Tag Archives: leadership

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Must Do: Personal Goal Setting With Employees!

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This past Saturday morning, I participated in what is likely the most powerful meeting I have seen in my history with our company! I know those are strong words, but I can back them up. In fact, if you asked any of the other participants, they would confirm it for me. The purpose of this meeting was to allow everyone in our Sales Department to share their own personal goal setting results for 2012.

personal goal setting

Brief History

Before I go into detail about what made the meeting so powerful, I want to give you a brief history of what led to it. Back in October, as I have mentioned often in this blog, I attended the Catalyst Conference. I learned more during this conference than I have at any other I have attended.

personal goal settingToward the end of the conference, every attendee was given a cardboard cut-out of a “call-out” like you would see in a comic strip or cartoon (see picture at left). We were told to write on this cardboard call-out any commitment(s) we were making as a result of what we had heard during the conference. Then, at the end of the last session, we were all to hold up our call-out commitments for everyone to see.

Applied to Work

Because I thought this was a great idea, I brought a blank one back to work with me. We had duplicates made and gave one to every employee in the sales department. Everyone was told to come back a week later with their personal and professional goals written on the cards, ready to present them to the group. We gave examples of what they might write, but left it wide open.

All week, our sales managers worked with the salespeople in planning their performance goals for 2012. They also helped the salespeople think about their personal goals, asking questions to help prod them to think bigger. We encouraged them to “Get A Bigger Frying Pan!” as it related to their performance as well as how that could impact their lives outside of work.

Exceeded Expectations

I have to be honest, knowing that many of these people had never spent any time planning out their income, performance, or personal goals before, I was not expecting much. I was hoping for a few bright lights to make the exercise worthwhile. Even then, I was not convinced I would not be disappointed. My expectations were not reflective of the quality of the people, just their lack of experience with this kind of thinking.

As I alluded to at the beginning of this post, I was flat blown away. Folks, I simply cannot describe to you the power I saw in this exercise. This is one of those times where my vocabulary and lack of professional writing skills fails me (and you)! I just cannot do it justice.

Genuine Personal Goal Setting

What I witnessed was a group of 25-30 co-workers pour their hearts into sharing with the group what their real desires were for the new year. I saw souls bared and masks removed. I saw people looking to others for true acceptance and encouragement, seemingly without fear of rejection. I saw real, raw life goals come out in virtually every single presentation.

One young lady shared that she had been in a bad car accident over a year ago and only recently began driving again due to severe anxiety and fear. Her goal: to make enough money this year to buy a car for cash…not only for the purpose of having a car, but to overcome the fear and put it behind her.

Another young man has been unable to be involved at all in the life of his 5 yr old son until the past few months. His goal: to make enough money to be able to take that son on vacation for the first time ever.

One of the older salesmen has set a goal for increased income so he can better support a local family of 14. The unusual part is this: he is not related to them. He simply wants to give back out of his abundance.

Use This Idea!

personal goal settingI could go on and on, but I do not have the room here. Trust me that I witnessed the early signs of some lives changing in significant ways. I must encourage you in the strongest words possible to take this idea and implement it. It is simple and virtually free, but the effects can be monumental.

I cannot wait to report back on these goals next year!

Have you ever done personal goal setting like this with your employees?

What kind of results do you think you would get?

Why would you not try this idea?

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Goals: Get A Bigger Frying Pan!

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It is the first of the year and I hope you are thinking about what goals you want to accomplish in 2012. I hope you are making plans to do something new, make something better, or to stop doing something – maybe all of the above!

Goals

The Frying Pan

I want you to read this brief story and then answer the questions below.

    Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman; the other wasn’t.

    Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

    The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked.

    The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan.”

So what is the point of this story? How does this apply to the first of the year?

Well, I think there are a couple of points to be made.

Goals Too Small?

First, let’s assume your mindset is the frying pan. When opportunities or goals are put in front of you, do you throw them back or dismiss them because they are too big for your current mindset?

Is someone asking or expecting more of you than you have given before? Maybe you would like to go for it, but you are afraid because you have never done it before?

Faith Too Small?

Or, second, maybe your faith is like the frying pan. Maybe God is showing you a path that scares you because your faith is too small. Maybe you see what you should be doing differently, but you do not have the confidence that God will protect you and see you through it.

Whether it is a problem or possibility that you are facing in your work, personal, or spiritual life, I encourage you to get a bigger frying pan this year. Stretch your mindset and pray for stronger faith. Step out of your comfort zone and see what happens! You may just surprise yourself!

Are you comfortable with your 2012 goals or are they stretching you?

Are you ready to get a new frying pan in a specific area of your life?

What is holding you back? What are you going to do about that?

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Vision Leaks

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The material for the following post comes directly from the chapter titled “Vision Leaks” in the book by Bill Hybels called Axiom.

vision leaks

Tell Them Again?

I told my wife that I loved her on my wedding day. Do I need to keep telling her after that? I told my children when they turned 10 years old that I expect them to participate in the household chores. Should I have to tell them again? I am sure you have your own examples of similar situations. This is especially true in a Christian business. The bottom line is that vision leaks!

Vision Leaks

Imagine that everybody in your company has a bucket and you have poured your vision for them into that bucket. The bucket is now full of your vision. That should be enough, right? There should be no need for further filling. You should be able to move on to the next idea, right?

Wrong. You see, those buckets leak! They leak vision from small holes in the bottom. They lose vision from people running around and spilling your vision wherever they go. Whether you like it or not, that one-time filling of their bucket is not enough. For them to keep enough vision in their buckets to stay on track, you are going to have to constantly refill and top off their buckets.

You may think that is unfair. You may think that is someone else’s job. You may even find your own bucket leaking and cannot see how you can possibly have enough to spare. Regardless, the filling must go on if the vision is to continue.

Vision Opposition in a Christian Business

This is especially true in a Christian business. Unfortunately, the vision of a Christian business is in direct opposition to normal business vision. While traditional businesses look at the monthly, quarterly, or even annual picture, the Christian business considers the eternal picture. While traditional business considers the benefit of the stockholders, a Christian business considers the benefit of everyone with whom it comes into contact. When your vision is so opposed to the normal mindset, it is even more prone to leak.

Prevent Empty Buckets

So let’s take a look at some ways to prevent empty buckets.

1. Acknowledge that vision leaks. If you do not first acknowledge that leakage is a problem, then you will never go any further to correct it.

2. Accept responsibility. If you do not accept responsibility for the maintaining the vision buckets, then no one will. If you cast the vision, you must maintain it.

3. Assess the leakage. Take the time to ask your leaders about their current grasp of the vision. Ask people on the front lines about their focus. It will likely become very clear fairly quickly where the vision levels currently stand. Keep in mind, this is not a one-time thing. Due to continuous leakage, this is an ongoing responsibility.

4. Overcommunicate the vision. Use various methods to do this, but do it. Tailor your message to the audience you are addressing. You should use different language and examples when talking to your top leadership versus your entry level employees. At the same time, maintain high expectations for both. Here are some examples of some ways to communicate your vision.

  • Regular articles in the company newsletter
  • Monthly devotions to all employees with vision topics
  • Monthly lunch & learn meetings with Bible based videos
  • Targeted messages at company gatherings
  • Vision-based recognition awards

5. Recognize “Heroes” of the vision. Catch employees doing things that fit the vision and publicly praise them for it. Give them a small token gift or reward for their actions. Encourage others to follow their example!

6. Spread the vision DNA. This is especially more critical as your company grows beyond a handful of employees. As growth happens, you cannot be in enough places at once to maintain the vision on your own. You must appoint DNA carriers to help you spread it. These are people that are completely bought in to your vision and can teach it to others. Charge them with helping you keep the buckets full. However, keep in mind that DNA carriers still have leaky buckets as well!

7. Keep your own bucket full. While you are likely the person carrying the bucket with the fewest leaks, you cannot assume your bucket will always stay full. You must schedule time alone on a regular basis for the purpose of refilling your own bucket. From daily quiet times to quarterly retreats, there are various ways to accomplish this. Whatever your method, just make sure you do it!

How do you keep the vision buckets full in your company?

When is the last time you refilled your own bucket?

What action step should you take right now to strengthen your company’s vision?

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What Is Anti-Audience?

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anti-audience

When I hear or read a great quote, it usually sticks with me. I have a hard time letting go of it. I posted about just such a quote last month, “Go Make Yourself Useful!” Well, I have found another quote that has captured my thoughts. This quote about our “anti-audience” comes from a post called The Perverse Monstrosity of Our Beautiful Work by L.L. Barkat over at The High Calling blog community.

Criticism

In this post, Barkat described a letter she had received that criticized her writing. Evidently it was aggressively worded, because it elicited strong reactions from her friends when they read it. They encouraged her to ignore the letter. She was tempted to allow it into her heart.

Barkat went on to tell how several examples came to her mind of popular artists and performers that had received similar criticism. She realized that this was not an indication of bad work, but likely the opposite was true. Here is her quote that stole my attention…

Good work doesn’t just find audience; it also finds anti-audience.

I am sorry, but that is just powerful. Think about it…some of the best performers and/or performances are polarizing. In any given “audience,” regardless of the category of performance, there are always people that find some reason to complain about or oppose a good performance.

Human Nature?

I guess it is human nature. I am sure that someone with training in psychology could tell me why this is the case. Regardless of the reason, I know it is true. I have seen it when watching Tiger Woods or Tim Tebow. I am sure you could name your own examples.

What Is The Point?

So, we agree that this is true.

What is the point as it relates to a Christian business?

What should a Christian leader learn from this truth that would strengthen them in their effort to integrate their faith into their business?

Why do I think this quote is so important?

Expect Opposition

My first thought is that it is important for anyone planning to “perform” in front of any sort of public audience to be prepared for criticism. As Christian business owners and leaders, we certainly fit this category! While criticism is never easy to take, it is less painful when you are expecting it. Just as we are more likely to survive a storm when we make preparations, we can better handle rejection when we know it is coming.

Look at this quote from Dave Ramsey in his book EntreLeadership:

You can’t lead, market, and/ or run a company successfully without drawing fire from people who don’t understand. So as you win prepare to be misunderstood and lied about.

What Is “Good” Work?

As true as this is, I have an even bigger thought that is the main point of this whole post. To help me make this point, let’s take following quotes from Jesus. In the first quote, Jesus is referring to Himself and God. In the second, he is relating trees and their fruit to men and the things produced from their hearts. The Greek word translated “good” is the same in both quotes.

“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” He said to him. “There is only One who is good.” – Matthew 19:17

“A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart.” – Luke 6:45

In this context, reconsider the meaning of “good work” in L.L. Barkat’s quote…

Good work doesn’t just find audience; it also finds anti-audience.

When we look at Barkat’s quote from this perspective, it takes on a whole new meaning! Rather than thinking about the criticism drawn by good work in general, consider what it means to a Christian leader producing “good” out of the “good” storeroom of his heart.

Anti-Audience

Does it make sense to you that our “good” work as disciples of Jesus will find an anti-audience? Do you expect it or are you surprised when it happens? Do you prepare for it and deflect it, or are you tempted, as Barkat was, to give it permission to enter your heart and deter you?

Just in case you need some reinforcement, let’s take a look at more of Jesus’ words.

In this world you will have trouble. – John 16:33

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. – John 15:19

There Is An Enemy

Folks, there is an enemy that hates you because of your family name. You are not of this world and therefore the world is going to hate you. This “hate” may not show itself to you on a daily basis, but I submit that it will show itself to you with a frequency that is directly proportionate to the impact you are having on people for eternity!

See, I believe “good” work finds an anti-audience. I believe that the more we do in the name of Jesus, the more resistance we will meet from the world. I believe that you know exactly what I am talking about if you have tried to run your business based on your Christian faith.

Anti-Audience Is Unavoidable

I do not believe this anti-audience is avoidable or I think Jesus would have said, “In this world you might have trouble.” In fact, if you are not experiencing what I am describing, then I would encourage you to look for hard evidence of your faith. I am NOT saying you do not have it. I am simply asking you to do a deep dive and look for any evidence someone could use against you in court if they were accusing you of being a disciple of Jesus.

If you HAVE experienced what I am describing, then I have good news for you! I left out some of Jesus’ words in one of the verses above! Let’s look again at the full quote…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Good And Faithful Servant

Despite the trouble we are told we are to face, we are also promised peace! We get this peace because Jesus has overcome the very world that is against us! This is great news! It is news that should drive us to do the “good work” that we know we are designed to do. We should do this good work without fear of ultimate loss. If we will do this work, we will hear the words that we should long to hear – including that same Greek word for “good”…

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” – Matthew 25:21, 23

Has your work found anti-audience?

Do you need to step up your good work?

Do you find encouragement in Jesus’ words regarding the anti-audience?

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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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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?

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How Do You Become A Ministry Superstar?

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Average is all around us. If you don’t believe me, just take a look around and see what you find. It is simply uncommon to see a superstar, someone performing at levels that most people think are beyond their own reach. Whether you are looking at sports teams, businesses, schools, or churches, average is just too common. So what does it take to break from average and become a ministry superstar?

ministry superstar

In my last post, I talked about how our desire to be an impact player is often not matched up with our preparation. So many people want to be great, but are not willing to pay the price. Others may be willing, but not sure what to do.

I will not even attempt to tell you everything you could do to prepare for greatness. I will instead share three simple, common traits most often found in those people who have shown greater consistent impact in ministry. Buck Jacobs, founder of the C12 Group, calls these people “ministry superstars.” These three traits come from his observations during his decades of experience working with Christian business leaders.

A God-focused Mission Statement

The first trait of Buck’s ministry superstars is that they have a God-focused mission statement. Regardless of the size of the organization, those with a mission statement that honors God have greater ministry impact. The same is true for businesses or individual leaders. As I described in a previous post, mission statements capture the organization’s purpose or fundamental reason for existing. A God honoring mission statement sets the path toward greater ministry impact.

They Lead!

The second characteristic of ministry superstars is that they lead! Ministry superstars recognize that ministry does not just happen. They know they cannot sit around and wait on ministry opportunities to come to them. They are intentional with their time, talents, and treasure. They know what they are to be doing and they do it. They also enlist others in the effort. These ministry superstars draw others to them because of their focus.

Intimate Daily Quiet Time With God

The final trait of Buck’s ministry superstars is that they have an intimate daily quiet time with God. This is not a quick verse-of-the-day calendar and prayer-headed-out-the-door type of quiet time. This is not a once or twice a week devotional reading when the mood strikes.

No, the ones who consistently make the greatest impact in ministry are those who spend consistent quality time with their Creator. God is personal and wants a personal relationship with each of us. He has given us His Word and told us to hide it in our hearts. Jesus lived as our model in this as he did nothing other than what He heard from the Father. He could only do this if He spent regular time in prayer. We are to do the same.

While this is certainly not the only way to spend quiet time with God every day, Buck offers the following structure as an option.

    1. 30 minutes reading the Bible (always include a Gospel chapter)
    2. 15 minutes reading marketplace ministry materials
    3. 15 minutes in prayer
    4. 15 minutes to journal

Ministry Superstar?

If these three traits are supposed to be indicators of ministry superstar potential, do they match up with Scripture? I would consider the Greatest Commandments and the Great Commission to be our Scriptural benchmarks. When I compare Buck’s three traits to these mandates, I think they fit. As we said earlier, this is certainly not an exhaustive list of traits. At the same time, I believe we would do well to start here and make continuous progress.

What does your quiet time look like?

Do you lead or do you wait for ministry to happen?

Is your mission statement God-focused?

What do you need to change today?

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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?