Tag Archives: character issues

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Are You Making This Common Mistake With Your Life Plan?

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LIFE Plan

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a series about the process I use in creating and maintaining my LIFE plan. I have received a great deal of feedback from a variety of sources, mostly positive! I have been told this was the first time many of you have even considered doing a life plan or something similar.

For others, a life plan seems daunting and too time consuming. Regardless of which way you lean, I encourage you to read on and think about how the following illustration applies to your situation. Are you making this common mistake?

life plan

Read the following illustration from Herschel Hobbs’ My Favorite Illustrations….

River vs. Canal

    Have you ever looked down on a river while riding in a plane thousands of feet above the ground? If so, you know that the river’s course winds here and there like the track of a large serpent. This is because, in its formation, the river followed the path of least resistance.

    On the other hand, a straight canal calls for advance planning, toil, and suffering as those who make it dig and blast their way through the terrain.

    Lives are like that. Crooked or unrighteous lives follow the lines of least resistance. They twist and turn as they adapt to the changing mores of society. In doing so, they wander aimlessly with no certainty as to their final destination.

    Like those who dig a straight canal, the righteous determine their goal and pay the price necessary to achieve it. That is the way of Christ.

Just think about this for a minute and then take a look at your own life.

Do You Have A Destination?

First, do you have a certain destination or purpose in mind for your life?

The river has no specific destination and therefore any path will do. So many people today make a critical mistake and just take life as it comes, with no real plan or idea of why they are here. Others have plans, but they change with the winds. As shiny objects catch their eye, they run off in a new direction, seeking the newest pleasure or escape.

The canal, on the other hand, is designed with a specific destination in mind. For most of us, we were not handed a road map in school with the destination or purpose of our life highlighted for us, along with the directions to get there. Instead, we have to determine it for ourselves. For the majority of the readers of this blog, the desire is to base this path on the Bible.

On What (Whom) Is It Based?

Second, on what (or whom) are you basing your life’s purpose decisions? Are you striving for something you have seen on TV or in a movie or magazine? Are you chasing the wind?

Or are you following a plan based on One who designed you and knows the best for you? It’s up to you, but I know my choice!

The destination I have set at the end of my canal is to hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Are You Still Following It?

Finally, if you have determined the purpose or direction of your life, are you still on track or have you reverted back to following the path of least resistance?

Are you allowing outside influences to determine your course or are you working hard, with advance planning and sweat, to overcome outside influences and stay on course? For the short term, just winging it may seem easier, but over the long haul, that method will bring more hardship and disappointment.

However, intentional effort and decision-making toward the right purpose can lead to fulfillment and contentment.

Do you have a certain destination in mind for your life?

Are you digging a canal or following the path of the river?

Have you allowed outside influences to distract you from your canal?

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What Joe Paterno, The Titanic, and Christian Business Have in Common?

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In a little more than a couple of months, we will recognize the 100th anniversary of an incredible disaster. It was just before midnight on April 14th, 1912 that the “unsinkable” Titanic sank, taking with it the lives of over 1,500 victims. Though there are very few people alive today that were alive then, this is not an event that will soon be forgotten. It has been the subject of multiple movies, books, and innumerable lessons on pride.

joe paterno

Even so, I still there is something we can learn from this disaster, as it relates to Christian business and life in general. I have done some very quick “Google” research on this disaster and I think there are some points about which you may not know.

Details of the Titanic

The Titanic was built by 3,000 workers over a three year period leading up to its maiden voyage in 1912. It was built alongside two near-identical sister ships, the Britannic and the Olympic. At a cost of roughly $7.5 million in 1912 (roughly $400 million to build today), she weighed over 66,000 tons. She was roughly four city blocks long and ten stories tall. It took roughly 3 million rivets to put her together (this was before arc welding).

All in all, it is clear that a lot of time, energy, and money went into the construction of this feat of engineering. Unfortunately, the wonder it created did not last long as it sank on its maiden voyage, less than 5 days after departure. So what is the lesson here? What is the most likely cause of this disaster and how does that apply to us in business or life?

More Titanic Information

Well, what is not as well-known about the Titanic incident concerns its construction. Let me add some facts to the story and then we will analyze the lesson.

When the Titanic was under construction, steel was fairly new as a replacement for iron in constructing ships. Steel was much stronger and therefore preferred as material for the rivets that held the ship together. Unfortunately, due to several factors, there simply were not enough steel rivets available. Therefore, iron rivets were used in the less critical areas of the ship’s hull.

Short-Cut With Materials?

The problem was that the iron they used was not the top quality available. As a result, it contained high concentrations of slag. This slag, when exposed to icy salt water, can make the rivets more brittle and prone to fracture. This problem turned out to be critical when the Titanic hit the iceberg.

Original assumptions about the cause of the sinking caused experts to expect a large gash in the hull of the ship when it was finally discovered. Instead, they found six slits between the bow plates where the rivets had failed to hold. It turns out, when all the facts are considered, that the decision to use sub-par materials is most likely the cause of the loss of over 1,500 lives.

Joe Paterno

Joe PaternoSo what does this have to do with Joe Paterno? Even more important, what does it have to do with us as Christian business owners and leaders?

Joe Paterno was a great coach. There is no arguing that. He left a legacy of excellence that many will aspire to emulate. He turned many boys into men and brought immense success to the Penn State football program. He was an intense coach and deserves full recognition for his success.

Tarnished Career

But when Paterno made the decision, for whatever reason, not to apply the same intensity to the investigation of his assistant coach’s alleged crimes when they came to his attention, he made a critical mistake.

Call it a lapse in judgment. Call it an oversight. It really does not matter what you call it, it was a mistake Paterno wished he could undo. It was a mistake that has now tarnished an otherwise brilliant 62 year career.

Application to Christian Business

When you consider all that we have invested in our businesses – for most it is a huge amount of time, energy, and money. While maybe not Titanic proportions – it is a lot to us.

Yet, even if we are fortunate enough to last for decades and build a business that garners praise and renown for our integrity and adherence to our principles, it only takes one small decision to wreck it. It only takes one rivet of sub-standard quality to sink it.

While we are clearly forgiven when we make mistakes like this, we cannot undo the damage done. It is much like hammering nails into a fence post. You can remove the nails, but the holes remain.

Higher Expectations

God has given us a privilege and a responsibility as Christian business owners and leaders, but to whom much has been given, much is expected. We must be diligent to live up to His expectations. We cannot forget that we not only represent our own names and reputations, but we also represent Him.

I encourage you to remain diligent in your decisions and the way you operate in business. No matter how small the decision appears, do not give into the temptation to take a short-cut or compromise the truth. It is never worth it.

(For additional reading, go to Proverbs 4:10-27)

Have you seen an example like this during your business career?

Have you been tempted in this way and remained strong?

What protection do you have against this type of failure?

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Advice from Coach John Wooden

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Christian ministryThe following is an example of the type of article I write every month for our employee newsletter, The Employee Matters. In these articles, I attempt to use real-life examples or stories to convey something that matches up with our culture, mission, and/or values. In this article, I use wrote about some very simple advice from UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden, arguably college basketball’s most successful coach ever.

John Wooden

Advice from Coach John Wooden

It was roughly eighteen months ago that we lost the legendary Coach John Wooden. He was arguably the best coach who ever lived…in any sport! He had a wisdom and insight into people and their needs and he was able to get more out of people than even they thought possible. Following is an excerpt from How to Be Like Coach Wooden by Pat Williams.

Coach Wooden insisted that his players always acknowledge the help and support they received from other members of the team. For example, a player who scored a basket after receiving a pass from a teammate was expected to acknowledge the assist as he headed back up the court to play defense – usually by pointing, smiling, winking, or nodding at the man who had helped create the scoring opportunity.

Some players asked, “But Coach, what if he [the teammate who gave the assist] isn’t looking?”

“Believe me,” Wooden replied, “he’ll be looking!”

Acceptance and Approval

See, what Coach Wooden understood about all people is something that many of us know about ourselves, but have never applied to others. He understood that EVERYONE needs acceptance and approval.

We seek it at every opportunity. We need it from our parents and we need it from our children. We need it at work and we need it at home. Anyone who says they do not have this need is simply lying or does not recognize the need in themselves!

So What?

So why is this important to us? Because it is our responsibility to meet this need in those around us. Whether these people are co-workers, family members, or friends, we should be attempting to meet this need in their lives. It is a simple fact that if we help enough other people get what they want in life, then we will get what we want!

If we all become people who consistently meet this need in the people around us, can you imagine how much better our world would be?

[You can download a copy of this article (and others) here in my Resources.]

What are your thoughts about the point of the article?

Do you have an opportunity to do something similar for your employees?

If you already do, what results have you seen?

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Reconcile and Forgive Immediately!

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This post is based on material from Dave Anderson’s book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. It is the final post in a series of five in which we will address common character issues for leaders. The character issue we are addressing concerns the ability to reconcile and forgive immediately.

forgive

My Confession

I have a confession to make. In fact, I really do not even want to cover this subject. Unfortunately, I would feel even worse if I cut Dave Anderson’s five point list down to four and moved on! And so I plow on…

My confession is this – I have a backpack that I carry around most of the time that has a pocket on it just for grudges! These are not huge, unwieldy grudges that cause a sore back and aching muscles.

My Grudges

No, these are nice and compact little grudges that fit perfectly in the pockets of the backpack. They are very quiet grudges and do not make their presence known except in certain circumstances. Sometimes I forget they are even there.

These little grudges are born for me when someone local goes out of town to purchase a vehicle from a competitor. I do not have an issue when someone, even a friend, buys a car from another local dealer. I would love to sell everyone a car, but I know I will lose some deals. That is just part of doing business.

However, when I see a dealer’s drive-out tag from an out-of-town competitor on a local car, my blood boils. Just ask my wife. She cringes when she sees one, hoping I will miss it! Unfortunately, my radar rarely misses one of these!

I am completely wrong and embarrassed to admit it, but I cannot deny it.

Holding Grudges

Dave Anderson says that competitive business people are known for holding grudges. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, he gives the following examples of when we might create these grudges:

  • When an employee makes a mistake
  • When an employee leaves the organization for reasons we do not like
  • When competitors take away our business (already mentioned above!)
  • When coworkers wrong us
  • When family members do not appreciate or support our career

So what is the problem with this? I am sure I am not the only person that carries these little grudges around. Some people carry bigger ones than I do! So if this is common, why do we need to address it? Why is the ability to reconcile and forgive – getting rid of these grudges – so important?

What Does Jesus Say?

Let’s take a look at Jesus’ own words. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says the following:

So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
– Matthew 5:23-24

Later in the same speech, Jesus said this:

For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.
– Matthew 6:14-15

So what do you take from these words? Is this something we should take casually? Is this something we should just skip over? Or is this a topic that we should address immediately, with great urgency and effort?

Forgive and Reconcile

I believe there are two reasons for us to act now!

First, Jesus tells us to forgive and to reconcile. It really is that simple. If Jesus is this clear and emphatic about something, it is best we take heed and act on it.

Second, we are the one’s that are hurt by this practice. Even if we are completely justified in the way we feel, the other person is rarely aware of our feelings. Even if they are, I promise they do not think about it as often or for as long as we do!

Stop Chasing The Snake!

Think about the illustration of the venomous snake that bites you. Which do you attempt first – killing the snake or removing the venom? Too many Christian business leaders start chasing the snake to kill it, causing the venom to spread faster and leading to a quicker death. This simply makes no sense. This only hurts you, not the snake.

Stop chasing the snake!

Dave’s Challenges To Us

Here are Dave’s challenges to us:

  1. Bring closure to past offenses. Identify amends you must make, with whom, and do it quickly.
  2. Practice forgiving quickly. Realize it is the responsibility of the more spiritually mature in a relationship to make the first move toward reconciliation and restoration.
  3. If someone continues to offend or hurt you, practice praying for them the qualities they seem to be lacking. This follows the Biblical promise to bless your enemies and the promise to receive a blessing in return.

I encourage you to pray over this topic.

Ask God to reveal any blind spots and resolve to act on them immediately!

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Do You Give False Impressions?

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false impressionsThis post is based on material from Dave Anderson’s book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. It is the fourth post in a series of five in which we are addressing common character issues for leaders. The character issue we are addressing today concerns giving false impressions.

False Impressions

When it comes to business, giving false impressions is a broad topic. While not exactly full-blown lying, this behavior dances close to the line. As we will see, it can happen in so many different ways…

  • advertising that makes customers think the deal is better than it really is
  • exaggerating one’s degree of involvement in a project to gain undue credit
  • leading a job applicant to believe there is more opportunity, compensation, etc. than is realistic
  • downplaying the damage done by a mistake made
  • deceiving a vendor to think you have a better offer from a competitor
  • using flowery language to cover the truth

A humorous example is the description taken from a Youth Specialties illustration about a family history album in reference to the family’s “black-sheep” Uncle George. George was actually executed by the state for murder. Here is how the family history described it:

Uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution. He was attached to his position by the strongest ties, and his death came as a real shock.

False Impressions = Lies?

When you look at the exact language used in giving false impressions, it is usually not difficult to find truth in it. Giving false impressions is not eliminating the truth or even adding to it in a way that turns it into a lie. Instead, it is masking or painting the truth in a way designed to change how it is received by someone else.

It is not the same thing as an outright lie. This is likely why most people guilty of doing it do not see the harm in it.

What Does The Bible Say?

In order to ensure we are staying true to Scripture in our effort to strengthen our character as Christian leaders, let’s see what the Bible has to say.

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. – Psalm 34:13

This verse seems to clearly say we are to avoid deceitful speech. What exactly is deceitful speech? Let’s look at the following definition of deceive from Dictionary.com:

false impressions

When you use this definition, it helps to clarify what we are to avoid…false appearance or statement. It is the false appearance part that trips us up most often. Whether by using language that misdirects or by omitting parts of the truth, we regularly face the temptation to give false impressions. Unfortunately, this behavior can destroy our witness as Christian business leaders.

Hypocrisy

Regardless of our reasons for giving false impressions, we must stop. It is this behavior that is one of the top reasons given by Christians and non-Christians alike when asked why they do not go to church. They give it another name – hypocrisy – but it is the same thing. Dave Anderson’s definition of hypocrisy is appearing to be on the outside, something you are not on the inside.

Jesus was hardest on the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Do you not think it applies to us the same way?

Here are Dave’s tips on getting rid of false impressions:

  1. Stop any misleading advertising that you may be engaged in.
  2. Stop spinning the feedback you give to make someone feel they are doing better or worse than they really are.
  3. Stop misleading potential job candidates or employees about realities concerning their job advancement, compensation, etc.

Where are you weakest when it comes to false impressions?

Do you acknowledge this to be a problem?

What are you going to do to fix it?

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There Is No Traffic Jam On The Second Mile!

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This post is based on material from Dave Anderson’s book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. It is the third post in a series of five in which we will address common character issues for leaders. The character issue we are addressing is going the second mile.

second mileOne of my favorite people in the whole world is Zig Ziglar! If you have ever met him or listened to him, it is likely that you feel the same! First of all, how can you not love his southern drawl?

But even without that, he just knows how to say things in a way that cuts to the heart of it all. The title of this post is a quote of Zig’s, “There is no traffic jam on the second mile!”

What Does The Bible Say?

To get a complete understanding of how this applies to us, let’s take a look at Scripture first. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed his listeners that just doing the minimum required was not enough to be His follower. He gave them several examples of this kind of behavior.

One of these examples referred to a Roman law that required a Jew to carry a Roman soldier’s heavy pack for the distance of a mile. Jesus told his listeners in Matthew 5:41 that they were to carry the pack for a second mile.

Why The Second Mile?

Now why would he ask this? Well the Bible does not specify, but we can infer a likely possibility. Imagine the thoughts of the Roman soldier as he walked alongside the Jew carrying his heavy pack. He and the Jew both know that the obligation is for one mile.

What do you think the soldier’s thoughts would be as he neared the one mile mark and then continued past? When the Jew continued to carry the pack beyond that, don’t you think the soldier would be curious? Do you think he might ask what was going on?

Open Door for Witness and Influence

It is at this point that I believe the Jew would have the opportunity to explain his reasons, starting with Jesus’ teaching and how it had changed his own life. I believe the Roman soldier would then be wide open to hearing more from the Jew simply because he was willing to go the second mile, beyond his obligation.

So how does this apply to leadership? I think it is very applicable! As Christian leaders, I believe it is our goal to gain influence and to use that influence to point others toward Jesus. In his book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK, Dave Anderson says the following…

Going the first mile fulfills an obligation. By going the second mile, you earn the right to witness and influence.

Unlike The Majority

If we truly want to influence others by operating a Christian business, then we simply cannot just fulfill our obligations. We cannot do only what is required or necessary. This is expected! Zig’s quote is so powerful because he is saying that the vast majority of people stop at the first mile and skip out on the second mile! We cannot afford to be like the majority.

If we are serious about pointing others to Jesus, then we must open the door to opportunities to speak into the lives of others. This second mile behavior will help us do just that! When we go beyond our obligation in whatever the circumstance, we will get the attention of others. People will ask “Why?” and give us the opportunity to tell them!

Dave Anderson’s Tips

Here are Dave Anderson’s tips on going the second mile:

  1. Accept the concept that each day you do less than you can, you become less than you are: personally, and in the eyes of others.

  2. Embrace the promise of Galatians 6:9 – “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

  3. Realize that you may be one phone call away, one discipline away, or one effort away from your next breakthrough. Make it your goal to be totally used up when you die, leaving this world with no regrets.

So what part of this idea speaks to you?

Do you have any examples of open doors from going the second mile?

What can you do today that would open a door with someone?

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How To Keep Your Commitments

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This post is based on material from Dave Anderson’s book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. It is the second post in a series of five in which we will address common character issues for leaders. The character issue we are addressing is how to keep your commitments.

keep your commitments

Casual Commitments

How often do you tell someone else that you will call them later? Do you? What about those you told you would pray for them and their family? Did you keep your commitments and actually set aside time to pray for them?

Many leaders take lightly the “casual” commitments such as promises to call or offers to pray. They make these commitments without actually planning to keep them. Their intent is not malicious or deceitful. Maybe they actually want to make good on the commitment at some point, but they really do not take it seriously. In fact, within minutes of making the commitment, they have often forgotten it completely!

Scandalous Behavior?

While this behavior is certainly not what any of us wants to confess to, it is not the stuff that scandals are made of, is it? I mean, how often do you hear this type of broken commitment broadcast on the evening news? How many times are you confronted for failing to keep your commitment when it was only said in passing? Everyone knows these are not promises sealed in blood, right?

So what is the big deal? Well, let’s go back to the Bible again. In fact, we will look at the same verse that we did in my last post on little white lies. Here is what it says in Luke 16:10…

Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

Slippery Slope

So there it is…the Biblical description of the infamous “slippery slope” with which we are all familiar! If we make casual choices to tell little white lies, then we will soon find ourselves telling bigger and bigger lies. If we choose to make quick commitments that we do not take seriously enough to fulfill, then we will eventually find ourselves failing to honor bigger commitments.

Folks, it always starts with the small stuff. Satan rarely comes at us with the huge temptation right off the bat. He slowly draws us toward them with the small temptations. Eventually, we will have slipped so far down the slope, there is no return.

Keep Your Commitments

As a leader in Christian businesses, you must keep your commitments. The problem with this truth is that it really only tells one part of what you need to do. You see, once they are made, the only option for you as a Christian leader is to keep your commitments.

The real question is how to avoid making those commitments that are painful to keep. Well, once again we can turn to the Bible for advice. Below are some tips from Dave Anderson’s How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. Check out the Scripture associated with each one.

  1. Count the cost (see Luke 14:2-30). Before committing to anything, make certain you can live with the worst-case scenario.
  2. Seek God’s wisdom before deciding (see Joshua 9:3-15, especially v.14). Check with trusted counselors who have nothing to gain or lose, either way, from your decision.
  3. Follow through (see Joshua 9:16-10:14, especially 9:19) . Do what you said you would do – regardless of the cost!

Joshua’s Commitment

This story of Joshua’s poor decision to make peace with the Gibeonites is the perfect illustration of the whole idea I am trying to convey. He failed to seek God in his decision. He failed to count the cost. As a result, he was deceived into a tough commitment.

But when Joshua realized what had happened, he stuck to his word. Not only did he not attack the Gibeonites when he found out about the deception, but he also went to their aid when they called upon him and the Israelites. This is true leadership!

Did you read the last part about God making the day stand still? If you will keep your commitments like Joshua did, I believe God will honor your behavior just like He did for Joshua.

What commitments are you guilty of taking casually?

What can you do to change that behavior?

Have you seen God act on your behalf when you have kept a tough commitment?

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But it was just a little white lie…

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This post is based on material from Dave Anderson’s book, How to Run Your Business by THE BOOK. It is the first post in a series of five in which we will address common character issues for leaders. Our first character issue is the little white lie.

white lie

Just A White Lie?

“But it was just a little white lie, right?”

How many times have you heard (or thought) this? I know we have all told someone they looked good when, in fact, they may not have. Maybe you told someone you liked their haircut or their new pair of shoes. You get the idea. I am not here to argue that point. I want to know if this behavior is okay in your business. Is it okay to tell white lies as a Christian in business?

Let’s try another line with which you may be more familiar…

“Who is it?…Just tell them that I am not here.”

If you have an assistant or receptionist, I am sure you have said something like this before. If not, congratulations! If so, can you justify saying something like this when you know it is not true? If your people see or hear you saying things like this, what effect do you think it has on their opinion of you? What effect does it have on their own behavior? If it is left unchecked, what behavior does it eventually lead to?

The white lie is so common in our world that most people do not even realize they are telling one. It can take many forms. Some of these may seem harmless (or even helpful) at the time. Some of them are a little more dangerous, but they are justified as being safer than telling the truth (at least at that moment!). Regardless of the rationalization, I think we need to take a long, hard look at this topic.

What Is The Expectation?

So what are we to do as Christian business owners and leaders? What is the expectation of us?

Well, as you probably guessed, I think we need to turn to the Bible for our answer. If we look at Ephesians 4:25, we will see the following verse:

Therefore, putting away all lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Obviously, I could point to many other verses that make it clear that we are not to lie, but to tell the truth. This is God’s expectation of us. It is not dependent upon circumstances or conditions. It does not apply only to some people, but to all who claim the name of Jesus.

Good Advice

In How To Run Your Business By The Book, Dave Anderson gives the following key advice:

  1. Tell the truth even when it is not easy, cheap, popular, or convenient.

  2. Tell the truth because it is right, it pleases God, it protects your personal integrity, and honors, rather than diminishes, everyone who hears what you say.

  3. Never, ever ask someone to sin for you by instructing them to lie on your behalf. This is an abuse of your power, position, relationship, and friendship and can destroy your witness as a Christian.

I will leave you with this verse from Luke 16:10…

Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

I encourage you to start watching what you say. Increase your awareness of your words and make sure you are not falling into this trap.

Have you been guilty of little white lies?

Do you see the danger in where they lead?

What is your plan to change this behavior?