day 1020: T.H.I.N.K. - Part 2: Helpful

"The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words."

Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

Before we write and send that text or email, let's ask ourselves if the message we are writing is truly "Helpful"? I receive messages all the time that in the end of the day might be interesting or entertaining but really aren't that helpful to anyone else other than to the person who is sending them to somehow glorify their own experiences. This is part of the societal issues that we face with social media.  Where once it was not thought well of to "brag" about places visited, things seen, experiences had, people met, etc., today, we think nothing of posting every bit of our life experience and expecting that others will find it helpful to them.  I'm as guilty as anyone.  Last week I posted a picture of an incredible rainbow that I saw while on vacation in Hawaii.  I thought it so beautiful that I wanted to share it with others.  But, in hindsight, I blew it because I didn't just post the picture with a statement about nature and God's beauty, I had to tell everyone that I saw it in Maui.  That small extra bit of information wasn't helpful really, it only boasted of where I was, which to me was "special".  I may be going to the extreme here, but it's that form of rigorous filtering that we should be putting on our communication.  Think about it before it's sent. If it's not helpful, then don't push the button.

As believers are are to monitor our words and communication even more so as we carry with us the example and reputation of Jesus and other believers with us in all that we do.  Solomon tells us in the Proverbs of how important it is that our words be helpful to others.  Let's be careful with our communication today.  In that email, text, or post, let's question how helpful we are being to others.  The opposite of being helpful is being selfish and that is not what we want to be known for today.

Reference: Provers 10:32 (New Living Translation)

day 952: Non-Trivial Pursuits

"Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor."

If you have ever worked with a software engineer or a Chief Technology Officer you will hear somewhere along the way, "This is non-trivial".  That statement is their way of saying, "This is hard, complicated and could get in the way of other things if you really want to pursue it."  There are many things in business that are non-trivial and must be pursued.  The art is in knowing which is which and what to pursue when.  I am always amazed and a little taken back when I hear someone say, "we need more ideas".  Idea shortage is typically never the problem. The problem is ferreting out the right ideas and being honest enough with ourselves to say no to the bad and non-value added ones. Trivial Pursuit, while a fun family game, is not a good business strategy and must be guarded against vigorously.  We need only pursue that which is going to make the most difference and move the needle most significantly and then remove all of the rest of the trivial.  It is, as I said, an "art" but it also demands the discipline of science for it to happen consistently and reliably within a business.

We are the same.  As human beings we love to pursue the trivial.  The hours we each have are all the same and it is in how and what we pursue that we get our returns. Solomon tells us what to pursue and what we get in return.  What greater promise is there to find life and a life that is filled with righteousness and honor?  Let's today take a moment and ask ourselves, "What are we pursing today?"  The follow up question then needs to be, "And, what is is trivial and what is non-trivial?"  Let's pursue the path of righteousness and be sure that it is in this pursuit that we focus on the non-trivial that really matters.

Reference: Proverbs 21:21 (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 887: Morning Words (Redux)

"If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse".

Ever notice how our mood and reactions in the morning are very dependent on the words of others? In fact, our whole day can be influenced by the first words that are spoken to us in the morning. The same can be said from others about the first words they hear from us. I have always been an early bird so other than the whispered, "Have a great day. Love you" to Patti in the dark on the way out of the house, my next words are likely to be to other people who I am interacting with on a "work basis". I have learned over the years to choose those words carefully as my words may well be the first words they hear of the day as well. So, we are both vulnerable and also both highly influential with what we have to say to each other in the morning. I am not one for small talk so I tend to jump right in and get going before I allow someone else to say, "Good morning". It is not a good trait of mine. What I have learned over the years is to temper myself and allow others to "wake up" by hearing something good from me and also allowing them to tell me something good that has happened to them. The simple exchange of, "Good morning. Hope your day is off to a good start. How was your evening (or weekend as Monday mornings are even more critical)?", can go a long way in setting the tone for the conversation and this person's day.

Solomon reminds us of how our morning words can go awry if we are not deliberate and thoughtful, "If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse". But, it was well-intentioned you say to yourself. That's not really good enough. We need be thoughtfully-intentioned as much as well-intentioned. This morning may have already started for you, but tomorrow, try to find some new "morning words" and see if they make a difference.

Reference: Proverbs 27:14 (New Living Testament)

day 751: Fire In The Belly

"Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops."

It's common to hear the coaching from a business leader that he/she is looking for more "fire in the belly". Fire in the belly is a term used for motivation, initiative, self-starting, passion that doesn't allow for giving up, etc. Businesses who have fire in the belly in their leaders tend to also have that spirit carry throughout their organization and find themselves moving faster with greater intensity than others. When organizations who have this and then lose it, it can feel like the company has come to a screeching halt. There are many examples that we can all think of where a company that once seemed on top of the world, seems to lose their "mojo". If we could get inside of these companies and do research we would likely find that there was a loss somewhere of a leader who who lost the fire in the belly and therefore things changed or slowed down. So, when someone is asking about how much fire in the belly the company, or a person has, it is a good question and one to consider the answer.

Now, with each us, we need to be sure that we have the right kind of fire in the belly for us to be effective in bringing glory to God in our work. I know many people who have plenty of fire, it's just the wrong kind of fire. The things that can fuel us in the workplace can be all of the wrong kinds of fuel. We can get really fired up over being competitive, or being vindictive, or just selfish in watching out for our own personal gains and status. These are the wrong kinds of fuels that should be removed. Solomon tells us that we need to watch out for gossip and quarrels as part of our fuel. As we all need to have a fire in our belly, let's be sure that we know what that fuel is and how it makes us burn. If we are being driven by the wrong reasons, that fire needs to be managed so it doesn't start to burn out of control.

Reference: Proverbs 26:20 (New Living Testament)

day 690: Before Giving Advice

"What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!"

Think with me for a moment about the number of companies and people who make a living from giving advice that we listen to and influence our business and life decisions. I can list a number of those quickly; consultants, analysts, professional services, attorneys, money managers, authors, etc. We take advice in all day long and within our companies we are expected to give advice to others whether they be customers, partners, vendors, or co-workers. Advice is part of what makes business go round. However, in order to give good and sound advice we must know what we are are talking about and be committed to getting to the truth. To give the best advice, we must do the hard work to get to and represent what are the facts. That means a lot of digging, evaluating, and listening. Too many times we read or hear of companies that find themselves in a jam because they never got to the facts and instead gave poor or misguided advice and assurances. This can be a real problem and with one or more of these, then a companies credibility can be damaged beyond repair. If we are leading any part of an organization that gives advice, then we need to do the hard work and listen for the facts and then only provide our advice based on the truth, on the facts.

God calls on us to be ones that others can count on as people of truth. The fact is that if we don't represent the truth and facts that we are misrepresenting the One who we follow. Let's never find ourselves in a situation where we are giving advice or counsel that is not based on the facts. Solomon says that is it beyond shameful, that is is "folly", or foolishness to do so. God doesn't need any of us to look like we are not established and grounded in the truth and facts. Today, don't take the shortcut or cut the corner. Go spend the extra time and listen and find the facts before providing that advice or speaking out.

Reference: Proverbs 19:13 (New Living Testament)

Day 685: Fair Trade

"The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; he sets the standard."

Fair trade treaties are written between countries to ensure that a set of business standards are set and followed. We have laws in the United States that regulate how we can advertise, market, represent products, set pricing, etc. Yet, with all of this, we find businesses and business people who still try and tilt the scales away from fairness and take advantage of a consumer or a vendor. What should be fair, can easily end up being unfair. I sometimes marvel at the companies that have payment terms that are on receipt (immediate) when they themselves won't pay their vendors for 30, 60 or even 90 days. We take it for granted that this is fair because the company gets the cash flow, etc. but for that vendor who barely makes it by, they don't see the fairness. We seem to forget in business and how/when we create our policies and practices that what is good for one should be good for another, or better said, we should only do unto others what we would want done to us. If we lead a business, or any part of it, it would be a good practice to review and evaluate policies against a standard of true fairness.

As believers, followers of Jesus, and striving to be good business people, we can't ignore the words of Solomon in Proverbs 16:11. He tells us that the Lord "demands" fairness. Notice this is not, "wants" or "desires", Solomon tells us that fairness is a requirement! And, this is not in some events and circumstances, but instead in "every business deal". It is God who sets the standard that we must follow. If we cut a corner, if we tip the scales, if we don't establish fairness as our way of doing business, then we are not living up to His standards. Today, let's take a look at how fair we are being and be sure that we are working and living up to His standard!

Reference: Proverbs 16:11 (New Living Testament)

day 681: Seriously

"So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work."

By its' nature, work is serious. While we sometimes work to make it fun, if not taken seriously then work that is done in not serious fashion can do real damage. Without seriousness, the bridge fails, the plane stops flying, the food is undercooked, the room is unclean, the diagnosis is wrong, the presentation is flawed, etc. We have to take work seriously. In fact, those businesses who are able to find a way that all the people who work within the company realize how important, critical and serious the work they do really is and how it fits into a bigger picture, are able to get more productivity and engagement from their people. And, it's not about being able to say that the work that is being done is changing the world. While that would be nice, and some organizations are working on those types of projects, for most it is about the work that is being done being completed in way that is of the highest quality and standards of excellence. This matters. Serious work matters. Organizations that bring out the best of people and their seriousness to their jobs are doing something right.

When Solomon took over the responsibility to build the Temple, his Father, David, told him, "..Take this seriously". It was serious work. What this verse tells me is that God's work is serious and we are to take our responsibility of upholding and building up our part of God's Temple seriously. Anything in our life that we take seriously, we will find ourselves focused and aligning the rest of our life to accomplish or achieve that goal or task. Those things that we don't take seriously, or that we take lightly, don't usually get done and if they do, it's never as good as it could have been had we put more of ourselves into it. God asks us to live a life that reinforces Him to others as us being examples of what it means to follow and love the Lord. Is there anything that could be more serious? God calls us to a great and abundant life in following Him, but with that comes us taking it seriously.

Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)

day 680: The One Big Thing

"So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."

As an output of many strategic planning sessions is the distillation of the business objectives into the "one big thing" that needs to get done before all others. Once a business or an organization can clearly define and articulate what that one big thing is there is a certain clarity and alignment that will appear. But, getting to that one big thing is difficult, really difficult. With all of the competing priorities, getting to the one big thing means letting other things go and many times getting people to give up their pet projects or the areas that they think they must fulfill to move themselves forward. But, this is where we have to be disciplined and focused so that we can see what the one big thing is and not waiver. Organizations that can get there and and stay there are the ones that succeed. Those who try and do too much and become too watered down in their efforts and resources end up never finding the power of focus and alignment.

When King David told his son Solomon that the Temple was to be his to build, he defined for Solomon the one big thing that he was to do. David then challenged him in how he was to get the Temple built and what kind of leader he was to be, but this was all in the pursuit of building the Temple to the best of Solomon's ability. While in our own lives it may be hard to come to our one big thing, God calls us each and every day to bring glory to Him in all that we do and when we do that to spread His word to others. If we were to take on this as our one big thing, then we could know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the focus of our lives would be fruitful and pleasing to God. Today, consider what has been the one big thing to date? Is it what you want it to be or is today a day to reconsider, realign and refocus?

Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)

day 679: Summer Hours

"Lazy people are a pain to their employer. They are like smoke in their eyes or vinegar that sets the teeth on edge."

It is officially the first full work week of summer and many businesses have now moved into summer hours where with a little shifting of the schedule Friday afternoons are "off" and employees are encouraged to make the most of the weekends. In the places I worked where we had summer hours it was a great thing, even though it sometimes caused a we vs. they with those who had to work over the weekends, but for the most part it was a welcomed time of the year. However, what would happen with summer hours is that it also brought out those who not only wanted to cut the corner of the summer hours, but would try and take advantage of it to slack off even further. Maybe it is just summer, but the lazy days and lazy attitudes can cause real strife and concern in the business. In this day and age, management is watching for productivity more than ever and whatever looks like laziness is going to get called out and remembered, so let's not let these summer hours, or this summer be a time where we drift into becoming lazy about our work.

Proverbs tells how an employer reacts to lazy workers. It is not good and Solomon's descriptors are vivid reminders that we don't want to ever be thought of as lazy. Beyond wanting to be considered good and hard workers for our career management and advancement, we also don't want to be lazy as an example for others. God has given us plenty of work to do and He promises us strength and power in our work, so if we are lazy in anything that we do, then we are telling and showing others that our God doesn't really provide, or that we don't care about the example that we set for others. Let's be real, we are always being watched, evaluated and compared and at the most base level, our ability to demonstrate that we are never lazy, but instead bring to our jobs a strong work ethic, can provide a foundation of credibility with others. As we go into summer, let's not slip into "summer hours" that aren't of a standard that we would want others to admire and respect.

Reference: Proverbs 10:26 (New Living Testament)

day 678: Conflict Management

"People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace."

I recently had the opportunity to experience a corporate culture where conflict management truly happens and is not like it is in most places, conflict avoidance. Few people relish the idea of conflict, and in fact we might tag those people with having an anger management issue. But, there is a healthy way to manage conflict and most organizations never get to that point. Rather, when conflict does arise either people avoid it or if they do try and manage the emotions around the conflict and it is uncomfortable and both sides of the conflict are spending so much time trying to manage themselves and assessing whether or not how the other person is responding that the true reason for the conflict never gets resolved. What we want is to be in a place where people can speak openly with each other, disagreeing without causing those extra emotions to rise up. Think how freeing it would be to be able to point out something we think is wrong without worrying that we are going to hurt someones feelings or that they are going to lash back out at us? In this culture I saw, disagreeing, expressing opinions and challenging each other was not just the norm, it is expected. The reason this works at this business is because there is a foundation of values and principles that are built on trust and everyone doing what is is right for the business first and themselves second. When this is real and obvious to all, it can be really powerful. So many companies would benefit from being able to openly manage conflict without hidden agendas, politics, or the worry of what someone else is going to think.

Solomon tells us that we should not avoid conflict, especially when we see wrong. It is then that he calls for us to bring forward not only a reproof, but a bold one at that. But, how do we do that in a way that doesn't alienate us from others, or cause others to be hurt when challenged? It starts with the relationship we have built with others. If we have established a relationship that is grounded in trust and our caring about the other person then even though they may not like what we have to say, there will be a level of respect and acceptance that we would never be able to reach if we hadn't taken the time and the energy to have already invested in them. We can start today in building those relationships that are strong and credible and from there be able to not let wrong pass, but instead be a voice of wisdom and influence when we step forward and speak out, without the worry of conflict.

Reference: Proverbs 10:10 (New Living Testament)

day 661: The Power Pause

"Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything."

I was told the story of a CEO who had the chance to meet the Dali Lama and have a private session with him. Each time the CEO would ask a question the Dali Lama would take an abnormally long pauses before he answered or spoke. The CEO said it felt very uncomfortable to just sit there and wait for the responses, so as his time was winding down he asked the Dali Lama why he took so long to answer between each question. After another long pause he answered, "Before I respond I ask myself three questions about what I am about to say, before I speak; 'Is it kind?', 'Is it true?', and 'Is it necessary?'. As I listened to this story I was struck by his answer because wouldn't our work places be so much better if we all were to ask ourselves those three questions before we spoke? We work in the land of the opposite where there is a competition for the first word to be spoken (or written). How much better off would we be if we could step back and not be so impetuous with our speech? I have watched more than one career go on a derailment path because of a word spoken in haste or worse, anger. Trying to put the genie back in the bottle looks easy compared to reeling back in words that didn't want to be spoken.

In Proverbs we are told the same thing. We are told to control our tongue and to curb the quick retort. One can lead to long life. The other can ruin everything. Today, let's check our words and learn that there is a power in the pause. We may not have any other way to do it other than to try to ask ourselves the three questions before we speak. But, that's cool too. Whatever it takes to let our minds and souls catch up with our tongue. Let's today practice pausing and see what good can happen.

Reference: Proverbs 13:3 (New Living Testament)

day 624: Perservance For The Future

"It was in the midspring, during the fourth year of Solomon's reign, that he began the construction of the Temple of the Lord. This was 480 years after the people of Israel were delivered from their in the land of Egypt."

In business, we just can't think day to day, week to week, month to month, or quarter to quarter. We have to have a long-range vision and plan to execute if we are going to continue to move in a constant and direction. However, this is harder to do than say. Forces are always moving against and toward us to take off of our plan and to deviate from the vision. It's not easy to stay consistent and to follow through. Most of us would never think of what we do on our job having much, if any, bearing on what the company will be like in 50 years. I have a friend who likes to ask people in their jobs if then can name the person who was in the job before them, and then before them, and then before them. Unless they are CEOs, the line of questioning usually stops at the third generation question. Better yet, ask someone who was the first person in the company to be in the job and they won't have a clue. We don't think that long, even though we should. If we did, then we might find that we would make better decisions and investments of our money, resources and time. It's just not in our DNA to think much further ahead than the lifetimes of our offspring and when we do think about the future it is usually bleak or fatalistic. When did Hollywood create a movie about the future that was not post-apocalyptic? Yet, it is easy for us to make the past look good. To be the best we can be, we need to be able to look into the future and then deal with it for the hope and the optimism that only the future can bring.

Solomon built the Temple from what should have been started 480 years earlier, even though he wasn't around then. He planned and laid the foundation that nearly 500 years of history would be built upon. He gives an example of what it means to grasp a vision and then stick to it, without waver. Maybe what some of us need to do is start looking a little harder now for the future and then setting a plan to get there. If we decide that that future in our careers and life are to be days, weeks, years and decades that we will invite God to walk along and inside of us then we will find that we can see a bright and exciting future that others will want to follow us towards. The walk we make to the future with conviction and perseverance is a powerful message to others who are looking for a reason to want to see the future. Think today about what that futuristic direction you can begin taking today and will follow through with as Solomon did with the Temple. Start building that future today. Another day of waiting gains nothing.

Reference: 1 Kings 6:1 (New Living Testament)

day 586: The Good Boss

Last week I wrote a blog for the U.S. News and World Report, which got picked up by Yahoo, entitled, "How to Work with a Bad Boss", (http://money.usnews.com/topics/author/rusty_rueff). I don't usually carry my blogs from other places that I write into Purposed worKING, but what I wanted to do here is point out that we also have many examples of good bosses sprinkled all throughout the Bible. As we have been exploring Purposed worKING for the past few years, we have seen many of those examples and can marvel in the earthly work that most of the Godly people we read about in the Bible had to do in order to have the credibility and the ability to relate to the people to whom they later ministered. We don't know about the years that Jesus hung out with other carpenters but if you have ever been on a construction site then you can only guess the characters that he witnessed and interacted with daily. By the time he started sharing his messages to others, I believe he was partly so effective because he could relate to the people and spoke in their language and into their concerns, cares, fears and emotions. At work we often talk about the best leaders being those who came from the shop floor or worked their way up through the ranks. The best bosses and best leaders understand their people at the granular level of who they are. When the Queen of Sheba said to Solomon, "How happy these people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day listening to your wisdom", she was saying what a good boss and leader he was. Let's start using the examples of good bosses that we can find in the Bible and learning from their traits and characteristics and build our own leadership model based on a learning that comes from them. I know you will find all all you need to be a great boss!

Reference: 2 Chronicles 9:7 (New Living Testament)

day 585: Morning Words

Ever notice how our mood and reactions in the morning are very dependent on the words of others? In fact, our whole day can be influenced by the first words that are spoken to us in the morning. The same can be said from others about the first words they hear from us. I have always been an early bird so other than the whispered, "Have a great day and I love you" to Patti in the dark on the way out of the house, my next words are likely to be to other people who I am interacting with on a "work basis". I have learned over the years to choose those words carefully as my words may well be the first words they hear of the day as well. So, we are both vulnerable and also both highly influential with what we have to say to each other in the morning. I am not one for small talk so I tend to jump right in and get going before I allow someone else to say, "Good morning". It is not a good trait of mine. What I have learned over the years is to temper myself and allow others to "wake up" by hearing something good from me and also allowing them to tell me something good that has happened to them. The simple exchange of, "Good morning. Hope your day is off to a good start. How was your evening (or weekend as Monday mornings are even more critical)?", can go a long way in setting the tone for the conversation and this person's day. Solomon reminds us of how our morning words can go awry if we are not deliberate and thoughtful, "If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse". But, it was well-intentioned you say to yourself. That's not really good enough. We need be thoughtfully-intentioned as much as well-intentioned. This morning may have already started for you, but tomorrow, try to find some new "morning words" and see if they make a difference.

Reference: Proverbs 27:14 (New Living Testament)

day 583: Reliability

When we start to think about a trait that can carry us very far in our careers, or on the flip side be a career killer, that trait is "reliability". If there is one thing that we need to be able to count on with people at our jobs is their reliability and follow through on what they say they are going to do and when they are going to do it. When we begin to see signs of unreliability then we stop looking to those people for what we need to get done. Before long they are marginalized and in this day and age, anyone who is being marginalized doesn't get to hang around long. So, reliability can become a real lynch pin attribute for us. Here is the secret to it all, always be sure and never put yourself in a position where you can't commit to what is being asked of you, and when it is time to deliver, always over deliver on what is being requested. We all know the power of going the extra mile and this holds up in all that we do. Part of how we are going to bring glory to God in our work (our purpose) is being an example of reliability and a role model to others in this area and it can be super powerful. After all, we follow the One is who always reliable. Solomon tells us how bad it is on the other end with unreliable people, "Putting confidence in an unreliable person is like chewing with a toothache or walking on a broken foot." Let's suffice to say, it's really bad. Where are you showing well as it relates to being a role model for reliability and where are you struggling? Putting a little attention on this area of your life can yield great results.

Reference: Proverbs 25:19 (New Living Testament)

day 582: Timely Advice

Have you ever received a piece of advice or feedback that you said after, "I sure wish you would have told me this earlier and I could have done something about it!" We likely all have had this happen to us at one time or another. This is one of my beefs with an annual performance appraisal/feedback process. Because bosses know that they have a time in the year later to give the feedback they store it all up and hold it until that one moment and by then some of it is so old that it isn't actionable or relevant. Feedback and advice is not like wine. It does not get better with time. Feedback and advice is best when delivered as close to the event or circumstance as possible. It's a little like training a dog. It doesn't do any good to scold or reward a dog for something that happened earlier. To be most effective it has to be on the spot. I'm not saying we are like dogs, but maybe we are when it comes to feedback and advice. Look, if it was easy to give advice on the spot then we all would do it. We worry about whether or not we are going to say the right thing, or that we will be providing the right advice, or that we will hurt someone's feelings, etc. There is lots to consider, yes, but we should remember that timely advice can outweigh all the rest of the concerns. Solomon gives us a promise in Proverbs 25:11 about being timely; "Timely advice is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket." Let's consider today if we are sitting on some advice and feedback that we need to give but have been hesitant to do so. Let's also be bold enough to go and seek the advice/counsel/feedback that we know is out for us but will not come to us unless we ask now. Let's let timeliness rule for a bit and see what comes of being able to take in and give out what can be most actionable.

Reference: Proverbs 25:11 (New Living Testament)

day 527: Knowing The Wind

Work consultants use wind analogies a lot. They talk about having "wind at your back", being able to "tack with the changes of the wind", how to battle "headwinds', understanding "turbulence", etc. The wind is a good metaphor for lots of things that are in our work lives because it is invisible but very forceful and it can either be a huge help or a real hindrance and the fact that the wind changes so often and unpredictably, it becomes even that much more relevant with the way our work and jobs can seem. Within our jobs there are many unseen factors that affect how we work and how we feel about our work. It's like when we walk into a meeting room and there is a chill in the air or a heaviness in the air that we know, without anyone saying anything, that this is going to be a tough meeting or we are getting ready to deal with a subject that no one really wants to talk about. And the opposite can happen when the boss comes bouncing down the hall, in a good mood and just wants to drop in and "catch up". Whatever it is, it's like the air and the wind and it shifts, swirls, and moves like its' own force throughout work. Knowing the wind is a smart thing but even smarter is knowing where and how we stand within the changing winds. What we want to make sure we are not doing is spending our precious time trying to figure out always where the wind is going, but instead, know where we are going and how we are getting there, regardless of the where the wind is blowing. Those who only follow the wind will be known as being political or indecisive. But, those who know who they are and where they are going and then manage the wind will be known differently, in a very positive way. This starts with knowing what is important for us to be doing and sticking with it. Solomon talks about his own work when he was "lost" and was not focusing on what he knew to be important; "But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere." No, we are not to "chase the wind". We are to be strong, firm and able to withstand whatever the wind may bring. Today, let's take a look at what we are doing and making important in our work lives and be sure that we are focused on the right things and like the wheat and chaff that separates with the wind, we are staying focused on the things that the wind can't carry away.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 2:11 (New Living Testament)

day 512: Those That Really Help

I work with a CEO who is a great person but doesn't have much of a soft side. This CEO can be known to get right to the point and sometimes to be a little fast in cutting to the chaste. This puts off other people and it can confuse them about the intention and the meaning behind the words. What is meant in all sincerity and caring can come across as dictatorial or worse yet as insensitive and uncaring. It's the difference between a few words and how the words are delivered. Since I know the person well, I also know that there is a lot of caring, empathy and appreciation inside, it just doesn't come out right. As we know, communication is a skill that must be honed and developed over time and it is also a skill that must always be evaluated and improved. This CEO is fortunate in that there are others around the team who can "interpret" for others the real message. After a message is delivered there are others who the team go to to get the reassurance they need and in some cases, some healing and understanding words. This is by no means the best case scenario, but fortunately as the CEO is developing and getting better at communicating, there are others to help. Someday those training wheels of other people having to be the ones who intercede will go away. And if he doesn't improve, then the CEO won't be CEO for long. Communication and words are that vital and that important. What anyone of us who are in leadership positions, or even as teammates, need to recognize is what Solomon tells us in Proverbs; "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing." It's time that we each begin to take accountability and responsibility for our words and be sure that while we are in this pressure-cooked time of business and work, that we check our cutting remarks and we ensure that we are balanced with words of understanding and healing. Our people, our co-workers and our friends are depending on us and if not us, who?

Reference: Proverbs 12:18 (New Living Testament)

day 493: Teamwork, Part Three, Back-To-Back

I often write of the politics of the office and that while we should not engage in the politics, we need to be aware and cognizant of these happenings so that we are not blindsided or taken unaware. We have all experienced that moment when we are sitting at our desks wondering why someone who yesterday supported something that we were proposing or doing and then out of the blue, from left field, that person changes their position and we are left alone, now wondering what to do next. Pure and simple; politics have been played. That is why we hear so often, "I got your back on this one". If there were no politics and no one was gunning for someones job, position or assignments, then there wouldn't be any reason to have to cover someones back or watch out over them. But, that is human reality as it relates to work. So, without playing into the game, we can certainly secure ourselves and use teamwork to ensure that we are able to do our best without having someone else undermine our efforts. This is why we need to be good team members and learn to practice teamwork! Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 4:12; "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Just as we need to have someone standing at our backs, there is someone else, or more than one person, at our job who needs someone to stand at their back today. Think through who is standing alone today and go and offer to support them, and assist them in what they are doing. At the same time you are giving to them, they will be giving to you and before you know it, you will be back-to-back or as the verse says, "triple-braided". To have one standing back-to-back to us, we have to do the same. Let's be the first to offer. This is what it means to practice teamwork.

Reference: Ecclesiastes 4:12 (New Living Testament)