day 781: Best Of Lists...

"for they loved human praise more than the praise of God."

It's that time of the year when the "Best of Lists" start to get formulated. Yesterday in the newspaper there was an insert for the American Bar Association's Best Local Attorneys. It was a long list, sliced and diced by every specialty. And for sure there will be plaques and recognition happening in each of the offices of the named firms and people as they begin to market the accolades for their new business. The same will happen over the next couple of months in every industry and across the corporate world in every business trade magazine. We love our lists and we love to see who will be on this year's list, or not. Some of those lists cost lots of money to reach, but for most it is worth it to be able to say that they got there. Recognition remains important and we could do even better jobs of being sure that the same level of emphasis we put on the external lists, we be sure an put on our internal people and their accomplishments. Let's not forget that peer recognition is as powerful, if not more powerful than any other form.

Yes, we all need recognition and we all need praise every now and then. I don't know anyone who doesn't get a little boost from it when it comes their way. But, as we know, it is fleeting and sometimes comes with extra pressure to perform going forward. There is only one praise that lasts and comes with no extra requirements and that is the praise that God showers down on us when He sees us pursuing and living for Him. We've got to be careful that we don't put the emphasis on praise from people over praise from God. If that happens we should know that we have our priorities in the wrong order. Today, take a moment and ask yourself what praise is that you are seeking and which is more important? If we are honest with ourselves the answer can help us make the necessary course corrections of life.

Reference: John 12:43 (New Living Testament)

day 780: Easy Street

People who are at ease mock those in trouble. they give a push to people who are stumbling.

Lots of talk in the world today about streets. There is the perennial political discussion about Main Street and what that street means to our economic system. There is also more attention than ever on Wall Street. The Occupy Movement has brought attention to the people and institutions that are associated with banking and public corporations, with an attempt to let off steam towards someone. It seems what everyone is desiring and detesting at the same time is those who live and work on Easy Street. Businesses work so hard to get to a place where they feel established and while they still have to remain competitive and growth-oriented to survive, they can find a place where every day is not about survival. Yet, when they get there the tendency can be be for them to start to portray some of the attributes of those who live on Easy Street and others don't like that attitude. Part of the finger pointing today is that there are companies and people who have adopted the Easy Street attitude for themselves and project a different set of standards on others. Businesses that start to brag about their success and who become predatory and demeaning to their competition, and above the law in their communities are easy targets. Easy Street brings out the worst in us and should remind us that success is not a privilege it is a gift.

When we succeed at something and receive accolades and recognition, we should remember that the perils of Easy Street apply to us personally as well. We read in Job that "ease" brings about an air of confidence that can turn to mocking of others. We see it daily in our society in nearly all competitive circles. When someone is on top they speak down and talk smack to those who are not doing so well. They can taunt and find satisfaction in watching others fail. We have to be careful of this; each one of us. It is in our sinful nature to fall into this pattern. God asks and wants us to rise above this pettiness and to be the opposite of the rest of the world. We are reminded over and over that their is no superiority in God's Kingdom and that those who are seeking to want to work and live on Easy Street and play our the role, will struggle to find their way home to the Father. Let's remember that in our work, as we put to test our talents and do the best we can, that there is a point where we cross the line to Easy Street and take on the wrong attributes. Watch and listen for God to remind us where we are and to be sure that we stay on the right side of the street.

Reference: Job 12:5 (New Living Testament)

day 779: Cyber Monday

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it.

Today is "Cyber Monday". This is a term that is not that old. It started in the 2000's as e-commerce sites became popular as shopping destinations on the Monday after Black Friday. Black Friday actually has a meaning. This is the day that many bricks and mortar retailers turn profitable in their fiscal year. Cyber Monday doesn't have that level of significance as it is really a day for the digital retailing world to show off their stuff and have a big day. I have no idea what it means to productivity in the workforce today, but it is a big day that anyone who sells online has been gearing up and preparing for. That is the case for all of our businesses. We each have a big day, or a big season, when we show off our stuff and we have to be at the top of our game. That level of preparation and gearing up is important to us as it sharpens and makes us better each year. If your business doesn't have a time like this, then it's worth thinking about how to create that level of focus, attention, and hype. Everyone is at their best at this time and it brings out the best in the organization and people. We all look forward to a time to rally and put ourselves out there. For many, that is today and this holiday season as the rest of this calendar/fiscal year unfolds.

Each and every day we are asked to "show our stuff" and be at our best. God challenges us in all aspects of our life to be at our best and to bring glory to Him in all that we do. During our own busy and peak seasons it can be hard to remember that that these are also the best times to be focused and cognizant of the example that we are living for Christ. When everyone else is stressed and at their breaking points, if we can be a role model for patience, gentleness, kindness, peacefulness, joy, etc. then the fruits of His spirit will be contagious. Others are looking to see His workmanship in you. Can you make today, and this busy season the time when He shines through?

Reference; Psalm 139:14 (New Living Testament)

day 778: Do The Right Thing - Part 10: Peace

“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

There is a certain moment of peace and calm when we know that we have made the right decision. That peace can come over us, a bunch of us all at once, in a conference room, on the manufacturing floor, in the Boardroom, or even walking down the hall. We just know when we have done the right thing and that the decision was the right one. The same peace can come over us when we complete a project in the right way or close of the difficult conversation in a way that everyone feels as good as they can about the situation. When it happens, we know it and don’t we wish that we felt it more often? There is also a peace that comes among a team when everyone gets on the same page and knows that they have made the right decision in the right way. I won’t even begin to speculate how often this really happens but when it does it is palpable. As leaders, managers, supervisors, or even as co-workers, we should strive for the right kind of decisions to be made and those being the one where everyone is heard, a good discussion has taken place, no corners were cut in the process, the facts and truth is there in an obvious and evident way, and once the decision is made, everyone aligns and no one tries to second guess or undercut the decision. This can bring peace within our companies. Few companies value that we can work together in peace, but we can, if we so desire and strive for it. Having worked with many CEO’s, I remember distinctly an era where one CEO did just that and the company thrived, grew and was admired across the world as a great company for shareholders, employees, customers, vendors and consumers. The same company was not many years later in disarray, turmoil, controversy and under major competitive threats and losses because the CEO managed 180 degrees in philosophy to the CEO of the past. More case studies should be done on this phenomena as it relates to a company’s growth and profitability.

We also know when we are doing the right thing by the peace that have in our hearts and minds. Think about the times when everything has been in the right alignment and the decision made, or the action taken, brought about peace within you. And now think of the opposite and the worry and stress that came from the decision or the action that was questionable. Those who choose to live and work in that place must be tormented beyond comprehension. We have to look no farther than the impact that one man had on the financial world, his family, his investors and their families, and on and on, all because his scheme and decisions were built on nothing. Today, let’s check our decisions and determination about whether or not we are doing the right thing by the peace that we will have if we do, or we don’t. And, then let’s call upon the promise of peace that we can’t even begin to understand. Bringing our decisions, big or small, to God in prayer and then following His direction can give us the assurance and peace that we are doing the right thing.

Lastly, I would also like to take a moment and wish and pray for each of you to have a peaceful and bountiful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Also, many of our tables around America tomorrow will be welcoming home those who are or who have served our country so that we may all live in peace and freedom. May we all give thanks and be grateful for what they have and are doing and giving for each of us. Happy Thanksgiving!

Reference: Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Testament)

day 777: Do The Right Thing - Part 9: Voiding

“In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, So that no one can speak a word of blame against you.”

There are lots of things that we can void in our places of business. We make a mistake or we lose it and we can void the check and start all over. We can always have an out in the fine print to void the contest or sweepstakes if something goes wrong. Warranties are harder to void but there are even safeguards there if someone tries to pull a fast one. Because of always the ability to void out things we have come to expect that there aren’t many guarantees that we can hold onto. Even in the employment of people to the company we are quick to remind them that they are employees –at-will and we must reserve the right to terminate them and void their employment commitment. But, having to void things is not good business practice. If we find ourselves using this as the excuse then something isn’t right within our business. For sure if our culture becomes one of complaining about one thing or another than causes people to go back on their commitments or even to argue over what is right to do or not, then we have lost our way somehow. We must also remember the first person/people to notice will be our customers or consumers. When we are the purchasers or users of a product or service and things aren’t all together right, we have a sixth sense whether or not things are okay with the company or something else is going on. Last February, Business Week, the magazine, started delivering the magazine on Saturday’s at my home in the same bag as my New York Times. I thought for a while it was a promotion of some sort, but no, it happened every week. I never got any notification as to why this was happening. It just did. It was all fine and dandy until we were gone on a Saturday and we would stop the paper and then never get that week’s Business Week. Not so smart me didn’t ever check on this and it wasn’t until the middle of the summer when we had stopped the Times at our home in California for our east coast season that I realized I was not getting my Business Week any longer. So, I finally got around to calling them and when I told them my story, they curtly told me that I should have read the notice in February (the one I either never got or threw away because how important can “An Important Notice” be when it is printed on the outside of the envelope with the plastic window?”) and that they would send me the last three copies of the magazine. When I told the agent I didn’t need the last three because we had been home then, she said then there was nothing she could for me and she said it in an argumentative way. She then went on to complain about the service and encouraged me to change that delivery option. She was voiding out the offer. Something, or lots of things are amiss at Business Week. So, it’s not easy to tell that all is not well.

We can’t just void our witness to others. If we just stop trying to bring glory to God in our work, as you purpose, and we fall in with the complaining and arguing around us, then we are not living up to the gift we have been given. Jesus gave to us the gift of love and peace and if we can, today, right now, recommit to living to how and what He wants for us, then whatever path we have been on will either be straightened back out, or made better for us. God doesn’t void His commitment to us. He remains steadfast and just wants us to do our best to be the example of what it is like to have the love and life that He can give to us. Today, let’s not be a part of the whining, or the complaining, or the arguing. Instead, let’s do the right thing and stay away from it and do our best to not have anyone else want to void out what they want believe is God’s way for them.

Reference: Philippians 2:15 (New Living Testament)

day 776: Do The Right Thing - Part 8: Stumbles

“...or do anything else if it will cause another Christian to stumble.”

It wouldn’t be called competition if it wasn’t about someone winning and someone losing. We each go to work, to our companies or organizations, to win at what we do. I always laughed at the Avis commercial that basically has given up on ever being number one in the market. I mean, if you say, “We’re number two so we try harder”, what would happen if they did become number one? I am sure they debated long and hard about the pros and cons of sending the message to the marketplace that they have found their way by being number two. I hope they did the same with their employees who might not want to be associated with being number two. There are those, regardless of the new attitude in sports (at least up to a certain age) that it’s more important to participate than win, where being second place is actually being the first loser. Before we look down on companies that are competitive let’s be sure we don’t forget to celebrate the companies that only because they wouldn’t accept being second, found their way into global market leadership. These are the companies that we count on for our economy, for jobs, and for the products and services that are better than everyone else. All this said, companies that become too competitive may find themselves making some mistakes because the blind ambition to win got in front of their integrity. GE’s mantra that their divisions would either be only number one or number two in the market or else they could expect to be cut or sold from GE had some bad outcomes in a number of areas of their business. These are the types of stumbles that no company needs or wants and be tempering and metering the competitive extremes, we can avoid those missteps.

As believers we must always also watch what we do and how we could cause someone else to stumble. As simple as it sounds, even in how we work with others can either build up or tear down those around us. The smallest word of either praise or criticism can make the difference to another’s attitude about their work, and about us. The higher standard that we must reach because we have the courage and faith to tell others what we believe must have us watching what we do and how it affects those around us. The fine line that we walk every day is a critical one for our personal testimony both spoken and viewed from afar. Purposed worKING comes with that scrutiny. If we can start first by considering what we might be doing or might do to cause other believers to stumble and get ourselves to the place of doing the right thing for them, then we will have likely not caused the non-believer to pause when they see what we do or who we work. This is the thing, the stakes are too high to not care enough about what we can do differently to be sure that no one around us stumbles further away from God.

Reference: Romans 14:21

day 775: Do The Right Thing - Part 7: Arm In Arm

"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."

Much of business is about knowing who is a good partner. From the top to the bottom this is a real consideration that must be thought about carefully and continuously. If our businesses were so vertically integrated that we never needed any partners, how great would that be? But no business is that self-sufficient or able to do so. Raw materials have to come from somewhere and a partner must be sourced to ensure that the highest quality, regular supply and best price can be obtained. That's just one example. There are also partners for going to market, for strategic leverage, for advice and counsel, for spaces to work, etc. We have to lock arms with other people everyday and in the decision we have to be sure that the work we are doing and the partners we have all come together in a way that is right and good for the company. I have seen situations where companies have nearly been destroyed because they locked arms with the wrong partner and through no fault of their own, other than a bad selection decision, nearly lost their companies. Who we lock arms with is an important decision.

We would like to think that all we do and how we do it would be so pleasing to God that we could be locked arm and arm with Him and together He would feel good about where we went, what we did, who we were with, etc. When I was growing up my fire and brimstone southern baptist preacher used to ask, "If Jesus had you by the arm, would you be proud to introduce Him wherever you went?" That question would get me thinking about what I was doing, where I was going and with whom I was associating. If Jesus was locked arm in arm with us on one side, who are locked arm in arm on the other? Would He be happy and would you be proud to make the introductions? Who we associate with or who we just hang out with have an influence on us. If we are surrounding ourselves with people who are positive and who can help us grow, then we are so much better off than the opposite. At work we can't always choose who are arm and arm with in our jobs, but we have decisions that we can make about how we let others influence us and either make us better or tear us down. It's a part of thinking to consider about whether or not we are truly doing the right thing.

Reference: Colossians 3:17 (New Living Testament)

day 774: Do The Right Thing - Part 6: Appearances

"But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil."

Our companies have to be very cognizant and aware of appearances. While we think we understand what others might be thinking about us, we mat not truly because we don't either entirely know or have not controlled the message well enough. Companies hire public relations people and firms for just this reason. We have to be careful about how our companies are associated with someone else, with political groups, lobbyists, vendors, etc. In the start-up world there is this shift of the company that takes place right before the company is to go public. The shift happens at the senior management level and with the Board. Sometimes these new people are great for the company and their ability to manage in a public environment. Other times it is just about appearances to create confidence with the public shareholders. Appearances do matter and we have to cognizant and aware of what those appearances are.

Each and every day in our jobs we also have to manage our appearances. The decisions we make can also have a huge impact on others and what they think of us, our reputations and the example we are trying to live into. As we make these decisions and think about what the right thing to do is we can pull those decisions through the filter of what type of appearances will this create. This is especially important in that we must ensure that there would not be any appearance of us doing the wrong thing. Even what is in the news today about decisions people made years ago about who to tell, what to tell, and when to tell, has come back to haunt and brought down careers. We can question judgment but we also are affected by the appearance of the wrong doings that have now become irreparable reputation killers. The decisions we make today are unlikely this big, but even still, that decision on how to respond or how to act create appearances about how others think of us and for that we must be careful.

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (New Living Testament)

day 773: Do The Right Thing - Part 5: Focus

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Every day in the workplace a set of choices are made and if those choices are being made about the right things and in the right way, then the matter of focus is being considered. In actuality there seldom is a shortage of things that can be done, or ideas that could be pursued. The harder part is choosing which things to not pursue or chase and having the courage and determination to say no. It's not easy and many a business, especially many start-ups that I have seen end up imploding under the weight of doing too much or reaching too far ahead of themselves. Having a strategic focus to hang onto that acts as a filter for decisions can make the exercise of saying no easier and more palatable. We may never know which opportunities we missed, but if we are focused we can know which opportunities we can achieve.

In our own lives, the same set of choices must be made. Fortunately, we have been given God's Word and His spirit to guide us. But, still we can lose focus and if not careful wake up one day finding many other priorities in our lives that we have put in front of our relationship with the Lord. And, those higher priorities can even be healthful and good things, but still they shouldn't be at the top. It comes down to how focused we can remain and how fixed we can have our hearts on Jesus. None of us are alone in this struggle and challenge. The question we should be asking today of ourselves, is really, at the core, where is our focus? If we can't say that it is on Him and that all else flows from there, then we need to rethink what we are doing. Today, let's think hard on this and let God speak to us about the areas where we put things above Him and how we can realign.

Reference: 1 John 2:15-16 (New Living Testament)

day 772: Do The Right Thing - Part 4: Body Scan

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? you do not belong to yourself..."

In the business world when we think of what we own, we consider the hard assets that we have on the balance sheet like buildings, equipment and hardware. We also can own intellectual property. We own cash assets too. But we don't own the people in our organizations. Or should I say, we don't own the body of our businesses. Although, we can too many times forget this and begin to act like we own the body, no one can own another adult in our country so in a certain term we can only borrow or rent the body of our companies. This begs the question of how we treat those things we own versus those we rent. Imagine how nice hotel and motel rooms would be if everyone treated them like they owned them? Not to be. The same can happen to us in our businesses. We can abuse our bodies and not think much about it because we look at them as assets that can be replaced with someone else. Companies that continue to think this way over time will ultimately never grow to what they could be. If the body is abused, it will stop growing and eventually die. We should be doing body scans in our companies, functions, departments and teams. No, not the type of body scan we get when we go through airport security, but instead scans to reveal our true body health and a sense of confidence that our people want to grow with us.

The Bible tells us that our physical bodies are not ours and that we are only "renting" them from God for a season. But my how we abuse this gift of God! We act like they are rented, until we get sick or the abuse catches up with us and then we are angry that God would allow us to falter. We have to take our bodies seriously as they are indeed the temple of God. Think about it. How does God's work get done on the earth? Yep, through you and me. If we are not at our best spiritually, intellectually, relationally, and physically, can we bring the full glory of God to those around us? Of course we can't spend all of your time and thoughts on keeping our bodies in tip-top shape. If we do that, we run the risk that we will even put our physical nature and appearance as a priority above our relationship with Christ. But, that said, we are challenged and told to respect our bodies and yes, to be sure that we are always scanning to make sure that we are respecting His temple.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 6:19 (New Living Testament)

day 771: Do The Right Thing: - Part 3: Get In The Way?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."

Ideally, no business would ever feel like it was being hindered by anything. But, it would be naive to think that could happen. There are laws and regulations that must be followed. There are lots of discussions today about regulations that might well hinder businesses. Each industry has its own set of regulations that they have to manage against. It's not easy to abide by those that we don't think are value-added or that we feel like might make us uncompetitive to other companies in other parts of the world. Those of us who have been fortunate to have done business and travel in other parts of the world know that there is a certain standard that must be met to ensure safety, environmental protection and respect of human rights. What is far more troubling than when companies have to comply to a set of rules, is when a company ignores its own standards, or does something that may seem advantageous in the short-run but hinders the company or organization for the long-run. We are seeing that in today's news. Organizations that held information to themselves to make the short-term okay, but in the long-run gets in the way of an impeccable reputation.

In our own work-lives we must manage the same. We have to be cognizant of our own reputations and how what we do, how we act, what we say, all contribute to our reputation. When we consider if we are doing the right thing, we as believers, have to think much beyond someone who doesn't profess a faith that governs their lives. We have to consider what will hinder or get in the way of us living and working for the glory of God. As we start this week, let's be attuned to what our actions and words can imply to others and ask ourselves, are we truly doing the right thing?

Reference: Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Testament)

day 770: Do The Right Thing - Part 2: No Shame

"And now dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame."

As we grow our businesses we decide what we do, how we do it, and who will be doing it, all with the litmus test of how proud we will be with the outcome. Each business has their own line that they decide to cross or not cross. There are certainly a large number of businesses that most would consider "seedy", but for those organizations they have decided that they are doing something that they are proud. For others, if they were working in those businesses, they wouldn't be proud, they instead would be ashamed to tell someone else that this is what they were doing for a living. Each business, the people who run that business and the people within the business, all have to know the line between being proud and being ashamed. This line can also be over areas like quality of the product, level of service, or even pricing or terms of service. What is important is that we know the line between proud and shame and then we also know what the definition of "doing the right thing" is to influence that line.

As we go to work today, we will be challenged in some way to decide what is our line between being proud of our work or would we be ashamed if our work was exposed or evaluated? This line goes from the big to the small. If we need to be someplace today, at a certain time, with a certain level of preparation, are we doing all the right things to live up to the expectations of our boss and others? I know it can feel like we are being challenged to live up to a higher set of standards. Let's face it, that is true and we have to live up to the standard that God has put before us. For us to bring glory to God in our work, then we need to be sure that we are doing all that we can to do the right thing snd to never bring shame to Him! Let's think hard on this today!

Reference: 1 John 2:28 (New Living Testament)

day 769: Do The Right Thing - Part 1: Transparency

"...Stand on the side of good."

We are in an age where doing the right thing is more important than ever. Transparency has opened up an opportunity for anyone to reveal anything, about anybody, at anytime. Since none of us are perfect, we can all expect that someone might dredge up something we did in our past that could be hurtful, or at a minimum, embarrassing. In the business world, this becomes even more important. Decisions made today are even more important than ever that they are made with doing the right thing as part of the decision making process. Again, a miss, or a shaded truth, or a cut corner, or not touching every base, can come back to haunt. In this day and age, overdo it. If our gut tells us that we need to inform someone else about a decision about to be made because we don't think we have enough eyes and minds on the decision, then don't hesitate to bring in others. Transparency goes both ways. If we shine enough light on a decision and we make that decision in the open, then when transparency comes back to question the decision, then there won't be any problem.

Let's be honest with ourselves too. It's not only about our business decisions, it's also about our personal decisions and choices. What we do today, or did yesterday, sticks with us and can become a part of our ongoing reputation. We know that God forgives us and can allow for us to put things behind us, but people are not as forgiving. As we move through this life, day to day, let's take seriously our responsibility to do the right thing. Others are watching. God is watching. All around us is transparent, so let's be sure that what can be seen, is as much on the side of good as we can be.

Reference: Romans 12:9 (New Living Testament)

day 768: Corporate Privileges

"But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble."

By nature of how a business runs, there will be someone at the top of the corporate pyramid who gets to lead, make decisions, and do more of what they want to do than anyone else. It's called power and it comes with the highest rungs of corporate leadership. But, we know that power can cause some bad things to happen. People who get into a place of power begin to feel as though they have privileges. Back in the day, it started with a key to the corporate washroom. Today, it is corporate jets, special compensation plans, expense accounts, and more than anything else, a freedom that others don't enjoy. It may sound like I am getting ready to slam those at the top and that the 1% must come down. Not at all. Those at the top, have in most cases, earned every bit of it. They were good, maybe they were lucky, but for sure, they worked hard for where they are and they made some significant sacrifices along they way. But, once at the top, the responsibility of what they have been given and what is required is huge and each of us, in any leadership or supervision position, must be cognizant that we don't lose perspective. We must remember where we have come from, that we don't take our position for granted, and that we monitor our actions so that others don't fall into a shadow of our leadership that is bad for them.

None of us are above it all. God's expectations of us should be enough to keep us in line, but because we are given the ultimate freedom, the freedom of choice, we can forget that what we are doing and how we work and live can be so influential on others. The world is full of followers and not nearly enough leaders. Followers are impressionable and they evolve, or devolve, into the norm. There is no better societal example of that than fashion. It only takes a walk down the street of any city to see where the fashion is trending. One group of kids who are all wearing the same outfit and you can see how the following occurs. Any of us, regardless of what we do or who we are, have an impression that we make on others each day. We must be cognizant of that impression and ensure that the freedoms that we have and exercise don't cause others to stumble or fall. Where we are strong, others are weak. Let's start by thinking of others first, recognizing their weaknesses and then ensuring that we are not allowing ourselves to cause confusion or or stumbling.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 8:9 (New Living Testament)

day 767: A Business

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

We think we know what it means to call something a business. A business is an entity that comes together to create, or sell, or service for the sake of making money. And with a business comes lots of dynamics to manage. And of course a business has to have at least one person involved. There can't be a business that doesn't have people attached to it. Even those who try their hardest to do it with the least number of people, must have a person. But, there is a another collection of entities that can make up a business. Two years ago I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Africa and learn a little bit about the animals of the continent. One of the animals that we saw while on safari was the mongoose. A mongoose is defined as: "a slender, ferret like carnivore, Herpestes edwardsi, of India, that feeds on rodents, birds, and eggs, noted especially for its ability to kill cobras and other venomous snakes." And guess what they call a collection of mongoose? Yes, they are called a "business" too. So, as we go to work and we consider the business we are in, we might want to think about why it is so important for our business to not take on the characteristics of the collection of mongoose. Businesses can take on ugly characteristics and we have to manage both collectively and individually to control our cultures and make our businesses as positive as we can.

As believers we can't allow ourselves to fall into the trap of being like all others. The "business" pull us to a place that if we don't manage carefully and actively, we can end up becoming someone that we might not recognize when we look at ourselves in the mirror. Each day is a day of choices that we must make in our actions and behaviors. This week, today, let's not be mistaken for being a part of the culture that would look more like a business of mongoose. But instead, let's follow what Paul asks us to do and conduct ourselves in a manner that holds up to what Christ calls us to be. We are daily walking, speaking and living examples of whatever role model we choose to be. Call upon God to help you know the difference and to be the person that you can be for Him. Check in on yourself today.

Reference: Philippians 1:27

day 766: Harvesting

"And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and give up."

I advise and invest in start-ups. I am used to speed-to-market as a principle of operating, and tomorrow not being discussed as much as today, and what we need to get done, right now. Recently, one of the companies I invested in went through a funding raise and it was not an easy one. Not because it isn't a great group of people with a really great business idea, but because of lots of the usual factors that can get in the way of getting a round completed quickly. While in the scheme of things, it didn't take that long, it felt like forever. Daily, sometimes hourly, we would move along the paperwork, and then sit and wait and sit and wait. This went on and on, until there were days that the CEO was ready to give up. This year I planted a garden for the first time in years. In June I put out three tomato plants and then we went away for the summer. When we came back, the tomato plants were huge and we had hundreds of delicious tomatoes. In September I put out some lettuce, broccoli, swiss chard and onions. Every day I go out to see how they are growing. They seem to grow so slowly I wonder if I will ever get anything from them. If you have read this far, you are probably wondering, what is this guy trying to say? In all things, business, gardening, life, there is a season of harvest that doesn't come overnight. Oh sure, every once in a lifetime there is the overnight success, but how many of those last through the test of time? Businesses that get it right, stick with it and then don't get tired or discouraged until they reach their harvest time, will tend to live on longer.

The same can be said in this daily walk that we make with Christ as His followers. There are harvest times and we see them here on earth, and then there is the super harvest that we will all experience eternally that we can get glimpses of as we continue faithfully on our walk. If we stay committed, there is a harvest of blessing that is coming. It's the time of year when the leaves fall from the tree and winter starts to blow in days of what is to come. At the same time the leaves are falling, a farmer is harvesting the fields. It may well be that it feels like the harvest will never come or that more leaves are falling than should be. Work, the job, the company, any of them may not be exactly what you want them to be right now and it's getting discouraging. Let's today, on this Fall Friday in harvest season, recommit to worKING into the harvest, not giving up, and staying committed! God has a blessing for us and a harvest that He wants us to reap. Let's together enthusiastically push forward to that day!

Reference: Galatians 6:9

day 765: Standing up

"Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses."

Standing up for what we believe, who we are, what our values and principles are, and being able to express confidently to others our core and our essence is just as important to a company as it is to a person. This week I am presenting at a conference where part of the challenge that companies face is how to deal with transparency and their branding, in particular, their employment branding. In today's world, it is impossible to say who you are and not be that, unless you want to spend a lot of time defending the contradiction. It is much better to truly know who you are, be that, and then operate daily that way, and then use examples and stories to reinforce the message. Too many companies are still trying to say what they want to become, while at the same time being something else and that is causing them problems. To secure the best talent, we need to have an employment brand that is truthful, clear and can stand up to the scrutiny of transparency.

God's Word tells us to fight the good fight for the true faith. Paul calls it a fight because he knows that it is a real fight and struggle that we have to have with ourselves (our nature) and with the forces that want us to fail and turn from our faith. Sometimes, those forces can be so strong, and all around us, that it is only with the support of God and the Holy Spirit that we can stand firm. In the news now is lots of discussions about "he said" vs. "she said". It is times like this that even the slightest word of untruth can ruin a reputation. You and I are faced with these kinds of challenges each and every day. It's easy at work to cut the corner, degrade another, shade the truth, etc. But, we must remember that when we are standing up, that all the messages and actions must match, as best we can. Let's today pray and ask for His support to allow us to stand up for Him with our best foot forward for others to see.

Reference: 1 Timothy 6:12 (New Living Testament)

day 764: Moving Sidewalks, Part 2

"Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize they both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life."

Two years ago I wrote the post below. Last night as I was coming into Chicago and walking on the moving sidewalks in Ohare, I was reminded of this and I thought it worth sharing again today. We are all faced with loss and the reality of the short-lived time that we have here. Let us make the most of the sidewalks that we walk on today.

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Anyone who travels as a part of their job is consciously or subliminally aware of this statement: "Caution, the moving walkway is about to end...look down the moving walkway is about to end". Yesterday as I traveled from SFO to Denver to Indianapolis, I heard that statement at least ten times. This past summer after the death of my father-in-law I began to hear those words with a different meaning. As he was like all of us, a worker, his moving walkway ended sooner than he desired. In is mind, there was still work to be completed, to be finished the way he saw it to be done. He was not ready to end his work. But, as we know, when the moving walkway ends for each of us is not in our hands. I have also seen over the last year many people who have had their work end prematurely and like that stutter step and strange feeling you have after walking briskly on the moving walkway and then coming to the end and getting the feeling that you have lost a step, so felt those who had their jobs taken from them with recessionary cutbacks. Caution, the moving walkway is about to come to an end. We just don't know when and are we prepared for these changes when they happen to us or those around us? On my flight segment from San Francisco to Denver I sat next to a man who appeared to be in early 60's. Halfway through the flight he pulled out a folder and the first page was a set of handwritten notes with the heading; "Questions for the doctor". As I glanced at the page I could see that these were questions that he or someone else had written so he would be sure and ask each of them to the doctor. They covered pre and post surgery routines, medication reactions, etc. Written was also, "Percentage chance of success with or without the surgery?". As I saw through the rest of the flight he had pulled off a lot of information on the internet and while I could not figure out what the condition was, from the pictures of people with scars on the back of their head down into their spine it had something to do with a spine or brain problem. I felt for the man as he was, right next to me, staring at his moving walkway and by necessity, having to look down and take caution.

Today we are going to go to work and most of us will not think twice about the moving walkway coming to an end. We will jump on it with all of the energy we can muster and walk and run as fast as we can for the next eight to twelve hours without so much as looking up or around. We will miss all the people who are walking slower than us blowing past them with an occasional, "how you doin'?". What we forget is to live and work in the moment and listen to the words in Ecclesiastes 7:14: "Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize they both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life." If you are traveling today, or the next time you are traveling, listen for the automated words from the moving walkway and take that opportunity to stop for a moment and thank God for the blessings, the challenges, and the moment that you have now. Ask Him to make you a better example to others and to help you realize your full potential and purpose that He has put you here. And then recognize that your own moving walkway will one day end and that today is the day to make the most of what you have been given.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 7:14 (New Living Testament)

day 763: Committed For The Long-Haul

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you."

The other day a colleague and I were debating a company's strategic direction and came to the conclusion that regardless if they were right or they were wrong, they were to be commended because they are committed and sticking to it and only time would tell whether they are correct in their assumptions or not. A month or so ago I mentioned Netflix as an example of a company who was so committed to moving into the future that they were burning the ships behind them with the spinning off of their DVD shipping business so they could focus on their streaming segment. It was a gutsy move and I applauded them for it because no matter how flexible and how long your legs are, you can't do a deep enough split to keep one foot in the past and another far enough in the future. Something has to give and it should be the foot that moves out of the past and into the future. Netflix was doing that, and then they changed their mind. They were not committed to their strategy for the long-haul. They vacillated and now they are stuck. I was surprised because it is a company built on strong convictions and some unshakable points of view. If we are going to be committed, we need to be really committed. Once we go, we need to keep going. Like an airplane, we lift off, we adjust the engines for less thrust, and then we level off, but an airplane knows no reverse and if the engines stall, bad things happen. Once we decide to go, we must go and stick with it.

As individuals it is hard to stick with things. Too many distractions are out there and we can find ourselves casting about and not following through. We must also be committed for the long-haul in our spiritual lives and committed enough that there is no going back. We can be that example to others in our work lives and that example can be the glimpse of what it is like to follow Christ. He never looked back. He was committed beyond any commitment that we will ever know. He left the earth for us, but He did not leave us. We know that we can give all of our worries, our doubts, our fears, or anything that gets in the way of us following through for Him, and He will take care of us to get us through. Undoubtedly, we all have one, or many of those cares upon us today. Let's start this work day with giving them up to Him and asking Him to carry us through the long-haul, with no going back.

Reference: 1 Peter 5:7 (New Living Testament)