The Wisdom of God vs. Conventional Wisdom
January 12, 2016The world is sure to churn out maxim after maxim, each designed to make you feel better about yourself and promote the world’s ‘method for madness,’ but it’s always very important to consider what the Bible says about you, me, and the world for that matter. Paul in Romans 12:2 instructs the Roman church to NOT be conformed to the world and its ways. James in James chapter 4 warns his audience that ‘friendship with the world is enmity with God.’ In other words, subscribing to the world’s way makes you hostile toward God.
King Solomon – Author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & sections of Pslams
The book of James describes two types of wisdom, one from above which is pure and full of good fruit and one from the world, yielding worldliness and anti-spirituality. The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, speaks of wisdom this way: “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”
Knowing and Understanding the Five Generations of American Workers
January 8, 2016The five living generations:
1. Traditionalists – 75 M – people born before 1946
2. Baby Boomers – 80 M – born between 1946- 1964
3. Gen-X’ers – 60 M – born between 1965- 1979
4. Millenials (Gen- Y’ers) – 82 M – born between – 1980-1985
5. Generation Z – 1996 – present
Traditionalists
The traditionalists are obviously the oldest segment of american society and one that was shaped by several major historical events/periods.
- The roaring 20’s
- Great Depression
- World War II
Traditionalists are generally marked by an unflinching work ethic, a sense of patriotism/nationalism, respect for authority and hierarchy, fiscal conservatism, and an allegiance to and a trust in institutions.
New Year’s Accountability
January 5, 2016OK, it’s that time of the year folks. New Year’s resolutions. Ugh. I totally get it on one level, but I’d like to trump that thinking with a different set of logic.
Resolutions have as much power as the UN General Assembly, or Congress it seems these days. Nada.
Here’s what I think and so does a guy who I really respect. Alan Weiss outlined these points in a recent “memo” and I’m giving him all the credit.
How about New Year’s Accountability? This is much more powerful if you follow the logic.
Book Review: Culture of Honor
December 22, 2015
“Culture of Honor” – Danny Silk
Sustaining A Supernatural Environment
As our first ever A+ score, Danny Silk’s ‘Culture of Honor’ has taken up the #1 spot on my all time personal book list (not including books of the Bible or Bruce Catton’s Civil War series). Bethel Church’s Family Life Pastor speaks with authority, experience and a surplus of testimony on the topic of cultivating and maintaining an environment fit to overflow with honor and upright identity.
Far and away the most powerful tool that Silk brandishes in laying out the ways and means of an honorable culture is the case of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, where he serves as a leader and pastor. Just as a seasoned entrepreneur could tutor and impart in business, so does Silk with the active testimony that he and his peers have, in fact, instituted an atmosphere of honor at Bethel. This is an essential book for ministry leaders and business leaders that are passionate about fostering a work environment that honors God and practically applies the Golden Rule with every meeting, presentation, email, or transaction.
Grade – A+
What’s in Your Top Box?
November 11, 2015It’s a question I heard recently from Bill Hybels at the 2015 Global Leadership Summit. Bob Buford was asked the same question from a high powered strategic planner he hired as he was considering how to move from success to significance in the second half of his life.
I’ve asked that question of myself more than once during my 35 year career as a business owner, employee and leader.
It’s a question that each one of us needs to ask ourselves. Whether in our business, our home, our ministry, or in any role where people look to us to bring a sense of purpose to our mission.
A simple parallel may be considered as you envision an old, deeply rooted tree. The root system represents our core values, beliefs and mission. Who we are and why we exist. The trunk, our operating principles. How we do things. The branches represent the culture or behaviors that exist in our organization. The fruit – The Results. Those results ultimately reflect back to the roots; our mission and the WHY behind doing what we do.
Besides coaching and consulting with CEO’s and business owners I’ve had the privilege of owning and leading a small business that provides our guests with some of the best food you can pack in a glass jar. Now in our 19th year in operation and located in the village of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, Intercourse Canning Company (ICC) offers a seemingly countless variety of canned edibles. You’ll find pickled vegetables, jams, jellies, relishes, salsas, sauces, fruits, dressings and more on our shelves. You name it. That’s the real “fruit” of the labor of many hard working folks and originating with our Creator. The ‘what’ and ‘how’ are obvious. The WHY? Not so much. You might say, “To feed people.” I say it’s more than that. It’s to care for those, while on vacation, who are looking for a place to enjoy themselves and disconnect from the pressures of life. Yes, they purchase a specially crafted and unique food but really it’s about the experience they have when they walk through our front doors. To graze on incredible samples of a variety of goodies; to see how canning was done the old fashioned way and learn how it all started. Our team members are charged with the mission to make the experience a special and memorable one. That’s the “Why.” To create a moment that they’ll talk about and enjoy for quite some time and when chowing down on the “fruit of our labor” they smile about the respite from life during their visit.
Humility – Part III
November 4, 2015Following up on one of the most integral characteristics of a person, let alone a leader in business, we’ve put together a third installment of our complete blog trilogy on HUMILITY. Herein is a comprehensive review of the attributes of the humble person, six things that we can all contend for and claim as our own with the Lord’s direction.
1. The humble don’t have all the answers
Learning that you surely are not the source of wisdom and understanding is a good stepping stone in practicing humility. To the person being trained in humility, ‘I don’t know’ becomes a phrase that you’re more comfortable brandishing. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t share or provide insight, especially in areas where you have authority or experience, but being slow to speak and quick to listen materializes more suitably with deference than it does with having an opinion. You might ask: defer to what? Defer to the person in the room or in your life that knows better, defer to the Bible, defer to a later time, after you’ve had a chance to pray, read, or consult. The idea behind being OK with saying ‘I don’t know,’ is that you are not the solution to the problem and you are not the truth, but an extension or disciple of the person of Jesus, who is the truth and ultimately the answer.