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Posted: 9:20 pm on November 02, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
Change Management: Shepherding the Transformation
Note: I’m developing this blog mini-series from material in chapter five of my book Equipping Counselors for Your Church.
An Exercise in Change
When I teach and consult on change management, I start with a change exercise. I ask participants to stand and face each other in pairs of two, observing each other’s appearance. Then I instruct them to turn back to back and make five changes to their appearance. Typically, they roll up a sleeve, take off their glasses, loosen a tie, remove an
Read full posttags: biblical counseling, pastoral ministry, conflict resolution, change management
Posted: 9:34 am on October 14, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
Putting Appreciation to Work
It was common for our parents and grandparents to marry once, put down roots, and follow one or two jobs until retirement, but Americans in the new millennium seem to be taking a revolving-door approach to commitments: just in case it doesn’t work out, the door is left open.
The turnover rates are confirmed by statistics as half of marriage commitments end in divorce, one third of volunteers do not return after their first year of service, and Americans hop from job to job with an average
Read full posttags: relationships, communication, workplace, commitment, appreciation
Posted: 4:00 pm on August 29, 2011 3 Comments
Pray for Your Pastor
I have sat on Pastoral Search Committees and now as a pastor I am not sure I would have chosen me! But imagine hearing about this pastoral candidate. This pastor had very serious health concerns. He has had chronic health problems for many years. He also has been in prison several times. From a background check we discovered that he was even involved in a few riots and was thrown out of a few cities he tried to preach in during revivals. And he also had the experience of being one of
Read full posttags: pastors, careers, burnout
Posted: 8:03 am on August 23, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
Finding Your Value
Last week, my older daughter exclaimed, “Well you don’t have a job!” This comment followed her request of when she could get a tattoo, to which I replied, “When you are out of college and have your own job.” Let’s just say she got an explanation of what my “job” is and took a few steps back in her rush to grow up.
But her comment got me thinking. When I left my corporate job to stay at home, it took me a long time to wrap my head around what my worth to the universe was now that I
Read full posttags: busyness, contentment, relationship
Posted: 4:00 pm on May 03, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
The Secret to Promotion
James knew he was blessed when he finally got a job offer in his field of study. Feeling that God had called him to his position; he loved everything from the people to the cafeteria food. But there was a certain task that was a thorn in his side. Whenever faced with having to complete it, he became frustrated and would rush to get it done. After three years at his job, Jim was ready to move his way up the corporate ladder, and expected to have already been promoted. But, after applying for
Read full posttags: careers, work, job, promotion
Posted: 8:50 am on April 01, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
10 Steps to Make Godly Decisions
This process can be applied to any situation where you need to make an important decision. If you follow these ten basic steps, you will find yourself making wiser decisions in your professional as well as your personal life. Just remember, Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD. When a person slogs through life being blown by every wind, it is sadly a lack of asking for godly wisdom.
- Define, as specifically as possible, what the decision is
tags: decisions, decision making
Posted: 7:59 am on March 23, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
What Happened to Common Courtesy?
It doesn’t matter how much a customer is spending. That customer could refer a huge job or one hundred little jobs at a later date, or even grow to a big conglomerate and into a $1 million customer. We never know what the future holds, but I’ll tell you one thing, when a company employee is rude, I do not want to do business with that company again. Do you?
Telling a customer you don’t handle the small stuff, or telling them you’re not going to waste your time doing something if the
Read full posttags: business, customer service
Posted: 7:52 am on March 11, 2011 2 Comments
Procrastination is the Thief of Time
I kept putting off writing this last week because I thought I had just too much on my plate to take time for it. I thought other things were more important.
I am quite sure there are things on your desk that you’ve pushed to the side because other things seem more important. Maybe that spreadsheet that you’ve got on your computer with all the presidential candidates needed filling in, or that cute cartoon about Maxine, you simply must read to the very end.
Take a look at my Desk Lasagna.
tags: busyness, organization, procrastination
Posted: 3:51 pm on February 10, 2011 1 Comment
Why Do Your Customers Buy From You?
Understanding why people buy is the key to making sure they buy from you. Brian Tracy considers in his book Advanced Selling Strategies the Duality Law. "There are always two reasons people buy: the reason that sounds good and the real reason. The sounds good reason is the logical, bottom-line reason. The Real reason is psychological, that is emotional." Your customer must have both to buy.
Anticipate the benefits of your product which is how your product makes life better for your
Read full posttags: business, customer service, sales
Posted: 1:39 pm on January 25, 2011 Be the first to comment on this post
Don’t Defend Yourself, Leave It To God
One of our natural responses when we have been treated unfairly or accused wrongly is to defend ourselves. I remember one time hearing a teaching about this and being told that many times in an attempt to defend ourselves we can actually make the situation worse.
I didn’t see how that was possible. I mean, it only made sense to me that you right a wrong. Who else is going to look out for you? Well sure, there is God and everything but He isn’t here in the flesh able to re-establish your
Read full posttags: workplace, integrity, revenge, accusations
Posted: 11:17 pm on November 21, 2010 Be the first to comment on this post
Christianity—A Positive Force For The World
How does the Christian affect the world? What does being salt and light mean? What are God’s requirements of every Christian in the world as far as being an employee? Actually, the world would be a better place, and so would business. If Romans 12 is the model of how Christians ought to relate to one another, then Romans 13 is how Christians ought to relate to their employers and employees.
Submitting to Government
Paul is clear about what God’s expectations are for believers in
tags: government, light, submission, authority, salt
Posted: 10:42 am on October 10, 2010 Be the first to comment on this post
How To Lead Meetings That People Want To Attend
Meetings. Just the mention of the word causes most of us to cringe.
Is there any way to lead a meeting that makes people cheer instead of boo?
Try the “REST” principle of meetings. In church and para-church settings I’ve always lead meetings with the following focus.
R: Relationship Building
Start every meeting with a time of relationship building. We always start first with a time of building our relationship with Christ—some aspect of group worship.
We next used various
Read full posttags: discipleship, church leadership, meetings
Posted: 7:00 pm on September 16, 2010 Be the first to comment on this post
7 Ways To Fish for the Older, Wiser, Better Employee
Being ancient in the over 50 age bracket does not mean it is time to search for good pasture. Unlike this rusted cannon that "guards" the Alabama coastline, the over 50 worker still works and swivels and can still aim in several directions accurately.
Employers often think that younger means more energy and better education, but statistics are proving that the younger generations do not have the wisdom and people-training that the older generations possess. There are numerous other
tags: jobs, unemployment, employer advice, older employee advantages, older employees
Posted: 2:22 pm on September 03, 2010 1 Comment
Labor Day, Unemployment And Prayer
With Labor Day coming up Monday, taking stock of your career is natural.
For the millions of Americans who are still unemployed as the economic recovery slogs along as indicated by August’s unemployment data released today, prayers for comfort are called for. I, and perhaps you, know people who have been unemployed or found only occasional part-time work for more than year. The frustration is evident.
Those of us who are blessed to be able to do meaningful work and help provide for
Read full posttags: prayer, unemployment, jobs, Labor Day, job satisfaction
Posted: 1:01 pm on August 23, 2010 1 Comment
Common Courtesy…What?
It doesn’t matter how much a customer is spending. That customer could refer a huge job or 100 little jobs at a later date, or even grow to a big conglomerate and into a $1 million customer. We never know what the future holds, but I’ll tell you one thing, when someone in a company is rude to me, I do not want to do business with them again. Do you?
Telling a customer you don’t handle the small stuff, or telling them you’re not going to waste your time doing something if the customer isn’t
Read full posttags: entrepreneurs, customer service, courtesy, customers, word of mouth advertising
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