Tag Archives: faith and work

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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 Measure Spiritual Value Added

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spiritual valueAs owners or leaders in Christian businesses, we should be looking at our businesses from an eternal perspective. Profitability is a must and team development is critical to our success, but the impact we have on eternity (spiritual value) should be our primary concern. Quite simply, nothing else will last.

Spiritual Value Added

When all is said and done and we stand in judgment, nothing material from this world will count. Only what we have done that survives the fire will matter. While there are no metrics that fully capture this eternal impact we desire, I believe we must do the best we can to track our efforts in this area. Let’s look at Spiritual Value Added (SVA) from C12’s Tri-Value model.

As the final component of the Tri-Value Model from the C12 Group, SVA consists of three elements (a.k.a. “The Three S’s”)”

    1. Salvation – those coming to know Jesus for the first time
    2. Sanctification – helping believers to grow or be strengthened in their faith
    3. Service – giving money or service to those in need, especially the “least among us”

Each of these elements requires different actions from us. Each has different results that we can expect. If we are serious about evaluating our performance from an eternal perspective, then we need to measure both our actions and the results they produce. We need to do this for each of The Three S’s!

Salvation

Let’s first look at Salvation. The first thing we must realize about this element is that we cannot make it happen! Nothing we can do will save anyone…that is the job of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we certainly can make sure that we are spreading the Word – teaching people about the gospel message. Here are a couple of examples of when this could happen:

    1. Chaplain is given permission by employee to share the reason for his faith
    2. Gospel-centered devotion is shared with all employees
    3. Gospel is shared at company-sponsored Boy’s & Girls Club Christmas party
    4. New Testament given as gift after a transaction with a customer

Rate you and your team are doing in this area on a 1-10 scale compared to your potential. You will also want to have a system to gather the results – those who actually turned their lives over to Jesus. This is probably the most difficult to track because you may never find out about some decisions. Other times you may have just planted the seed and someone else will be there to see it harvested. Regardless, start counting those you are aware of and see what happens.

Sanctification

The next “S” is Sanctification. The activities in this area can range from Bible studies or classes offered to employees, customers, or anyone you choose. Any work done to teach, strengthen, or support believers in their walk with Christ should be counted here. Some examples include:

    1. Lunch-and-Learn video series offered to employees, customers, vendors
    2. Small group studies held at lunch or before/after work
    3. Classes offered to employees and their families on financial or marriage issues

Again, rate you and your team on a 1-10 scale compared to your potential. For the results in this area, you want to count how many people participated.

Service

The final “S” is Service. There are many ways you and your team can give to those in need. Get creative and include as many employees as possible. While it may be easier to just write a check at the end of the year and be done with it, you will miss incredible blessings if you do. here are some examples:

    1. Sponsor a Thanksgiving meal at a local shelter & enlist employees to volunteer
    2. Sponsor a team of employees in a local event like the March of Dimes walk-a-thon
    3. Sponsor a kids organization with Christmas toys & let employees do the shopping!

Rate yourselves on a 1-10 scale the same as before, comparing your actions with your potential. The results here are fairly easy to track. Whether you count the money given in dollars or percent of net profit, either works. I would also count the number of man-hours your employees log.

So there it is – Spiritual Value Added – the final component of the Tri-Value model series. Get started evaluating your performance and let me know how you are doing. If you are at all disappointed at your current performance, remember this is not a sprint! Just decide to make a change for the better and get on your horse and ride!

Looking back over all three assessments (TVA, EVA, SVA), where are you the weakest?

What will it take for you to see improvement when you do this assessment again next year?

What is your first step?

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How To Measure Economic Performance With Added Value

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With all of the metrics available to a business owner or leader today, how are you supposed to know which ones are the most important? Which are the best indicators of your economic performance as the leader of your business? I do not believe you can completely boil all possibilities down to one measurement that tells the whole story. At the same time, by measuring the economic added value to your business from year to year, I think you can get most of the picture.

added value

Added Value

This is the third post in a series on the C12 Group‘s Tri-Value model for measuring the performance of the leadership in a business. In the first post, I did an overview of the Tri-Value model and its purpose. In the second post, we looked at Team Value Added component of the model. Here, in the third post, we will focus on Economic Value Added (EVA) component.

Simply put, EVA measures whether the business’ value is being sufficiently increased or spent by the leadership responsible. Let’s start by taking a look at the formula itself:

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Operating Profit – Taxes – Cost of Capital Employed = EVA

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Breaking It Down

Operating Profit is easy to define: Gross Sales – (Cost of Goods Sold + Selling, General & Administrative Costs). Taxes are also easy to understand and quantify. It is the true Cost of Capital that causes a little more confusion.

The first response is usually to consider the cost of capital as what is paid to borrow it. This is not necessarily incorrect, but it only tells a small part of the story. We really need to dig a little deeper to get the rest of the story.

This description from the C12 material says it better than I can:

The total of all the invested capital tied up in the business (i.e. real estate, equipment, inventory, working capital, assets of all kinds) should be producing a return equal to or greater than the same amount if used to purchase another investment of equal risk.

While it is not critical that we go into too much detail about the risk, it is generally agreed that a conservative risk return is 10% for most businesses. I would argue that it should be higher, but you really need to settle on a number that is comfortable for you.

The Risk

Quite simply, if you sold the business and everything you have invested in it, how much cash would you have? If you invested that cash, over a long period of time in a similar-risk investment, what return would you expect to receive? Go with that number here. Why would you accept less? (There are arguments here, but we will save those for later!)

Taking that number (we will use 10%), along with the total market value of your business, you should be able to finish the equation. To make it easier to follow, I will use sample numbers assuming the following:

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(Market Value = $500,000) X (Return = 10%) = Cost of Capital $50,000

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added value

Now, in this example, the leadership produced $20,000 in added value. If Operating Profit had been less than $80,000 for the year, then they would have actually spent value, rather than adding it.

Of course, this is not the ultimate measurement. C12 still recommends benchmarking the performance of your business against comparable businesses in your industry. You also need to know your own critical metrics for your business – those numbers that drive the health and performance of the company.

How did your business do in this exercise?

Are you showing added value or spent value?

If you are spending value, what needs to change?

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How To Measure Team Performance with Added Value

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In my last post, I gave you a brief overview of the C12 Group’s model for measuring the performance of a company’s leadership. As business owners and leaders, we need to make sure we are building added value in our organization. As Christian business owners and leaders, we need to make sure we are doing this from an eternal perspective. Used as a part of our own annual assessment of our performance, the C12 Tri-Value model helps us to do this.

team performance

The Tri-Value component we will tackle in this post is Team Value Added (TVA). TVA is concerned with our team performance as a whole as well as how each individual member of our team operates within our business. Now, how you define “team” here is up to you. For me, with 100 employees, 18 managers, and 4 members of my Leadership Team (Inner Circle), I choose to evaluate the Leadership Team.

For you, the “team” may be your entire company. It may just be your management team or the department you supervise. Regardless, I would try not to pick a group that is too big. While there is not a recommended number in the C12 material, I would suggest you stick with a max of seven or eight. If you go any larger than that, the individual evaluations become difficult.

Team Dimension

To start, let’s look at the team dimension of TVA. In looking at our team as a whole, we want to look at the synergy of the team. Below are some questions we want to answer from year to year (or a frequency of your choice) on a scale from 1-10, watching the trends to see if the team value is increasing or decreasing….

    1. Is your team positive, supportive, and complimentary to each other?
    2. Are they setting and meeting ‘stretch’ targets that require teamwork?
    3. Are they innovating and pushing the envelope?
    4. Are they developing their replacements?
    5. Are they participating in the ministry dimension more fully?
    6. Are they thankful or becoming complacent?
    7. How is their attendance and work ethic?
    8. Is loyalty high and turnover low?

Individual Dimension

Next, we want to look at our team as individuals. Consider your individual team members and answer the following question for each of them, also on a scale from 1-10. If more valuable, note what they did to achieve that, using the choices listed below.

    Is this person more or less valuable to the business this year?
    A. Taking training
    B. Skill development
    C. Extra work or effort to ministry goals
    D. New innovations
    E. More dependable or loyal
    F. More input
    G. Attitude improvement
    H. Other

Now that you have evaluated their added value, now it is time to rate your role in that added value. Answer the following “How” question for each individual on your team, on a scale of 1-10. Then answer the “What” portion of the question with the choices listed below.

    How and what have I done to facilitate their added value this year?
    A. Personal encouragement
    B. Modeling / mentoring
    C. Recognition
    D. Rewards
    E. Training
    F. Other

Finally, we will take a look at how your individual team members are doing at developing their own team members or direct reports. Using the same scale from 1-10, score each individual member of your team on the following question. Again, note the “How” using the choices below.

    Is my staff adding value by developing their direct reports?
    A. Personal encouragement
    B. Modeling / mentoring
    C. Recognition
    D. Rewards
    E. Training
    F. Other

That is all there is to the actual evaluation of your Team Value Added. Obviously, the next step in this process is to take your scores and look for the opportunities to improve. Congratulate yourself and your team on your areas of strength and continue to work hard there. At the same time, take the steps necessary to bring your lower scores up over the next year. With intentional planning, you should be able to see significant progress!

[box]Email me HERE for a sample TVA Assessment document.[/box]

How did you and your team do?

What were your strengths? Your weaknesses?

What is the next step you need to take to improve?

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Added Value: A Good Measure Of Your Performance?

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As the owner or leader in your business, one of your main functions is to create added value in the organization. How do you measure your performance in this area?

If you are in corporate America, there are a number of metrics that analysts use to gauge your performance. If you are in a small business or non-profit organization, these metrics are likely different. Being a Christian business owner or leader adds a twist to this issue.

added value

Perspective

Adding value to your business can be defined differently, depending on your perspective. We are going to look at this method from the perspective of a Christian business owner or leader.

The C12 Group has a model for measuring this added value in the Christian business. However, the main difference between the C12 model and almost all other models is the perspective. While most businesses measure success or performance on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, the C12 model is very different.

Tri-Value Model

In stark contrast to most other business added value models, C12’s Tri-Value model considers the eternal perspective. Rather than judging a business’ leadership based on short-term performance only, this model takes a more balanced approach. The Tri-Value model is certainly not the final word on measuring performance. Instead, it is designed as a tool to keep us focused on the truly important areas of our jobs as well as to facilitate accountability in those areas.

In this post, I will give you a brief overview of this model. In the following three posts, we will look at each of the three components in more detail.

added value

Overview

The first component of the Tri-Value model is Team Value Added (TVA). This measurement deals with how well we are creating added value within the team of people that work in our company. There are two main categories in TVA. The first looks at how well the team is operating as a whole. The second category considers the development of the individuals on the team.

The second component is Economic Value Added (EVA). EVA measures whether the business is worth more in solid equity from year to year. It is a simple formula that helps us determine if we are adding to our company’s value or spending it.

Finally, the third component of the Tri-Value model is Spiritual Value Added (SVA). If we are truly looking at our company from an eternal perspective, and I cannot think of a single good reason why we would not, then this is our most important measurement. SVA attempts to measure the eternal fruit our company is producing.

Disclaimer

Please do not think that I am saying that all performance can be measured with numbers. Nor can we quantify all spiritual aspects of ministry in business. That is simply not possible. There are some aspects of business success that are impossible to put into a formula. Certainly, the Holy Spirit works in ways we cannot even understand, much less measure!

Instead, this type of model is intended to be a tool to elicit discussion and create conversation around our performance as it compares to our vision. The Tri-Value model should be used as a part of an ongoing planning and assessment process in your leadership of the business. If so, it can provide clear accountability for your leadership while helping you to remain true to your eternal vision.

Make sure to follow along all week as we break this model down into its components and look at how to use it!

What tools are you currently using to measure your performance in your business?

Do you feel these tools are effective at gauging your performance from the eternal perspective?

What benefits do you see in the Tri-Value model?

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Take Action (Now)!

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take actionDid you read my post from Wednesday, Taking Action: Owner’s Manual for Life?

If not, why not?
Stop right now and go read it.

I will be right here waiting on you. Go ahead…I mean it!

Observations

Okay, now that you have read my post on Taking Action, I bet you have some observations. You probably do. In fact, I am almost sure that everyone reading this right now has some questions or comments about Wednesday’s post. Some of you are wondering which Bible translation we are using. Some of you think the cover was a little on the cheesy side. Others are probably doing the math on $1.50 a piece for roughly 2,500 books.

Regardless of your thoughts, I want you to put them on hold for a moment. In case you missed the following weaknesses in my post, I want to point out a few more for you!

My Observations

First, did you notice that I said we were still working on the details of the process for all of the people that will be involved in making this happen? Did you happen to see that I am not yet sure of the text on the stickers that will go on the inside cover? Finally, did it register with you that I did not go into much detail about how we would answer the phone calls? I also left out how we would track any responses to somehow gauge our results.

So, why am I pointing this out? What is my point?

Plan or Take Action?

Seth Godin talks about how we should “ship” a product before it is perfect or before we know absolutely that it will succeed. According to Godin, what usually keeps us from doing this is resistance. Whether this resistance is a fear of failure, criticism, or rejection, or maybe an overactive need for perfection, we too often give in to it and fail to take action!

Sometimes planning can delay our decision to take action. I am NOT saying that we should not plan. We should! I did a whole series on Strategic Ministry Planning. However, in certain situations, it may make the most sense just to pull the trigger and go into action.

Catalyst for Action

In an effort to blow through this barrier in our business, I posted Wednesday about our “decision” to move forward with the Owner’s Manuals For Life idea. What you don’t know is that my post was so vague in the details I mentioned above because none of those details had been determined! Our team had agreed to the idea, but had not taken any real action. I used that post as a catalyst to move us forward to take action!

I called my brother (and partner in the business) this afternoon to find out when we could have the first shipment of New Testaments. He responded, “Well, according to your post Wednesday, I guess I should already have them!” We laughed, but then took the next three minutes to determine our next steps to move this project forward. No meeting necessary. We simply decided how to take action!

I believe our first New Testaments will begin leaving out of here in gloveboxes in the next ten days (depending on shipping)! I will keep you posted!

Where do you need to take action?

What resistance are you allowing to slow you down?

When are you going to decide enough is enough?

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Taking Action: Owner’s Manual For Life!

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In my post on Action Plans in the series on Strategic Ministry Planning, I mentioned one piece of advice. That advice was to make sure there was at least one action step you could take starting the next day! Rather than focusing all of your attention on planning, I recommended taking action! I also told you in my last post (Are You Living The Story?) that I was committing to living the story more, rather than just telling it!

taking action

Taking Action

Well, in an effort to live out what I am blogging about, our team has made the decision to start taking action and move forward on an idea that has been lingering around here for quite a while. While this idea will not change the world, it may change just one life…and that’s enough, isn’t it?

If you remember, in my post on the Brainstorm Session in Strategic Ministry Planning I mentioned how the Buck Knives Company inserts a simple message from Al Buck in the box with every knife they sell. This message talks about how their company views God as their Senior Partner and encourages the reader to seek God for themselves. I think this is a great idea!

As an automobile dealership group, we retail and wholesale roughly 2,000 – 2,600 new and used vehicles every year. As our team looked for ministry opportunities (similar to that of Buck Knives) that would leverage this volume, we came across one idea that is very simple and cost effective.

Owner’s Manual For Life

Beginning now, we are going to start placing a copy of the New Testament in the glovebox of every vehicle we retail or wholesale. The unique thing about this New Testament is the cover (shown below). As you can see, each one is titled, “Owner’s Manual For Life.” That is perfect for a glovebox, right?

taking actionWe are still working on documenting the process for every employee involved, but I know this much: Each one will have a sticker inside the cover with a message from me to the reader, stating that I believe this book to be the most important book they will ever encounter. I will have a couple of phone numbers for them to call if they want help understanding what they are reading. These numbers will ring straight to my office phone or our corporate chaplain.

Sowing Seeds

These New Testaments will go to all of our retail customers. They will also go to other dealers who trade new cars with us for the purpose of meeting a customers request for color or equipment change. In addition, we will include a copy in the glovebox of every used vehicle we wholesale to another dealer for sale on their lot. The eventual audience will be widely varied and God only knows when and how the books will actually be found! It is our responsibility to sow the seeds.

We do not plan to review the presence of this book with the customers or the dealers. The New Testament will simply be placed in every vehicle during the prep process prior to going on the lot. The cost of these New Testaments is only $1.50 a piece! I think this is a phenomenal opportunity to literally spread God’s Word!

What do you think?

Is there a similar action you can commit to take today?

What are you waiting for?

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Three Steps To Develop Your Inner Circle – Part 3

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inner circleThis is the fifth post in a series on developing your own inner circle of leadership in your business. We are on step three of Dave Anderson’s three-step process from his book, How to Run Your Business by The Book. The first steps in developing your inner circle dealt with choosing, investing, and empowering them. In this post, we will discuss holding them accountable for results.

Higher Expectations

While it is common business sense to hold individuals accountable for results on a day-to-day, project-by-project basis, this concept goes even further with your inner circle. If you, as the business owner or leader, are going to carefully select, invest in, and empower a few of the higher-potential members of your team, then you are certainly going to expect a higher degree of “fruit-bearing” from them.

Jesus’ Example

Your goal should be multiplication of impact through your inner circle, just as it was Jesus’ goal with His disciples. Jesus did not expect His disciples to just go around winning people one at a time. He taught them to multiply themselves. That is why they delegated the feeding of the widows to the deacons in Acts 6:1-7.

This idea is also illustrated in the story of Jesus’ encounter with the fig tree in Matthew 21:18. Most people notice that it says Jesus was hungry and was therefore upset at the fig tree with no fruit to eat. But have you ever thought of the other God-given purpose of the fig’s fruit? The fruit of the tree is where the seeds are – its God-given system of multiplication! Could it be that Jesus was more upset about this than His hunger? What are the possible parallels here?

The fig tree was accountable to Jesus for fruit. As a result of its lack of fruit, Jesus cursed the tree and it died.

The lesson of the vine (John 15:1-8) is another example of Jesus holding us accountable for our fruit when He said the branches not producing fruit would be thrown in the fire. While I do not recommend this exact punishment to be inflicted on members of your inner circle, it certainly shows us a clear example of accountability!

Your Inner Circle

So how do we apply this to your inner circle? I think there are several things to consider in holding your inner circle accountable.

    1. Where did they start? If you began with really green members of your inner circle then your expectations are going to be different than if you started with tenured and experienced leaders. You need to refer back to Part 1 of this series when I told you to look at where your group is right now and determine the gap.
    2. The key is progress. Regardless of where you started with your group, are they making progress? Are they growing as a result of the development efforts you are making? Look at them both as a group and as individuals. Are they moving forward together? Is any one individual holding up the progress of the group?
    3. Address shortfalls. If there are shortfalls in their progress – either as a group or as individuals – you must address it. Find out what obstacles are in their way and remove them. Help them see the gap between your expectations and where they are. Then help them close that gap.
    4. Cut the fruitless branches. In the event you chose poorly or if outside influences have taken one of the members of your inner circle off course, you are to try to correct that. But if your efforts to do this have been ineffective and the gap remains, then you must act. It is better for you, the team, and the company as a whole, to cut this member from your inner circle than to continue trying in vain to bring them along. While this is certainly a decision that requires prayer and a lot of thought, it must be made.

Are you holding your inner circle accountable?

If so, are you pleased with their progress (and yours)?

If not, what are you missing? What do you need to do next?