day 922: "I Want.."

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."

In consultation with a good friend who is a senior executive of a large company he was recounting about an employee who approached him wanting to to be transferred to a new job after having only been in the position for a year.  This employee said to him, "I want a new job that is going to challenge me".  My friend asked his employee what about their current role did they not find challenging as according to him this employee was only doing a good job and and was meeting some, but not all of their objectives and therefore had not yet earned an above target or great rating.  The response from the employee was without substance or rationale other than there was a "want" to do something different.  What my friend saw was an employee who had their success standards at the wrong level. The employee defined their success as having done the job.  The boss defined success as mastering the work and exceeding expectations.  As you can imagine, it was not a fruitful conversation and ended with the employee not getting their "want" fulfilled.  How often we end up in these conversations where the "wants" are mismatched and no one walks away happy or satisfied.  How might we turn the conversation around to not what "I want" but instead, what "others want" to see if we can't find how best to meet everyone's needs.

How can we "want" when all has been given to us that we need?  David's most well-known Psalm starts with teaching us that when we have the almighty shepherd that we shouldn't have any wants. The danger of a want is that we mix it up with our needs and then we miss God's blessing.  What is it that we could sit and write down and define as the difference in our wants and needs.  We would be well served to know the difference so that we don't end up one of those people at work and home who is all about our "wants".

Reference: Psalm 23:1 

day 921: Summer Storms

"A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped."

We all know that a summer storm can come upon us within a moment and without warning.  The atmospheric conditions of the summer create storms from all the ingredients that we one moment enjoy and in the next are taking cover away from. The same can happen in business in the summer as the conditions are always present for extreme market volatility.  The summer is the time when we can take our eyes off the ball, spend a few less hours of the day in focus, or are away from the office more than usual.  It's ironic that in the light trading of the summer that the stock market can be swung up and down with such extremes being driven by so few.  It only takes the right amount of humidity, winds, and rising temperatures and a summer squall can appear from seemingly nowhere.  While we should always be on the lookout for the storms that can come our way\is in the summer that we might want to be a little more cautious and ready.  What business storms can we predict that might come our way this season that we need to be prepared and ready to face?

In Mark's account of the storm that Jesus calmed it appeared the storm came upon them suddenly and without prediction.  This is the metaphor of life that we can't ignore.  One day all is great and the next we are without a job, getting a new boss that we aren't sure we will like, the company being sold, or the market crashes...again.  We can't predict the storms of our lives so we have to do what we can to be prepared and ready as best we can.  How are we thinking about our life preparations for the summer storms that will come this year?  Let's batten down our lives with God's Word, a strong prayer life and fellowship and accountability with fellow believers. Storms will come, we know that.  How prepared we are is totally up to us.

Reference: Mark 4: 37 (New Living Translation)

day 920: Executive Offsites

"On that day, when the evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side."

I happened to be on the TripAdvisor site recently and saw something posted about the best locations for executive offsite meetings.  I've always been a fan of "retreats" for getting away for the best thinking to occur. It's just too hard to stop and think when the emails and phone calls are coming in like the waves of the ocean; continuously and some with mighty crashes.  So, it's good to get away and find quiet time and to build relationships among team members.  But, what has happened to the executive retreats, as demonstrated in the best locations list, is that the emphasis can be put on the extravagances of the resort, the activities and the extraordinary food and drink.  Then what could and should be productive and constructive turns out to be misconstrued by others as too lavish and wasteful of time and money.  When that happens the rest of the company starts to talk about these meetings as "boondoggles" and a bunch of fluff.  What could have been time very well spent for the business becomes a joke within the company and culture. If we are at the top of our organizations (company, department, function, team, etc.) we should guard from this happening and manage carefully the perception as that perception can and will become a reality, like it or not.

Jesus was one who knew how to work closely with those who wanted and could spread His message.  He chose a select few to mentor and disciple and He spent countless hours of intimate time with these men.  And, that time was multiplied across generations and reverberate today through God's Word.  He was happy to take the time to get away and fellowship and teach in a small group.  What can we learn from this example?  Each of us can be like Jesus and find our own small group of believers who need small group fellowship and time with each other.  What is so blessed about this time is that when we gather in His name the chief of all executives sits at the table with us and will preside over our time and conversations. Are there others with whom you work who need this kind of "executive offsite" time?  Can you be the one to coordinate and pull them together?

Reference: Mark 4:35 (New Living Translation)

day 919: Separation Packages

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love."

 I received a call last week asking me my opinion on what was considered a "fair" separation package for someone who was being let go from their position.  As I sat back and thought about it, I was surprised that after generations and lifetimes of being in business that certain lessons have to be learned over and over again. So, here we stand in 2012 with a new generation asking the question about what is a fair separation package.  My answer, "There is not one standard and one size does not fill all...one size fits one."  That was not at all comforting to the person asking.  He wanted a formula or some industry norm that he could stand on (or more like hide behind in this case).  Sure, there are those examples and things to look upon to assist in making this decision, but I've never seen it that a formula or policy has left everyone feeling like things have been handled fairly.  Inevitably, some will feel like it is great and others paltry.  So, the answer lies in ensuring that we understand the full set of circumstances that brought us to the decision with the person being affected.  This is the time to go the extra mile and dig deep because nothing may be scarier to any of us than to be separated.  We are best served by being very thoughtful, graceful and generous when it comes to putting together separation packages.

When you ask someone to describe the times that were most frightening for them in their childhood, inevitably a story is told of either being lost or separated from their parents in a store, a parking lot, in the woods, etc.  The same can be said of parents who have been separated from their children and for those few minutes when they think they "lost" their child in the mall, on a beach, or at a park, there is no other time that is more frightening.  No one ever forgets these moments and stories. Let's face it, we are terrified of being separated from our loved ones and the things in life that we have come to count on like our jobs and careers, which end up being a large part of our self-esteem and self-worth.  So, if we know our natural tendencies then we should be able to be 100% assured and without fear that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  It is undeniable and without any reservation that He will always be there for us.  Let us remember that there is no separation package awaiting us if we believe in what He has done for us to bring us our salvation.

Reference: Romans 8:38 (New Living Translation)

day 918: Beyond Our Control

"And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

It may well end up being an auspicious week as the business world, and lots of other interested parties await the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act.  Much has been hinged on the decision and with lots of uncertainty around what that decision will be, one thing that is for certain is that the uncertainty of the legality of the law has caused great division among businesses and people and caused everyone to be hesitant in decisions that need to be made.  So, without picking sides, whatever the Supreme Court decides we will at least know something and then hopefully those who have been waiting to make any moves in their business will not wait anymore.  This waiting time goes to show us that that there are many things in our businesses and life that are beyond out control and what we have to learn is whether or not hesitating and holding back because of things we can't control is good strategy, or not.  In our personal lives we can become paralyzed by those things that are out of our control and we must be careful that we don't let that same attitude creep into our business decisions. 

When Jesus took control of what was beyond the control of the Disciples, they were "Filled with great awe".  That is how it is when we put our full trust in God and allow Him to take control of what is beyond our own control.  We should be in awe of a God who can calm the seas and rebuke the wind.  And, we should be in just the same awe of a God who can heal a wound, provide us peace in a business decision, resolve a personal dispute, or open a door for a career move.  If we are not today in awe of what God has and can do in our lives with those things that are beyond our control, then the question must be asked about how much are we actually turning over to Him?  If we think everything is within our own control then we are missing out on seeing what He wants and can do for us.

Reference: Mark 4:41

day 917: The Three Steps to Quitting

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

I was at a high school graduation party last weekend in New York for our youngest nephew and I happened to sit aside one of the family's long term friend who is now in his junior year of college.  He is double majoring in acting and business.  I joked with him that they were interchangeable and that his first major in acting might get him to the CEO job faster than the business degree.  He is concerned that he won't be able to make a living being an actor so he wants a fallback.  At the same time he wants to chase the dream and go as far as he can before he quits and falls back. My advice to him was to use my "Three steps to quitting" process.  First, I advised him to seek out the best friend he had in the world who would give him unconditional love, support and advice and who was also someone he would listen to no matter what and was beyond reproach.  Once he knew who that person was, he was to go to him/her and ask them to be ready because he was going to make them a part of his three steps to quitting.  What he needs them to do is the first two times he comes to them and says about his acting career, "I'm done, I quit", to tell him to "Shut up and quit whining", "Get back on the horse", "Get back in the ring", whatever it takes to make him not give up and give it another go.  And he was to listen to them each time.  And then, if there is a third time, this chosen person was to to respond to his their, "I quit", with a hug , unconditional love and praise for not quitting the first two times, and then help him move on into another career.  This young man looked at me when I gave him this advice and you could almost see the weight come off his shoulders and with a smile, he said, "I know exactly who the right person is for me".  The three steps to quitting avoid us making the permanent decision to a temporary problem too soon.  Consider your own three steps before anything is ever quit.

"...If we don't give up", Paul says to us. The operative word is "if".  God doesn't want us to be quitters and we shouldn't be if we want to live in His likeness.  He has never quit on us or quit on anyone or anything so why should we?  For believers, I would add another step to a decision about quitting and call it the 'three and three steps" and that is to take any and all decisions first to the Three who will always lead us in the right direction; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and trust that direction before reaching to another person.  In fact, we can never go wrong if we ensure that all our decisions are guided by stepping towards His wisdom before all others. Of course there are some things in life that are better quit than continued, but let's be sure that we are using all of our resources and relying on the right advice and wisdom before we just make the decision on our own.

Reference: Galatians 6:9 (New Living Translation)

day 916: Timing

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

Timing is one of those elusive but critical components of success.  In so many businesses it is just and only timing that can make the difference between success and failure.  I was complimented the other day for having run a business that was "Before its' time".  While I know it was a compliment, each time you hear that you always wonder, "What if?", and "What could we have done differently".  The answer might just have been, "timing" and who can really control that?  So, what is the advice that we can take from the lesson of timing?  Well, other than the pointed and not terribly helpful, "Just get it right", I'd say the lesson would be that I'd always rather be too early than too late. Being early means there is innovation, initiative and R&D in the DNA of the company. Being late is well, just not good, and companies who are late to the market should be evaluating themselves to understand what it is that has kept them from leading and getting there earlier.  "Better late than never" doesn't bode well for business unless you are bringing something to the market that is extraordinarily better.  Let's see which category Microsoft's new tablet will fall within.

God is always telling and teaching us about timing.  Our mothers and grandmothers inevitably told us somewhere along the way that things happen, "All in good time".  I suspect that phrase at one time originated from, "All in God's time". That is what we must learn to accept, even if it is hard to understand and follow. Paul tells us in Galatians that the harvest will be reaped, "At just the right time". So, yes, our lives are clearly all about timing, but what a promise and assurance we have when we know deep within ourselves that this timing in divine and appointed for each of us.  So, let's not fret or get too concerned about what appears daily to be misses or failings of human timing, but instead entrust that the right timing will be all in God's time.

Reference: Galatians 6:9 (New Living Translation)

day 915: Breakage

“… He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

In business there is a term; “breakage”.  In most businesses breakage is a bad thing.  It means that what was supposed to have been in the business ends up disappearing.  In retail the product that comes in the back door never makes it past the cash register, but instead ends up walking out the door being unaccounted.  In other businesses, breakage is counted on to making the business model work.  Subscription models are built this way. Health clubs are a prime example. If all of their members showed up everyday they wouldn't have nearly enough room to accommodate everyone.  They probably couldn't handle it if even half showed up.  The same breakage works for any digital subscription service.  Spotify, Rhapsody, etc. all count on more subscribers as they couldn't afford all of the royalties if everyone was using the service to their maximum.  Insurance companies are built on the principle of breakage.  It's all good until lots of claims come in. Yep, breakage...it's like fire.  As a new friend said to me, "Fire can either burn down the house or warm it up".  We each need to look at the breakage points in our businesses to see which is the advantage and which is a danger.

We don't have breakage in our faith.  God doesn't ever fail us nor does He leave us without His saving grace.  While it may be that we feel like there is breakage all around us and that we can't hold onto what we have or can't take advantage of what we have been given, that is not the feeling that God wants us to be filled.Instead, He challenges us to find the positives and to make something extraordinary of problems or things that are being taken away.  A thought for us today would be what is the breakage that we are experiencing in our lives and in our work and how are we using both what we are given, and what we are losing, so that we always bring glory to Him through what we do each day. Let's take the concept of breakage seriously to make our lives the examples that can move the Kingdom forward.

Reference: Deuteronomy 31:6 (New Living Translation)

day 914: First Mover Advantage

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Start-ups prefer first mover advantage.  First-mover advantage can be very powerful but also quite challenging because if fortunate enough to gain the first position, there will always be someone gunning for you.  It isn't cheap to keep ahead and it is not for the faint of heart investor or team.  While some companies make it look so easy, it is not at all either easy to get there or stay there.  I'm involved with one of those companies who have pioneered in their space and now either have the opportunity to distance themselves from the rest of the pack or they slow down, miss a step, or allow someone else to pass them up.  It's scary but exhilarating.  What must be aligned is a full vision and commitment from investors, management team, and employees.  Then, it is about putting the pedal down and not looking in the rear-view mirror.  Is there a part of your organization that you have or can find for a first mover advantage?

As believers we always have a first-mover advantage because as we are promised in Deuteronomy our God goes before us and carries the heavy lifting. We are also told to be courageous and we can be so because He moves ahead of us into the places where we are weak.  In the workplace it is hard to always be strong and courageous in our faith.  This is why we need to not leave God behind but instead invite him into our workplace daily. If we can find a place where we can be trustful, purposeful and calm in our daily walk, then our great first-mover will open His way for us. 

Reference: Deuteronomy 31:6 (New Living Translation) 

day 913: Credentials

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." 

It is summer and the time for conferences, expositions and seminars.  The Apple World Wide Developers Conference just ended and the Google IO Conference is coming up.  I've have a number of people reach to me about these meetings and others trying to get credentials and passes to get in.  It seems like there is always someone who wants to get into something that they can't.  Of course, being able to walk past security with the highest level of credentials is a great feeling.  Years ago my friend Jeff and I were given passes to a Lollapalooza concert.  We didn't know what level of access the credentials would get us until we just kept trying to act like we knew what we were doing, flashing our credentials to security until someone would stop us.  Once we were standing in the wings of the stage talking to Dave Navarro from Jane's Addiction, we realized that we had an all-access pass.  Everyone likes to have credentials and in our businesses we can take a lesson from this in how we give access to the inner workings to our employees, our customers and our investors.  When these constituencies feel "credentialed" their support level goes up.

How great it is to know that God has provided us all the credentials we need to enter His Kingdom with acceptance and faith in His Son, Jesus.  It is with our faith that we can have full confidence and live our lives knowing that we have the most amazing credentials available in this life. So, as we move through this day and week, we need to do so with confidence and assurance that our God delivers on all that He has promised. When we don't, we are weakening to others the credential that God has given to us.  Let's not be ones that let that happen.

Reference: Hebrews 11:1 (New Living Translation)

day 912: A Platform or an App?

I'm doing something a little different today by embedding an eight minute video that I did recently for my  college alma mater where I summarized a presentation I did earlier this year, entitled; "Are You Building Your Life as a Platform or an App?".  I know 8 minutes is about 4X the amount of time that it takes to read a daily Purposed worKING, so thank you. I would also be interested in what you think about video/audio content for the future?

As you watch this, consider the "platform" we are building for God's glory and work?

So, have a great weekend and also enjoy the segment:  http://www.uscolleges.tv/p/purdue-university/2012/06/rusty-rueff-purdue-alum-on-apps-platforms-your-life/

day 911: Rebuilding

"Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house."

This is post 911 of Purposed worKING.  I do my best to think about those posts that can be applied to the work world and the culture around us.  Before September 11, 2001, 911 meant two things to me; three numbers to call in an emergency and a car that I owned for awhile.  Then, the attack happened and 911 took on a whole new meaning for all of us.  Now over a decade later since that fateful day we can look back and think more about rebuilding than being torn apart and down.  Shortly, the tower that stands in the site of the World Trade Center will once again be the tallest building in America.  What I find encouraging and hopeful in this is that we might all feel under attack at one point or another, and we might get knocked down, but there is nothing stopping any of us in our businesses, our careers and our lives from rebuilding.  We have all seen it and just have to believe that we can always rebuild.  On my own 911 anniversary, I want to ask all of us to change our focus towards rebuilding whatever in our lives feels knocked down or destroyed.  Our God is a builder and we are made in His image so let us be a daily "re-builder" of his Kingdom in all that we do!

Reference:  Haggai 1:8 (New Living Translation)

day 910: Switching Costs

"Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the swift gazelles and deer of the wild, not to awaken love until the time is right."


Any business or service tries to find a way to up "switching costs".  What exactly is the cost of switching?  Well, we have experienced it in one form of another in the electronic age and before.  Does any of this sound familiar?  Have you ever:  held onto an email or internet service provider because you don't want to change your email address and have to go through all the communication to others about the change, or not changed cell phone carriers or cable companies because it's just too hard to go through, or keep the same pair of running shoes for fear of a new pair not fitting right, or keep going to the same doctor because he/she has all your records, or stick with a music service because they have all of your playlists recorded?  It could be any, or all, or for other reasons but each is a "switching cost" that we want to keep high so that we retain our customers/consumers.  Building in switching costs is good business and we need to not only do it with our products/services, but with our employees as well so that they don't just easily pick up and leave to go to work for another company.  Think about it today, have you built in enough switching cost to ensure continuity for the business?

Solomon sang of keeping emotions curbed until the time is right.  I love how God has left all of the cost of switching upon us.  While He could have created this life of ours to be a life of burden and shackle,   He didn't create that for us. Instead He gave us choice, freedom and the opportunity to make our own decisions.  The cost of switching is high though.  Each time we walk away from the Lord, ignore His words, or act out against His will, we run the risk of setting another back in their walk and journey.  I've recently watched the impressionable be dismayed by the actions of a believer.  It is not pretty. Friends, let us all consider seriously that cost of switching away from working and living for the glory of God before we act.

Reference:  Song of Songs (New Living Translation)

day 909: Tuesdays

"And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day."

Tuesdays are interesting days.  In fact, Tuesday is the day that doesn't have much to mark it in the week. Sunday is the first day of the week.  Monday is the first day of the workweek.  Wednesday marks the middle of the week and the hump day of work.  Thursday is the day before the end of the workweek and begins a feeling that the end is near.  Friday is the end of the workweek and Saturday is the first day of the weekend and then we start all over again.  But what is Tuesday?  Actually Tuesday is a great day to get things done.  It's a great day to set meetings because Monday is out of the way and if someone is going to travel they may not go out on the road until mid-week.  I read a research report once that said that 10:30AM on Tuesday morning may be the best time of the week to gain someone's attention for an interview of sale presentation.  Today is Tuesday, so let's see how productive we can make it this week!

As believers we can use Tuesday as an ongoing marking day for us.  Tuesday is the "Third day" of the week.  Part of our Christian life is recognizing that for God there is great and significant symbolism of the third day.  So, for nothing else, let's take the productivity that may be natural on Tuesdays in our workweek and use this day to focus on the glory of the third day and let's triple down with our efforts to live and work for the glory of Him as our purpose.  What can we do today differently to be a magnifying reflection of Jesus?  Let the "third day' be His day in your life!

Reference:  Genesis 1:13 (New Living Translation)

day 908: Reputation Defender

"How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?"

How bad has it gotten on the internet that we are offered now companies that will work on our behalf to repair and remove bad things that are said about us online?  With the explosion of user-generated review content sites, it really shouldn’t be a surprise to us that  companies like Reputation.com and Reputation Defender are finding customers and I might add, charging a hefty amount for their work.  I have heard of companies and individuals being charged over $100K to have their online search results altered and improved.  While at first it sounds crazy but in some ways it’s the modern day malpractice or general liability insurance coverage.  If you are a professional service provider, say a dentist, and your next unhappy patient turns out to be a major online influencer, you could be in real trouble, real fast.  The fact of the matter is that it has now become the norm to check out the reviews of companies just like have done for a long time for entertainment.  Today it is just as normal to check Yelp as it is to got to Rotten Tomatoes or MetaCritic.  It’s a scary world if your reputation matters for your livelihood, and whose doesn’t really?  Even to get a new job you should expect that someone is checking the internet to put together a story on you.  And, it’s not going to get better. Instead we should be prepared for the greater scrutiny that the internet and the transparency of the web provides.

Everyday that we go to work and go about our daily business we are putting our reputation out in the wild to be challenged, reshaped or denigrated. As believers we carry not only our own reputation on our shoulders we also shoulder the reputation, or maybe the only exposure that someone else will have of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  When I was growing up my Father would tell me that what I did outside of our house not only reflected on me, but the whole family.  I carried that with me and when I got in trouble I was reminded of it by my Father in ways that I haven’t forgotten. See, we are reflections of Jesus to others and we have to extra cognizant of this responsibility.  Let’s today and this week let it sink in and be sure that we aren’t letting anything in our work create something that puts us in the position of having to defend our own reputation. 

Reference: Psalm 4:2 (New Living Translation)

907: Flashes in the Pan

"History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new."

I’m a tee-shirt guy.  Give me a pair of Converse Chucks, a pair of blue jeans and a tee-shirt and I feel rightly dressed.  Since I like tee-shirts I have been thinking that I should have a few made up that I like and what I thought would be fun would be to go back over the last couple of decades and have shirts made up with the logos of bib popular companies that have passed on.  Like Netscape or Lotus,  Companies like that.  They could be great conversation starters too.  This is just a reminder how quickly companies can get up and into the jetstream only to be faded from memory in a short amount of time. One of my favorite music/tech pundits, Bob Lefsetz, wrote this week on how the answer isn’t juicing yourself to the top, but instead building for the longhaul.  He referenced turntable.fm and foursquare as his examples of being flashes in the pan.  It’s a great reminder that if want to be here today and gone tomorrow  that it can be more easily achieved than finding our way into the mainstream by methodically and predictably delivering a quality product or service and doing so in a high integrity manner for our shareholder, our partners, our team and our customers.  It’s to always be considered if we want to stick around in the kitchen for a while rather than being a flash in the pan.

This is also true of how we manage our Christian life journey.  Sure, we all want the highest of highs in our spiritual life but if that is all we are striving for then once those times are gone we will be left searching again.  Jesus modeled consistency, diligence and discipline for us.  There was no objective to be a world-wide phenomenon and draw together people from all around the world to come hear him speak and teach.  In many cases it was just the opposite, he would quickly move away when the crowds became huge.  Jesus wanted to leave behind men and women who could and would further His message for all of eternity.  We are so fortunate to have His life and Him to accept, model and follow.  When we do, we learn that it’s not about being the flash in the pan for His Kingdom.  There are plenty of those to go around.  No, it’s about being a model of consistency in how we live, work, treat others and bring glory to Him.  Have a great weekend and know that our God recognizes and appreciates those that will go the distance with Him.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 1:9 (New Living Testament)

day 906: "You Shouldn't Have"

"You shouldn't have done this..."

Not a week goes by that we don't read or hear something about a company that broke the law, skirted regulations or blatantly ignored ethical warnings and advice.  Companies and people associated with those companies have their reputations destroyed and many end up never digging out.  What is so disheartening is that some of these disasters were avoidable but because someone (and it always boils down to one person who either says to others or themselves, "yes, do it" or looks the other way, which is the same as saying "yes") makes a poor judgment decision.  We only see the headlines but beyond the glaring big company scandals there are many examples of problems in all size businesses.  I am troubled by the continued lack of respect for the law and ethical decay that we see in corporate America.  Maybe we could never count on companies to be honest but I want to believe that there was a time that we wouldn't be drawn through the muck like we are today. Wal~mart is right in the middle of one of these.  The company that once stood for so much that was good about corporate America and was a shining example of corporate conduct now finds lots of people inside and outside of the company saying, "You shouldn't have".

The book of Obadiah in Chapter 1, verses 12-14 starts every sentence with "You shouldn't have". These two long verses are worth reading to hear what was being said against the actions of those from the land of Edom.  What is amazing about the words "You shouldn't have" is that many times when we hear them said to us that whatever comes behind them is hard to refute.  By the time we get to the point we have these words said to us, we are likely in the wrong or have made a mistake for which, we should be ready to apologize.  As we work so hard to bring glory to God as our purpose, let's not let ourselves get put in any situation where when we fast forward we can see someone else delivering those three fateful words to us.  If we instead say to ourselves first, "I shouldn't" and we listen to our own voice (which is probably also God talking to us too) then we can alleviate ever being in the uncomfortable hot seat that we shouldn't be in.

Reference: Obadiah 1:12-14 (New Living Translation)

day 905: Tests

"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart."

Every business or organization has some form of testing that is done.  Many times that is internal, but there can also be external regulations that test the validity of a service, product or offering. But, tests are only as good as we utilize the results that can come.  It seems that there are too many examples of companies that ignore the tests that are taking place and then they act surprised when they get in trouble.  We have just gone through another setback in the banking industry as JP Morgan posted billions of dollars of losses because their internal risk tests either failed or were ignored.  Shortly after their announcement I read an article about Wells Fargo Banks Risk Committee, made up of internal and external people/experts who are constantly testing them to be sure that all is working according to plan.  Some would say that this is the job of a Board of Directors, and I can agree with that, but I also know that a Board can get too deep into the forest and because the Board is aligned with the Management team to bring about success of the company, they can miss tell-tale signs and not even know that they are failing a test.  It would be wise to consider what tests are being made in your business or organization and then be sure that the answers are being reviewed and learned from so mistakes are not made.

Patti told me about a Facebook posting she read from one of her friends.  It went something like this, "If you are being tested and it seems like God is being silent, think back to your days in school.  During tests did the teacher talk, give the answers, or sit there silent until you were done?"  It is a great lesson.  God tests our heart to see if we are all-in.  He tells us He will never give us more than we can handle, but let's remember that whatever the testing, we can be brought closer to God if we allow the results to do so. Undoubtedly you will face a test this week, or even today.  How you respond is also an important part of the answer.

Reference: Proverbs 17:3 (New Living Translation)

day 904: Political Quarrels

"Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out."

All around us it seems there are arguments happening. It is political season after all and that seems to stir the pot more than anything else.  Political views usually get checked at the office door, or at least in smart organizations that happens. But, let's not fool ourselves, politics is how business operates and is more of an organizational fiber than we like.  Politics don't have to be bad, but in most cases when there is disagreement we can see full fledged quarrels break out and when that happens things can happen that are hard to repair.  How do we avoid quarrels in the workplace?  Diffusing tension is a skill and we should hope that we always have someone in the room who is adept at keeping emotions at bay.  Sometimes it is the humor person, sometimes the boss, sometimes just someone who helps everyone see the middle ground. But, when that isn't there, we can be sitting on powderkegs that are just looking to be ignited. 

It's risky business for us to put ourselves in situations where we are going to quarrel with someone else in the office.  As Solomon says, "Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate".  What we say or do in the heat of battle and at the height of emotion can ruin our example with just one word.  Jesus is the great repairer but let's now have to have Him clean up after us for this reason.  With a closed mouth, a deep breathe, a count to 10, or a prayer offered up, we can avoid the danger and keep a Christlike example for others.

Reference: Proverbs 17:14 (New Living Testament)

day 903: Ordinary Time

"Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!" In any business or organization we want to stand out from the crowd and want to be something extraordinary.  The truth is that most businesses are ordinary in the way that they aren't the only business in the world to do what they do. And even if they are unique for a timeframe, there will be someone else. What happens though is that we start reading our own reviews and we get this persona that makes us think we are above others.  I've always admired the company that never allow that to happen to them, but instead become the "sages" of their industry and aren't afraid to share knowledge, learning and experiences with others to make the pie bigger for everyone. The best strategic alliances happen because someone decides that their ego isn't too big to work together as ordinaries, sharing their time.  We also run this same risk as individuals.  If we begin to think that we are above the ordinary we are going to be living contrary to what we are told is part of how we are to conduct ourselves.  All around us are people who are influenced by our witness and example and if we try to act above our peers, subordinates, and others, then we can be thought of as prideful, full of ourselves and worse yet as arrogant.  Let's this week work towards reminding ourselves that ordinary time is time well spent.  Reference:  Romans 12:16 (New Living Testament)