop short of that level of partnership. I don’t know this for sure, but it certainly appeared that Jesus had found 12 partners when he called his disciples. Each was on an even playing field with the others and as he lived they lived. There was no hierarchy or one-up-man ship. Jesus did not make success about Himself; he instead brought them in on everything and shared their talents with what the wanted to teach them for the future. We can take lessons from Paul and Jesus on how to have partners in our lives. On the job, we could use a true partner every now and then. Think about this today. Are you the partnering type? Could you be a true partner to someone else? Will you share? If you can become a true and real partner, then go for it and enjoy the closeness of another person who cares as much about you as they do the success or failure of the business. And can you be that true partner back? It is not easy, but it can be fulfilling and exciting for you. And who knows, those partners at work may learn more about you and ultimattely learn what it is about you that gives you the partnering spirit.

Reference: Philemon 1:17 (New Living Testament)

day 137: Memo to Phil, Part 5: Full Commitment

Paul asks a big favor from Philemon in the letter that Paul writes him about Onesimus. Beyond the favor that he asks Philemon to take Onesimus onto his team, he is looking for full commitment from Philemon. Paul knows that without Philemon's commitment that the request will likely fail and worse yet, Onesimus will not be successful. At work we don't always think how important it is that everyone is fully bought into a project or decision. We tend to get enough heads nodding up and down in a meeting that we think we have full commitment and we get going, only to find out later that not everyone was totally onboard and things go south. No where does this show up more than in the hiring process. The best hiring is done when lots of people agree totally and everyone is in consensus and alignment on the person and what she/he will be expected to do in their new job. When we don't have that full consensus, commitment and alignment then it tends to end up with the person not doing so well on their job, not getting full support and sometimes ultimately failing at their job. What a tragedy this is for the person and their family. And it could have been avoided had we just been more diligent in getting everyone's full commitment. In Paul's request, he was asking Philemon to take on a new team member and Paul knew how important it was to have Philemons' full commitment, otherwise, Onesimus would likely fail. Paul says this to Philemon in verse 8: "But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced." How great would it be to hear those kinds of words in the office more often? Sometimes we hear them, but we can hear right through them as being hollow, because we know the boss really doesn't care and is just giving lip service. That will always happen as there are many people who we cannot put our trust. But, we can be different kinds of leaders. We can be like Paul and be honest, open and caring with the people he worked. If Paul was our boss and he said the above to us, we would feel very empowered and willing to walk through walls for him. That is the kind of leader we should all be. Paul's lessons in the book of Philemon are great. There are a couple of more to be explored next week. For now, let them sink in and see what can become a part of your leadership skill set.

Reference: Philemon 1:14 (New Living Testament)

day 136: Memo to Phil, Part 4: Asking Before Telling

Paul makes a request of Philemon to take Onesimus onto Philemon's team. We have seen over the past few days how Paul sets this request up in his letter to him in the Book of Philemon. Paul clearly has some authority over Philemon, like we all have bosses and people of influence over us, but Paul doesn't come across that way at all. In fact, he goes 180 degrees on Philemon and doesn't send him an "order". Instead he asks for permission and favor to make the request. How often does that happen in our workplace that the boss will ask for permission before saying what he/she wants done? Not often enough is probably your answer. We all know bosses who got to where they are because they are decisive, have a strong vision for what they want, and can lead and marshall people and teams to get things done. There is nothing wrong with that and we need more people who can take the lead. I have always said that if our country had more leaders we wouldn't pick from two people to be president every four years. Some parts of being a leader come naturally but the principles of leadership can be learned and practiced to become a more effective leader. In this letter, before Paul makes the request to Philemon he says this: "That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you..." Knowing how to ask before telling is a powerful skill. Just taking the extra time and humility to ask the favor first can be the difference between gaining commitment or just gaining compliance. We all want people to be committed to the request and the task. If we are on the team, we want to be totally committed ourselves. So, think this through the next time you are in the situation where you could tell others what to do. Think through asking first and see the different results you might receive. It's hard to turn down a caring ask. It is even harder to not follow through on the commitments made from that same caring ask. Paul models it for us. It is our choice to follow the example.

Reference: Philemon 1:8-9 (New Living Testament)

day 135: Memo to Phil, Part 3: Care And Praise

If you have been following along the past few days you will know that we are exploring the request made from Paul to Philemon for Philemon to accept Onesimus onto Philemon's team. This message came in the form of a letter. In this letter Paul makes a tough request but he doesn't do so before ensuring that Philemon knows that Paul both respects and cares for him. After telling Philemon why he can't be there live in person to talk to him, Paul tells Philemon how much he cares for him and gives him lots of praise...all before he makes the request. We see this in verses 4, 5 and 7. Verse 4 and 5: "I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people". Verse 7: "Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people." There is a great leadership lesson in here that as people who might manage others or lead projects or teams, we need to remember that showing care for another person and providing praise, before asking something of someone, goes a long way. How often do we just rush into a conversation, fire off an email or text message and we do so without ever stopping to recognize the other person and give a little praise and care first? I suspect that we probably do so more often than we want to admit? And we all know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of one of those messages, when we stop and say to ourselves, "C'mon couldn't you just have said something nice first?". This is not a hard lesson to learn, but a hard lesson to practice. As we work through our purpose in our work, to bring glory to God, we can remember even more diligently that the care and praise that we bring to others can be the reflection of how God is working through us into our jobs and our own work. So, before we ask of others, be like Paul and dish out a little care and praise onto the other person first. For sure the message will be received more openly, but better yet, the person will feel built up and encouraged. What better feelings can we bestow on others who work with us?

Reference: Philemon 1: 4,5 and 7 (New Living Testament)

day 134: Memo to Phil, Part 2: The Message From Afar

In the book of Philemon, Paul asks Philemon to take into his team a man named Onesimus. It is clear in the letter that Paul has some convincing to do before Philemon is going to say yes. Paul is not onsite at the time. He is far away and he is having to do this through a letter. Have you every had your boss ask something that could be a little controversial to you through a letter, a memo, a voice mail or an email? Of course you have. We all have. And if we are a boss, we have done it ourselves. It is impossible for a boss to be in all places at once so there are times where there is no choice because of travel, distance, time zones, or the need for speed, that the boss has to make a request not face to face or even live on the phone. There was an interesting article in the New York Times recently by Matt Richtel who was lamenting that our forms of communication are so reliable now that it has become implausible in fiction to have something happen to the characters because they couldn't connect or be late without updating each other. It is true, but even so, there are many times in the workplace where the communication doesn't come live and we have to accept requests or do things we don't want to do because the boss asks us from afar or through written communication. In the book of Philemon Paul does this but he does so in a way that gives Philemon the context he needs to understand why Paul couldn't communicate live. In verse one he says, "This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus..." There is the context of why he can't be there to talk this through with Philemon live and hear out his concerns, thoughts and questions. Paul was in prison. I have been the one, as the boss, who has had to make these kinds of requests over email or voicemail and there were times that I certainly felt like I was in prison in a meeting, a conference, on a plane, or multiple time zones away. The point is that as we ask, or when we receive these messages, we should consider that the reason why the request is coming like it is, is many times critical in the acceptance or rejection of the message. Paul provides Philemon a context and reason that can't be argued. We don't always have such a valid reason, but whatever the cause that we can't be there, it is important to share it, and be honest. It might be that you as the boss had to put the priority of family first and you are sending an email from your son's little league baseball game. That's okay, just whatever, tell it like is is and the truth will be enough. Tough messages from afar are not easy to send or receive so take the time when you get one to consider the whole context, take a deep breath and then try and understand what is being asked or said. As we step through Paul's letter to Philemon in the coming days, we will see that Paul goes on to explain even more why this request and what good can come from listening and taking the perspective of understanding the whole picture before responding.

Reference: Philemon 1:1 (New Living Testament)

day 133: Memo To Phil, part 1: Taking One For The Team

Unless you don't work or you work for yourself with no investors, shareholders, or Board of Directors, then you have a boss. Most everyone has a boss. Over the span of our careers most people, at some point or another, also get put in a spot of responsibility where they are responsible for a project, a team, a department, or a person. They then move to being a boss. Being a boss is not easy and we all appreciate it greatly when we get a good one and we are miserable when we have a bad one. So, it is important to try and be good at leading projects and people and also understanding our bosses and helping them be good at what they do. The Bible is full of great examples of leadership and one of the best texts that I follow is the book of Philemon. In this short letter from Paul to Philemon, Paul corresponds to Philemon from afar and if he was writing a business memo or email to Philemon the heading or subject line might have been "Taking one for the team". Paul was asking Philemon to accept a man named Onesimus into Philemon's ministry/organization when it appears that Philemon might have some issues with doing so. Have you ever been in a situation where your boss is trying to get you to work with someone that you really don't want on the team? It might be that it is going to take too much time to train that person, or that they come from a different part of the organization and do things differently, or that you think you can get the job done better and faster if you just do it alone, or that you don't like other people giving you their opinion on how things should get done, or you feel threatened because you think the boss doesn't trust you alone, or maybe you just don't like the other person. This happens all the time. The boss asks you take one for the team, for the good of another person, or for a reason that you don't understand fully or don't understand at all. This is what Paul asks Philemon to do and because Philemon trusts Paul, he does it. But, beyond the trust, it is "how" Paul asks and the words that he uses to Philemon that makes the message powerful and acceptable. Today, you may be asked by your boss, to "take one for the team". She/he may not be as articulate or as caring as how Paul asks Philemon, but the request is there all the same. How will you respond? Will you fight, argue, or acquiesce reluctantly, or will you understand that setting aside your own agenda for the good of the whole and at the request of your boss is a good thing? God gives us these examples and stories in His word to learn and follow. Stay with me for a few days as we go through Paul's memo to Philemon to learn some great leadership lessons. In the meantime, if asked to take one for the team and don't want to and need some help then you can follow in the example of Philemon.

Reference: The Book of Philemon (New Living Testament)

day 132: Taking Ourselves Too Seriously

On our jobs we are constantly reinforced to be growing, developing and improving. In many companies each year we get set down with our boss or HR person and given an annual performance review. We have spelled out to us the things we are good at that we should continue and the areas we should improve. Together these become a grading of comparison of our peers and we get rated and ranked. If we do what we are being asked then we double down on ourselves and we take our talents and we try and become better and better. There is nothing wrong with that, to a point. When is it that the focus becomes too much on ourselves that it gets in the way of working well with others and living to our purpose? I recently made a reference from C.S. Lewis' classic, "The Screwtape Letters" and I want to do so again today. The book is a set of instructional letters on how to corrupt and gain control of the soul of a man. It is written from one devil (Screwtape) to another devil (Wormwood). On the topic of our talents and focus, Screwtape tells Wormwood this: "To anticipate the Enemy's (God's) strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy (God) wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy (God) wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbor's talents." Wow. Of course, that is what God wants. He wants us to be selfless and never to take ourselves and our talents so seriously that it gets in the way of our caring for others and our love and relationship with Him. When we start to focus so much on ourselves that we begin to get in the way of others or worse yet, we become competitive, envious or jealous, then we know we have crossed the line. It's clear in the Ten Commandments that we are not to covet anything of others, that would be their talents and skills as well. So today, think through, just how seriously are you taking yourself? Is it healthy, or have you crossed over and begun to put yourself too far up the pedestal? If you find yourself making comparisons (position, title, salary) to others in your profession and fretting when someone else gets an assignment and you don't, or worrying about what it is going to be like if someone else gets promoted over you, then it is time to take the test of yourself and then stop taking yourself that seriously.

Reference: Exodus 20:17 (New Living Testament), C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters"

day 131: Bad To Good

How many times in our careers have we said to ourselves or others, "I can't believe this happened to me, I got (add your own personalized descriptive words)." For seemingly no fault of our own or so we think, we get the short-straw or get left behind, passed over, left out, or called on the carpet, etc. And we moan and groan, sometimes for a long time or even for the rest of our career, about how we missed our shot. What I have seen in people is that these "old stories" just drag them and others around them down. After time, the old stories need to be replaced with new ones and we need to get on with life and realize that from bad things that happen to us good can rise from them. There is no better story about this than Joseph who had way more than his fair share of bad things happen to him in his life and career. He gets sold into slavery by his brothers, he gets falsely accused of trying to rape his bosses wife, he gets sent to prison, he helps out others to get out of prison and then they forget him for years to come, and through it all he is separated from his family. And we moan over missing out on going on a business trip or being passed over for a promotion, or not getting an extra percentage point in our annual raise? I think Joseph had it just a bit worse off don't you? If we doubt that good can come from bad, then hear the rest of Joseph's story as he rises up to be the number two most powerful person in Egypt and the right hand person to Pharaoh. In his own words in Genesis 50:20 we hear him say to his brothers who had betrayed him and started the whole daisy-chain of events; "As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people". Can there be a better story for helping us put into perspective the long term effects of the bad things that happen to us? Joseph's character signature was that he never stopped trusting God to raise him above all of his trials. His faith was so strong that whatever happened he would accept it within God's will for him. In the big scheme of things, we get bogged down with such minutia of work problems and let them fester that in comparison to Joseph they look silly. Don't get me wrong, I know they feel like big weights at the time, but with turning them over to God, taking the attitude and approach of Joseph, we may well find that what we think is too heavy for us and too bad is not really that bad after all, and whatever it is, we can faithfully wait and see how it will turn to God's good.

Reference: Genesis 50:20 (New Living Testament)

day 130: Potiphar's Joseph

Joseph is one of the great men and heroes of the Bible. Joseph was not a prophet, a judge,or a king. Joseph was a worker and in fact he didn't make, move, or sell anything. He was an administrator. In today's vernacular he was General & Administrative overhead (G&A). And today, when things get tough the first part of the business to cut are G&A costs. "Why do we need more administration or people watching over things?" the board of directors may ask. It is a good question but the board of directors in Potiphar's house would not have gotten the answer they might have wanted from Potiphar. It says in Genesis 39:6 that Joseph was so successful in everything that he did that, "...Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn't have a worry in the world, except to decide what he wanted to eat." How good was Joseph that he was that good? Well, we know that God had blessed him and that whatever he took on God made it good and successful and we know later that he was so good at what he did that he became the number two person over all of Egypt for the Pharoah. Joseph was really, really good at what he did. He also got to these positions because he was fully trustworthy, responsible and accountable. He became so accountable that when tempted with Potiphar's most prized possession that he turned his back on the temptation. Joseph was the ultimate "right-hand person". Don't we all wish we could have a Joseph working for us? We might have someone who is close, but we just never know where the line gets drawn. What we can strive to be is a Joseph to our own boss. We can do what it takes to build the trust, credibility, and responsibility to be known as one who can get things done and gets them done in the right way with other people. We can build our reputations as people who have earned the privilege of doing more. Joseph had God on his side. So, do we. Joseph was faced with one trial after another and with God's support rose above them. We also have God who through our faith will do the same for us. If we choose to be, we can be Potiphar's Joseph!

Reference: Genesis 39:6 (New Living Testament)

day 129: The Carpenter's Apprentice

In church this past Sunday we were told that the Jesus who rode into Jerusalem on the donkey on the day that we now call Palm Sunday, was as human as you or I. For the illustration of this the Pastor reminded us of Jesus' occupation from the time he was old enough to work until he was 30 was that of a carpenter. As I sat there and reflected on this I thought of my grandfather who was also a carpenter. I thought of the rough hands from handling wood and tools, the strong forearms and shoulders from lifting and holding and moving heavy materials, his mule-like strength in his back and legs from all the years of this type of work. Also, my grandfather as a carpenter was amazing with math and logic. He could divide and multiply fractions in his head and he could look at a structural problem and with a little bit of staring, head-scratching and thinking, he would come up with a solution. He was also more than diligent when it came to simple axioms (life lessons) like, "measure twice, cut once". He never wasted any energy or material. It was the carpenter's way. I then look at Jesus and what He did in his ministry and realize that His carpenter's hands were those of real people doing hard work. The carpenter's arms, shoulders, back and legs are the strength of bearing the burdens of the human world. The carpenter's mind and logic could look into humanity and divide, multiply and figure out the equations and solutions that man can't. Like a carpenter, Jesus used every moment and raw material of the men who followed him to the greatest utilization and never wasted a moment to teach and leave behind a lesson and example to follows. The occupation of carpenter was as good of preparation for moving into His ministry as could be imagined. And when He began to teach and amaze those around Him, it was only that much more remarkable that these words came from the carpenter. We see this in Mark 6:2-3: "...Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He's just the carpenter..." When I was a boy my grandfather would not let me use his tools. He told me that I could learn just as much by watching him use them. You know, he was right. Just like the Carpenter; we learn by watching, learning, living and loving. And today, when we go to do our own jobs, let us be the Carpenter's apprentice and learn on the job to be the example and role model that God wants us to be. And let us remember that like us, Jesus toiled for His wage for most of His life and He mastered an earthly skill and through that work He saw the humanity around Him. When we look at those around us through their eyes we can see what they are up against, what wears them down and what keeps them going. When they look into our eyes can they they see the Carpenter's Apprentice?

Reference: Mark 6:2-3 (New Living Testament)

day 128: Give It Your All Cheerfully!

I have been writing recently about how work and our jobs can take a lot from us and cause us to become tired, weary and burned out. So, this post will seem contradictory in that this is about giving our all when we do our work. But, maybe not so contradictory after you finish reading. The expectation on all of us in our jobs is to give 100% or more. It's the nature of business to make an investment in an asset and expect to yield all that asset has to give and more so. The financial accounting rules allow us to depreciate an asset down from 100%, over time and until eventually at zero value left, it comes off the books. But people, talent, us, as an asset do not depreciate (at least we hope we don't) but instead appreciate with experience, knowledge and know-how. So, the return on the investment in people should be much greater than 100%. If a business hires an employee they should be able to say that they are getting more from the employee than what they are paying and therefore that person becomes "highly valued talent". It's just how business works and we shouldn't fight that, in fact we should fit right in and be an example of that equation working itself out daily. Nowhere in the Bible does God ever ask us to do something half-hearted. We are to dive in head-first with faith and give it our all. And such is how we are to be in our jobs too. In Colossians 3:23 Paul and Timothy write this: "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord, rather than for people." Paul and Timothy were challenging the people of Colosse to give it their all and to be an example of people who were working as if they were working for the Lord, which should be with the greatest vigor and joy one could imagine, and for that example to be able to shine through to others with whom they worked. Each day we get the opportunity and privilege to decide how we want to approach our jobs. We can do just enough to get by and have others questioning our commitment, loyalty and work ethic, or we can go at our work as if we were working for the Lord and have others see us as different, inspiring, and motivating. I think we all know which is the right approach. But, there is a another key word in the verse and that is that we are to do this, "cheerfully". Yes, work can bring us down and our jobs can wear us out, but if we are leaning on Him to get us through then we can also pray that we can bring cheerfulness into the office with us, this in itself will make us different. So, today, give it your all and practice your cheerfulness. Practice makes permanent. So, start today and see where it goes for you. I pray that it will take you someplace that is good and right for you.

Reference: Colossians 3:23 (New Living Testament)

day 127: Now

We just finished the first quarter of the year and started the second. And for sure already in boardrooms and offices across the country companies are making their projections for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th quarters and for the full year. This is how business works. We don't live in the present. We are always planning and forecasting the future. The future can be exciting and become consuming and we want to get there as fast as we can. Sometimes the future can be bleak and full of expected trouble and we know we have to go there but we go with worry and trepidation. The future can get in the way of living for the present and enjoying and working with the life that we have been given. In C.S. Lewis' classic book, "The Screwtape Letters", the devils' undersecretary named Screwtape explains to his agent and nephew named Wormwood that God doesn't want us to work and live in the future if it is going to get in the way of glorifying God in the present. Read along as two devils correspond on what we as humans shouldn't do: "To be sure the Enemy (God) wants men to think of the Future too - just so much as is necessary for now planning the acts of justice or charity which will probably be their duty tomorrow. The duty of planning the morrow's work is today's duty; though its material is borrowed from the future, the duty, like all duties, is in the Present. This is now straw splitting. He (God) does not want men to give the Future their hearts, to place their treasures in it. We (the devil) do (does). His (God's) ideal is a man, who having worked all day for the good of posterity (if that is his vocation), washes his mind of the whole subject, commits the issue to Heaven, and returns at once to the patience or gratitude demanded in the moment that is passing over him. But we (the devil) want a man hag-ridden by the Future...we want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow's end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the Present". We are told in Proverbs that the plans that we have for our future are not in our hands anyway; "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." As we plan our future business and our jobs, we should remind ourselves that the earthly future that overtakes our ability to focus, live and be who are to be in the present is not the future we should be pursuing.

Reference: Proverbs 16:9 (New Living Testament), C.S. Lewis: "The Screwtape Letters"

day 126: The Pursuit Of Good

A lot of businesses right now are trying pursue "good" in what they do. They need this from not only a talent attraction, but also from a consumer positioning. It seems everywhere you look companies and people are trying to put meaning and purpose into their work. This daily blog was also born out of that need. Companies are jumping on the "do well to do good" bandwagon and many are "going green" because they know that this will draft into what the consumer desires to be good. The question remains as to how many companies are doing this just for the positive imaging or really doing it because they are in the pursuit of true good? You may be one of the decision-makers within your company and trying to figure this out yourself right now. Or, you may be someone within a company who wants to do good but is finding it hard to find a line-of-sight to what your company or you can do that is "good". Believers already know what is good as we were given this in the book of Micah. Verse 8 of Chapter 6 says: "No, O people, the Lord has already told you what is good, and this is what He requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." The prophet Micah spells it out for us and tells us that what is good is for us to pursue what is right, to be a lover and provider of mercy and to do all that we do with a spirit of humility. If we take on these challenges and attitudes within our work and on our job, then we will be not just in the pursuit of good but attaining what is good. Goodness may be able to be found without these traits but I suspect that it will be fleeting or not authentic in the long run. It will not last the test of time. So, let's just follow the words of Micah as we pursue good in our work and watch the good that happens.

Reference; Micah 6:8 (New Living Testament)

day 125: More Strength Needed

I am convinced that now more than ever, at least in in my work life, that the stress and strain of our jobs is wearing us down. In the times we are in we are being asked to do more with less, we are watching our peers lose their jobs or we are losing our own jobs. If we have a job we worry about the security of it going forward and we now have to consider that our employer, in order to keep our role in the company, may ask us to take a pay cut. These are stressful and painful times. But through it all we are expected to get up and at it each and every day with a positive attitude and accomplishing motivation. It is not easy and we can see the signs of stress in our co-workers and ourselves. There is not as much laughter at the lunch table nor willingness to spend more time together outside of work. The fun that was once part of the job has seemed to dissipate and the level of consternation and short-fused temperaments is way up. If this doesn't wear us down nothing can. However, we can't let it. God expects us to lean on Him to bring us through this time and to do so in a way that we continue to be a lighthouse of refuge for others. We are to be the ones who can surf on top of the waves in the storm and continue to be encouragers and the most optimistic and positive people in the office. How do we do that when we ourselves are tired, stressed and run down? One of my favorite Bible passages is in Isaiah Chapter 40, verse 31 that says; "But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." What a tremendous promise that God gives us. In these troubled times we should not feel that we must push through and hustle through the day alone. God says, "Wait", and He will bring us the strength we need to not only walk through the day, but to run and to fly! I like to talk to groups about how we are supposed to bring God to work with us not leave him at home. This verse always gives me the image that waiting on the Lord at work, would be like going through the front door of the office in the morning and instead of opening the door and barging through and expecting God to follow, that we would instead, pause, wait on Him and open the door for God to go through first. We then can follow.

Reference: Isaiah 40:31 (New Living Testament).