day 395: Good Newsletters

Invariably somewhere along the way in our careers we will either be a part of, contribute to, author or read some sort of "newsletter" that comes to us about updates about the business or a part of the business. Companies will set up departments for internal communication to write and publish newsletters on some regular time frame like monthly or semiannually. These newsletters are used to highlight accomplishments and the good things that happen in the business. They also put the spotlight on people for things like promotions, advancements or extra efforts. Companies come and go in their belief in the importance of newsletters, or today, websites that serve the purpose of communicating and publishing news and positive messages. I personally believe that we all need to be informed and able to read and know what is good that is going on around us. We should each take the opportunity to spread some good news and positives around the office. If we want, through a simple email we can each be our own publishers of good. As believers we have an even better message to send and we are challenged to make sure that others hear this news. We are told in 1 Chronicles; "Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does." Today, as we close this week, think about what good news you can publish and then also don't forget that when given the opportunity that you have even better news to be shared about the amazing things that God has done for you. This will be as good of a good newsletter as you can get.

Reference: 1 Chronicles 16:24 (New Living Testament)

day 394: Thinking Time

How many times have we said to ourselves, "If I only had some time to think!". We get so caught up in our day to day activities and the pressures of the urgent that we don't find time to sit and think, plan and be strategic. The grind of trying to stay on top of all of the emails, phone calls, meetings and project work doesn't leave much time for any of us to sit down with a clear mind and think about the future or the the things we have in front of us that need deep and long thoughts. There was a book that came out a few years ago about the it being an art to be able to think and conceptualize the long view of the future. But even like any art, there are foundational disciplines below the art form that are required before one can do anything well. A painter who doesn't understand color, a writer with poor grammar, a songwriter who can't play an instrument, or a business leader who can't find the time to think, are all efforts that are undermined by not having the fundamentals understood and perfected before trying to layer on the next level of creativity. Finding and carving out the time to think is a fundamental part of finding success in business. The same is true of our spiritual lives and the quest to be closer to the Lord. Without the quiet time we cannot place our minds where they need to be in order to focus and hear what God wants to say to us. We need time to let our minds be free and ponder. In the beautiful Psalm 111, David reminds us why we should take the time to think about what God has done for us; "How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them." Today, find some thinking time first to spend with God and then to spend thinking about those things that are important to that need deeper thought. If you can find the quiet time for God first and commit to that time, I have a confident feeling that you will be amazed at how you will find the time for the other thinking too.

Reference: Psalm 111:2 (New Living Testament)

day 393: Strike The Rock

As business leaders in the secular marketplace we are constantly challenged and brought to task by our teams and the people who work around us. I like to say that if you are going to be a leader, it just comes with the territory. I have been in more than one situation in my career where when faced with the fork in the road, or the difficult decision to be made, or the feeling of inadequacy, that at the same time my team and peers were looking at me with the eye of challenge to see if they were going to agree or disagree with what I was about to do. I have never personally faced a full scale mutiny but I have seen it happen to others and when it does it is not pretty. What is amazing about it is that it typically builds up over time and then it is something very small that triggers the team feeling emboldened enough to go to their bosses and boss and register their complaints. Seldom do leaders recover and survive this level of dissatisfaction unless the next level above them intervenes and gives them the authority and the tools/resources to change the course. At my church we are studying Moses and what he went through when leading the Israelites. In Exodus Chapter 17 we read of how the people were about to remove Moses from leadership because they didn't have water. They quickly turned against him and if not for God's intervention telling Moses to strike the rock with his staff to create a flow of water, then Moses may have been done as their leader. I find the similarities striking too. Moses went above himself to find his way out of his leadership challenge and God was there to answer. We should take this lesson and learn from it as well. When we are challenged as leaders or co-workers, our bosses can help, before things get out of control. But even greater is the power and the answers that can come from a level above if we are to go to God for His answers. For Moses God asked him to pick up a familiar tool in his rod. God will give is our own rod and staff to pick up and a rock to strike if we will just ask and then listen and follow through.

Reference: Exodus Chapter 17 (New Living Testament)

day 392: What's Mine Is Yours

Sharing is not an easy thing to do in our jobs. As I have written before we are more often than not going to be rewarded for our individual efforts and work can become a place of competition versus collaboration and teamwork. We strive for both but seldom can we really say at work that what is mine is yours. Too much is made of the back and forth of who really deserves the credit or who really got the work done. There is always someone who wants the credit and someone else gets their toes stepped on and feeling hurt. It is not an inviting environment and the sandbox gets crowded way too fast. The question a lot of CEOs and Heads of HR have is how do they repair this in the companies. I believe it starts with an attitude from each of us that is an honest belief that what we share will come back to us and that the right thing to do is model the actions that what is mine can and should also be someone elses. I heard a song this last weekend that captures how we as believers are to start with turning all that is ours over to God. If we can do that then we stand the better chance to wanting to share all that we have with others. The lyrics of the song and a link are below. Today, consider if we are really of the right mind and are we truly able to say that what is mine is yours. If we can't then it may be because we first haven't figured out how to give up which is ours to God.

"It's Yours" by Jadon Lavik

Take my pride all that’s inside
And trade it for a heart
A humble heart that gives glory to your name
Be the guide your will not mine as I step aside
Shine your light through this broken surrendered life

So it’s yours, it’s yours
My life is yours, it’s yours
So come on and have your way in me

Save to lose in this economy upside down
Lose to find the only life worth living for
Give to gain I want to lead a life that’s full of love
Help me see outside of me the strength in giving away

So it’s yours, it’s yours
My life is yours, it’s yours
So come on and have your way in me
Come on and have your way in me

Mold me mold me and make me
Into what you want me to be

So it’s yours, it’s yours
My life is yours, it’s yours
So come on and have your way in me
Come on and have your way in me

Link to the song. Track 13:

day 391: Amen Not No-Men

Yesterday as I was teaching Sunday School one of the little kids said that the opposite of "Amen" was "No-Men". I laughed as you really never know what is going to come out of the mouths of babes. Later as I was thinking about it, I thought he was actually right and indeed Amen is a word of encouragement and reinforcement and the other side of it would be being negative, so in a way, "Nomen" is not good. At work we are offered so many opportunities to reinforce things positively with an encouraging word, but we don't pounce on those chances enough and more often than not someone else will jump in with the negative point of view before we have a chance to say something good, and then it is too late. Once the moment slips away it is hard to get it back and instead of placing an encouraging word we, by default and silence, will have maybe sent the opposite message of what we desired. Without even knowing it, we can become "no-men". This is not what Paul tells us to do in Romans 15:2. He says instead, "We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord". If we start today with a few of our own "amens" to the work and efforts of others then that pleasing will come back many folds over as will a draw from others who will want to be around us so that they can also feel the positive reinforcement. And whatever we do let's not fall into the trap of being seen and known as the negative person in the room. No one likes or wants to follow "No-men".

Reference: Romans 15:2 (New Living Testament)

day 390: Finishing Strength

While Fridays can be the best day of the week, they also can many times be the toughest. When the week has not yielded everything that it should have and we are looking at a weekend of work in front of us in order to be ready for what will face us next week, Fridays can feel overwhelming. What should be the day that we tidy up and get ready for some rest and relaxation can actually be one of the higher days of stress of the week because we become tense about knowing that we are going to lose the weekend and also have to explain to others why we can't be with them or have to go into the office on Saturday. These are the weeks where it feels like we barely fall over the finish line versus break the tape with leftover strength and vigor. There isn't an easy answer to this other than to recognize that it happens to all of us at one time or another and that we are not alone. I find that in these times I must remind myself that "this too shall pass" and that unless this level of activity becomes a regular thing, that I can can just about make it through anything once and awhile. However, that's probably not thinking big enough and I/we should be in these times drawing on the greater source of strength that is given to us. David writes in Psalm 73:26; "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart, he is mine forever." If we want to realize real strength and the ability to push through anything humanly challenging we only have to fall back on the strength that God can give us if we allow Him to do so. Think of it this way, God is right there with us as we look into the face of the weekend of work in front of us. How many times do we take the time to bring the challenge to Him and ask Him for the strength, the efficiency and the productivity to get through what has to be completed? This is the moment when we can draw upon Him as our work partner and greatest supporter.

Reference: Psalm 73:26 (New Living Testament)

day 389: Slumps

It's early in the professional baseball season but even before 20 games have been played, already some players are being characterized as in a "slump". Slumps are very obvious in sports and sales. In sports there are stats for everything and it becomes obvious when someone is not producing. The same can be said for the sales function in a company. When the leads aren't turning into calls that are turning into closed deals, then sales people can also fall into a slump. Most of the rest of the jobs in business are hard to measure so finitely that slumps become clearly recognizable, even though they are happening. We all go into our slumps at one time or another. We know it by our inability to feel like we are getting as much done or that we feel like decisions we are making get overturned or challenged at every turn. Our slumps can be that we just aren't as sharp or focused as we once were and we can't put our finger on the reasons. The business world is actually quite forgiving as there is not an expectation that every day we perform at our peak. Most companies grade on a sliding scale and watch to see how performance unfolds over time. Not that every company has patience, but most do. You may be feeling this slump right now. What is most important is that we as believers never let our slumps get us down. We don't need to let them affect our attitude or confidence as we have the great promise from Romans 8:28 (which we can't repeat enough); "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." We know that our purpose is to bring glory to God in our work and all that we do. So, a slump is just part of the process in what will be good. Today, think about embracing the slump and making the most of it so that when good does come from it, you have an even greater appreciation of what you are to do next.

Reference: Romans 8:28 (New Living Testament)

day 388: Double Whammys

A few months ago I wrote a post called "Stop The Complaining!" (day 369). That post resonated with a number of people as they said to me that being a complainer at work is one of the easiest roles to slip into. I then wrote another post called, "The Last Word" (day 374) that talked about the arguers at work and how we should avoid arguing all together and not fall into the traps of people who like to pick a fight and suck us into email arguments, etc. After thinking about these two topics more it dawned on me that complaining and arguing are like the evil twins of the workplace. They are the double whammy's that some people have built their work persona around. We all know them and can't say that we love 'em. They are the first person to have the negative point of view and no matter what they will fine something to complain about. I once worked with a person who was always looking for why he was not included or involved so everyone would go out of their way to include him in meetings and conversations that he didn't really need to be included. After all of this effort one day he complained to the group that he was too busy being in meetings to get anything done. I thought the rest of the room was going to reach across the table and strangle him when he said that. And when he wasn't complaining he was arguing. They go hand in hand as two tools that people use to build themselves up and tear down other people. As believers and people who are committed to working God's purpose in our jobs, we cannot be one of those people. We must take the high road that God shows us and not fall into the trap of being a complainer or an arguer. Paul says it to us in Philippians 2:14-15 and he also tells us that those who are complainers and arguers are trying to pull us down; "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people." He then goes on to say that if we can rise about the rest of the ways of the world that we should, "Let your lives shine brightly before them". You won't win any awards or get a lot or recognition from not falling into the trap of becoming a complainer or an arguer, but you can know that you will work without blame and that God's light can shine through you onto others. Those are two great positives to eradicate the double whammy's of complaining and arguing.

Reference: Philippians 2:14-15 (New Living Testament)

day 387: Telecommuting

Telecommuting is the fancy word for working at home. For the people who do work remotely, I have great admiration. It takes real commitment, self-motivation and organization skills to stay focused and highly productive when not in an office. Not to say that there is automatically high productivity just because someone works in an office or around others. But it is hard for sure when out of the office to not get distracted and caught up in other things when the phone is ringing, errands to be done, or just beautiful outside. Because of this, many companies don't allow everyone to telecommute. I know a number of people though who would not be able to work where they do if not for the accommodations made by their employers so they can work at home. And at the end of the day, who really wouldn't want to work at home if they could? We all like to think about the greater flexibility and the time to potentially balance our lives even if just a bit better. On the days that we crave being home, we should also be reminded of how David longed for another home. He wrote this in Psalm 27:4; "The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." In some ways we could say that we are all telecommuting here on earth as we do the work of God here but report back to where He is. When thought about it this way, then we should all do our best while on this assignment so that we when we are called back to His headquarters we will be welcomed back with His open arms. So, today, like the sometime tendencies of the telecommuter to drift or be distracted, we each need to be sure that we remain focused on the greatest home of all.

Reference: Psalm 27:4 (New Living Testament)

day 386: Today's Troubles

Let's face it, every day at work is full of troubles. Always has been, always will be. Let's remember that work was not given to us originally as something fun to do. Adam got the first job assignment and since then we have all had to toil for our food. We also know that work is not a bad thing as much of our potential as human beings is fulfilled in the work we do. That said, we also know that we are not to make work into the definition of who we are or become so all encompassing that we lose perspective as to what is important in our lives. God gave us all the same purpose, to bring glory to Him in all that we do. If we keep that as our centering force then how we work becomes what it most important. That is why it is important that we manage well the troubles that we face at work. If we are not the people who can take the troubles as they come without overly worrying or over reacting, then we fall into the trap of allowing our troubles to pull us down and pull others down at the same time. In Matthew 6:34 we are told not to worry about tomorrow since day already has enough troubles: "So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." If we can focus on one day at a time with our minds and hearts always allowing God to be there with us through big, small, thick and thin, then no troubles will be enough to knock us off of our purpose. It is only when we forget to bring God to work with us or we purposefully leave Him at home or in the car, that the troubles in front of us today and tomorrow will become overbearing and seem too much. Let's not let ourselves slip into that trap today.

Reference: Matthew 6:34 (New Living Testament)

day 385: Everybody's Working For The Weekend

Do you know the tune that goes with, "Everybody's working for the weekend?" It's an old Loverboy song from the 1980's and it can be heard on the radio on Fridays and hummed under the breath of people as they head out the door on Friday afternoon. This time of the year when the blossoms are on the trees and the flowers are starting to push up and bloom, spring fever starts to set in and we look more forward to the weekends. So much to do, so little time, and those two days become precious and a bit of a weekly obsession. Conversations around the break room turn to "what are you up to this weekend?" and you can hear the priorities of soccer and baseball games, yard work, travel, friend time, etc. After a hard week's work sometimes there is nothing better than just being home with family and shutting off the email, phone calls, and text messages and just finding time to read, catch up on DVR'd TV, movies or simply just vegg out. The weekend is also the time given to us to recenter on Sunday with our time in church. However it is done, we look to the weekends to recharge and regroup for the week ahead. I continually marvel at how those who came before us, particularly in the Old Testament would with all their hardships, challenges and obstacles, consistently look to the Lord for their respite. Some will say that it was easier then to focus and be close to the Lord as they didn't have the distractions of 500 cable channels or a new ipad to play with. But, I don't think that any generation had it easier than we do today to focus on the Lord, if we choose. While we rest in the weekends, let's remember that while the Sabbath was a day of doing nothing for them, the other six days were about hunting, gathering, fighting, protecting and surviving in the elements and using every hour of sunlight for existence. There was no "weekend" other than one day when they were required to not lift a hand and focus on God. We would do well to learn from the lessons of those who came before us. Not the law of the Sabbath, but the focus on God for their rest and renewal. King David says in Psalm 27:4; "The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Imagine if we could honestly say the same how our perspective on work and living would change? While we may still be working for the weekend, our overall focus and priorities would be so set that each and every day would be like a weekend of rest with our Lord. This weekend, take at least the time in church to reflect on the true meaning of our purpose at work and let God fill you with the energy and spirit to bring glory to Him in all that you do.

Reference: Psalm 27:4 (New Living Testament)

day 384: Supply Hoarding

We all know someone, or maybe we have been there ourselves, who hoards the supplies as if there will never be enough to go around in the future. Even though we like to think we are working in a paperless society, the truth of the matter is that we still write, paperclip, file, etc. and we always want to be sure we have enough supplies on hand so we ensure that our desks are always well stocked. The same happens with electronic equipment. We can't have just one phone or laptop charger these days, we need to have one for the office, one for traveling and one for home. Let's not even talk about those who "need" more than one laptop. By nature we are people who stock up and sometimes go to the extreme of hoarding what we think we will need for tomorrow but fear won't be available because of someone else getting it first. The problem with this is not the amount of material, but the attitude that goes with the approach. If we really think deeply about it, hoarding or worrying about tomorrow is an insecurity that comes from not being sure about what the future may bring. Are we like this? Do we allow ourselves to fall into that attitude? If we do, we are not hearing what God has to say about the subject. While He did not specifically address the work supply cabinet, He did address the supplies of life; "He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." In the bigger picture, we needn't be worried or concerned about anything from day to day or tomorrow, because if we have our primary concerns correct and in order, the supply cabinet will always be full to yield just enough for us.

Reference: Matthew 6:33 (New Living Testament)

day 383: Secret of Success

I am often asked to speak on the broad topic of how to become "successful" in whatever endeavor that is chosen. At the end of the day, most of the leadership books, lectures given and classes taken are all about how to be more successful. A strong orientation towards success is what it takes to make it through a career and without this in one's DNA it is difficult to rise above the challenges and competition that faces us in the workplace. On the other end of the spectrum though are those who are so obsessed with success that they miss many opportunities along the way to have a more fulfilled life outside of work. Work, and success at work, becomes the focus and the overarching goal of life and then things end up out of whack when that success is not achieved. So, it is a game of balance that we play and we spend our careers trying to strike that balance to get the most out of work and out of life. Along the way we try and find that "secret of success" much like the Spanish explorers looked for the Fountain of Youth. I marvel sometimes at the books that are written about the secrets of success. If it really is such a secret then why are mass-market appeal books written about the topic. There really are no secrets, there are only suggestions and examples to follow to find one's own formula to success. We are fortunate to have our own book that is chocked full of examples and suggestions. That book being the Bible. In 2 Chronicles 31 we learn of King Hezekiah and how he managed his kingdom and how he became successful. We read in verse 21: "In all that he did in the service of the Temple and God and in his efforts to follow the law and the commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful." There are no secrets in life to success but there are sometimes clear directions that we just have to follow. If you have been searching for your own secret to your success, then you can stop looking and try to follow King Hezekiah's example and just put God first and with all you do and seek Him wholeheartedly. Once you have followed that example, then you may find that your search for the secret of success can end.

Reference: 2 Chronicles 2:21 (New Living Testament)

day 382: Break Time

Many times those of us who have grown up as Managers in companies don't like or don't understand work rules that come from the government or collective bargaining agreements. We become conditioned to think it is unproductive or wasteful to have prescribed break or meal times. A few years ago, the Governor of California sought the removing of break times for government workers. While the numbers on a piece of paper can certainly reinforce that we can remove these and save money, no one pushes back on the fact that with a little break one can come back to the job and be more productive. That is because those of us who are in management don't allow ourselves to take formal breaks but if the truth be told there is plenty of time throughout the day on the phone for personal reasons, checking Facebook, rolling back in the chair and staring out the window, or shooting the breeze with someone else about something that has nothing to do with work. Breaks are just part of the way we work, whether prescribed or not, because that is human nature that we all must be refreshed to keep up our energy level and have the stamina to complete the day or the job at hand. The Bible tells us how to be and stay refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 says; "The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." In our work what this can say to us is that when we go on break, don't go on break for ourselves, but go on break for others. Find the person in the office who is most down that day and seek them out and offer to go for a walk, have a cup of coffee, or just sit and talk for a few minutes. When you are sure that they are refreshed then go back to the office and see how you feel. Do this a few times and you will know what it feels likes to have a break time that produces real results.

Reference: Proverbs 11:25 (New Living Testament)

day 381: Calendar Fatigue

Monday mornings we can come into the office already set up to not have a good week. We sit down at our desks and before we go to our first meeting or begin our work day, we pull up our calendar and survey the week. When we see a week full of back-to back meetings, travel, or projects due, etc., without even recognizing it we could find ourselves beginning to feel calendar fatigue. On the most horrific weeks we sometimes have to muster all we have to find the strength and the endurance to make it through. It is also those weeks when we have to defend against allowing our attitudes to deteriorate and our moods to be affected by the waves of work that we see coming. If we don't, then sometimes we can let Monday mornings influence the whole week and when that happens we have lost great opportunities to take it one day, one hour at a time and make the most of every moment in a positive and hopeful way. I am reminded what we are told in Matthew 6:34: "So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." As we start this week, let's not focus on tomorrow, when today is enough. Calendar fatigue only happens if we let it happen to us. With God's strength and support there is nothing that is beyond what we can handle, so no matter the week or the day in front of us, let's face it with the hopeful optimism and strength and attitude that tells the rest of our offices that we have something special going on.

Reference: Matthew 6:34 (New Living Testament)

day 380: The Most Precious Resource

Today I had a meeting with a senior financial person who is in the process of deciding on his next job. He detailed to me the trials and tribulations of what he has gone through over the last few months with people he interviewed with who never got back to him and one situation where he was asked to write a comprehensive business plan and submit it in two days, which he did, only to be told that the position was already filled before his interview. When he checked back with them later he was told that the time spent by the hiring manager was for courtesy. When he inquired about why they asked him to take his own time to create and submit the business when it was for nothing, the responding party did not have a good answer. Needless to say, he was upset. He could have been upset over not getting the job or upset over someone taking his business plan and likely getting ready to use it as their own. But neither of those were really why he was upset. He was most upset because someone else wasted his time. We all have the same amount of time each day. The CEO and the entry-level college student all are given the same amount. When one person wastes the time of someone else, it is really taking from them the most precious resource they have. We all have our time wasted at work. What is really important is how we respond and react to when our time is taken from us. Being ones who want to set the right example and be a model of our purpose being lived out at work, I suggest that each time we are put in the situation where our time is being wasted, that we recalibrate and remember that we are working for God's purpose and that if we are doing that in all we do, then no moment is ever wasted. Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 15:58; "...Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." Today, worry less about time that is wasted and think more about why you are doing what you do. If we are always working enthusiastically for God to deliver his Purpose through us with the glory always going to Him, then all the time is useful and each and every moment is counting for something great.

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

day 379: Firefighting

Ever have one of those days, weeks, month or a year when all it felt like you could get done was to put out fires? These are the times that you just deal with one problem or crisis after another and you feel like you can't seem to stop them from coming. There is really only one way to put out a fire and this is to remove or starve the fuels. The fuels being the substance to be burned or the oxygen that accelerates the burning. One of them must go away. Crisis management and corporate firefighting are the same. Whatever is reinforcing the crisis or whatever the substance of the crisis must be removed. Sometimes that means us getting into the middle of the fire and taking the chance of getting burned ourselves to remove the issue. Corporate fires are many times fueled by gossip, rumors and false truths. These things feed the fires and what starts as a small issue quickly turns into a raging bonfire. In this age of email and being always on and always connected, sometimes it feels like we have to be watching over the communications on email all the time if for nothing else to be there to put out a small fire before it turns raging. Think of how much of our time that could be saved if we didn't have to worry about this firefighting? Since many times what fans the flames of the fire are those half-truths, gossip and rumors, that is the place to start in good corporate firefighting prevention. Remove the acceptance, ability and/or the people who gossip, start rumors and/or never quite tell the whole and fully-truthful story and many of the problems will disappear. As believers we also get this instruction in Proverbs 26:20; "Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Today, at our job, there will be someone who will want to start the gossip. Once we ascertain and ensure it is not us who is throwing wood on the fire, then we should step forward and do our part to stop the gossip, squelch the rumors and ensure the truth. The best firefighters are those who prevent fires and never allow the fire to start. That is the type of firefighting that is productive and if we are known as those types of people, then others will see a unique sense of calm and peace that may well surpass understanding, sparking just the conversation that you want to have with others.

Reference: Proverbs 26:20 (New Living Testament)

day 378: Posters and Placards

I once went into an executives office and I kid you not, from ceiling to floor all around the room was one inspirational poster and placard after another. It was like a gallery of pictures and positive messages. I couldn't imagine that this person could ever have a bad day with all of those posters, some framed, some not, all speaking to whoever would read them. It's not unusual to see these inspirational sayings in cubicles, offices and on the walls of corporate America. If not generic pictures and poems, then the company will have come up with their own statements to create motivation. When rallied and aligned around these messages an organization can become unified emotionally. So, when used correctly posters and placards to trigger cues for behavior can be really good for people. If we are leading teams we can create our own sayings and symbols to keep a vision or a mission front and center. Of course any of these are only as good as the commitment and follow through behind the message. Those companies who say one thing and do another would be better off not saying anything at all. The same is true with those messages and symbols that we set forward to describe ourselves to others. These are fine if we live up to them and we don't act in an opposite and contradictory manner. We can follow how God placed His symbol in the sky to remind us of Him and His promise that He gave Noah in Genesis 9:16; "When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every creature on earth." Today as you see one of these inspirational posters or sayings, take a look at them and ask yourself, "Am I living up to this or what could I be doing better and different to do so?" The more consistent we are with the messages we use to define ourselves the more consistent we will come across to others, which gives us much more credibility with others at work. And once we establish that credibility then many will be interested in hearing what is your purpose.

Reference: Genesis 9:16 (New Living Testament)

day 377: Building Up The Treasury

Kingdoms and pirates are not the only institutions and people who build up treasuries. Companies do as well and any large company has a "Treasurer" as a senior position in the Finance team. I always thought this is one of the best job titles in business. To be the "treasurer" and watch over all of the treasures that have been earned and stored up. As we all know those treasures are mainly cash and securities that are the result of our hard word in making, moving, marketing, selling and supporting our business products or services. But, they are treasures none the less as we depend on them to be able to fund the future and/or share back with our shareholders. Businesses are made up of people who bring their time and talent to work to establish their own treasures and to contribute to the growth of the same for the company. If we get to a point where we have built up enough of our own treasures we ask for the help of others, who more than often call themselves money managers or wealth managers. But wouldn't it be so much cooler if we had our own "Treasurer" to watch over and protect our treasures? We know Biblically that we are not to store up our treasures on earth, but God doesn't only provide for treasures that are made up of earthly and material things. God is a treasurer for us as He builds up His treasury in us with many different characteristics and attributes. In Proverbs 2:7 we read: "He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest." The amazing thing about letting God be our Treasurer is that He not only provides what we need He also blesses us in ways that we could never imagine. Those around us in the office who display the highest level of common sense are many times the people who get listened to the most and are the ones that people go to when they need advice. Even the smartest person doesn't do well without some semblance of common sense. God wants to give us this treasure if we will only accept that being honest is the prerequisite. If so, then He will bestow this on us. Today, as you think about the treasures before you and the ones to be gained, don't forget that the treasure of common sense is there for you and comes from complete honesty before God and other people. The great Treasurer is there all the time to watch over and protect His treasures, which is each and everyone of us.


Reference: Proverbs 2:7 (New Living Testament)

day 376: Worked To Death

It's a common phrase to hear someone say, "I am working myself to death". There was a time that in the United States, and still in other places around the world, that the phrase could be more of a statement of fact versus just a phrase to exaggerate how hard one is working in their job. Today, there are still people who work too much and too hard to the point of physical distress and danger, but for the most part we don't put our lives at risk or die because of our physical or mental exertion at work. Before I go further, I do give great admiration to those who go beyond work to serve us and our country for security, protection, rescue and war. They do in fact put their lives on the line each day and to them we should each be extraordinarily grateful. Considered in totality, for most of us to make the statement that we are being "worked to death", is vastly overstated. It is a mindset and an attitude that can come across as very self-centered and overly emotionally based. It can also drag other people down around us. When we feel this way and before we express this emotion we should stop and remember that no matter how bad we have it that there was One who went before us who really did work Himself to His death. He knew that this was His purpose and He did it for us. Before we put Easter away for the year, let's read together Phil Keaggy's lyrics from the song "Maker of the Universe" and reflect on the commitment and love that was given for us. Think about what it truly means for one to work themselves to death.


"The Maker of the universe,
As Man for man was made a curse.
The claims of Law which He had made,
Unto the uttermost He paid.
His holy fingers made the bough,
Which grew the thorns that crowned His brow.
The nails that pierced His hands were mined
In secret places He designed.

He made the forest whence there sprung
The tree on which His body hung.
He died upon a cross of wood,
Yet made the hill on which it stood.
The sky that darkened o'er His head,
By Him above the earth was spread.
The sun that hid from Him it's face
By His decree was poised in space.

The spear which spilled His precious blood
Was tempered in the fires of God.
The grave in which His form was laid
Was hewn in rocks His hands had made.
The throne on which He now appears
Was His for everlasting years.
But a new glory crowns His brow
And every knee to Him shall bow."

day 375: "Come Back To Me When You Have More Stories"

Career impatience is a terrible thing. We all go through it at some some point. This is when we think we are ready for the next job or the bigger assignment or the promotion up the ranks, but we aren't actually ready for any of these because we don't have the experience, wisdom, or honed skills to do the job. Unfortunately, it is hard to find someone who will be honest enough with us to set us straight. Instead we end up frustrated and can't understand why others moved ahead of us. Many a person ends up leaving a job and a company over this reason, but had someone just talked to them honestly they would recalibrate and be okay. This happened to me once in my career when I just knew I was so ready to go to the next level, which as I remembers back then was the title of "Senior Manager". I was obsessed with it and hounded my boss, yes, hounded him about it. He was a patient guy and he looked at the 28 year old in front of him and said, "Come back to me when you have more stories". At the time I didn't understand what he was saying but over the years I realized that when you gain experience and wisdom you start to have stories that can be told and when you can tell stories to others about experiences and examples, then you are ready to take on the larger role. This is Good Friday, the day that we remember as the day our Lord was crucified. It is a solemn first day in a three-day triumverant celebration on Easter. Jesus came to this earth to be like us and like us, he had to work and live and grow into the time when he was ready for the fulfillment of His calling. While He was still God, He was man and as a man he collected experiences and the relationships so that he could tell His stories. Those stories became the parables that we read in the New Testament that shape us into the people that He wants us to be. Even in the footsteps of Jesus we can gain career learning. We have to be like Him with patience and perseverance knowing that it all doesn't come to us overnight, but rather we have a journey of years in front of us before we reach the final goal. Jesus was God and Jesus was man, but Jesus didn't become the fulfilled Messiah until the stone rolled away and He rose from the dead. Jesus had three days that none of us will have to ever go through. And from those days, came the story that each one of is sent out into the world to tell. The journey of a career is long, and only with time can you collect the stories that you will need to be the leader and the best at what you do. Don't rush it and don't think it is going to pass you by. Sometimes we have to walk in long and tough roads to get to where we are supposed to be to pick up a few extra stories along the way.

Happy Easter and may the blessings of the One who went the whole way for us, be on you!

day 374: The Last Word

We all know what an argument at work feels like. When someone is trying to get their point across and someone else disagrees and has just as strong of a counter point of view, then eyes lock, voices can raise and each person goes to their corner. This is when a good manager will intervene and find the commonality in the arguments and bring the two people to at least a consensus. That is, if the argument happens in real-time and in person. In today's business environment those arguments happen over email and there is no arbitrator and when an email string of arguments gets going, then watch out! The additional courage that people have to argue and write things in email that they would never say face-to-face is a phenomena that all of us have had to learn to manage and live with over the last 20 years. Two strong-willed people get going on an email string late at night and before long the words that have been written, that can never be reeled back, become hurtful and can have long-lasting damage. Along the way there are others who are added into the email string to observe and also to help reinforce a position and there are those who are being blind copied too so that the arguers are both covering themselves politically. It's not a pretty sight and the best advice to be given is just don't enter the fight. Arguing one's point or trying to win an argument over email never ends well because someone feels like they have to have the last word. If we just don't engage in these arguments, then we can save ourselves time, energy, one less lost night of sleep because of worry about tomorrow and also strengthen our reputations. Yes, those who don't argue and don't get caught up in any of this are usually thought of as being more even-handed and cool-headed. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:14 that arguing is senseless; "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you." Notice that he says, "In everything you do...". That means work too. Today, you will invariably be faced with a situation where you could take the argument, fuel the fire and push on a topic and person until a full-blown argument ensues. When faced with that today, try a different approach. Don't respond on email, pick up the phone and talk or walk down the hall. Don't dig your heels in for the fight but find the common ground to build from and when that voice inside you says, "Argue for this". Back away and let the argument go somewhere else and fell okay by letting someone else have the last word.

Reference: Philippians 2:14 (New Living Testament)