Blog Posts – Page 4 – Bible and Business

Trust in Proverbs

Trust is a curious thing. At its core, it is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something else. It is predictive in nature – you can know the future because you trust the outcome from that person, process or event. Trust takes years to develop and a few seconds to destroy. Trust reveals the quality of the relationship between you...

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November 7, 2020Theology and BusinessTrust

Christian Stewardship

Comparing the Value of Faith and Money

I was reading through First Peter 1 the other morning and was again struck by how our faith is worth more than precious gold: In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though...

November 1, 2020Christian StewardshipFaith, Money, Values

Executive Insights

Top Ten Things Owners Do to Demoralize Their Employees

Drawn from my experience of working with business owners in my consulting work at the Platinum Group, I've developed the top ten things that business owners do that drives their staff crazy and eventually, drives them out of their business. #10: You're a moving target You'll tell your staff to focus on task A this week and then blow your stack that they didn't focus on task...

November 1, 2020Executive InsightsLeadership

Christian Stewardship

Seven Things Christian Stewards Do

#7: Always “On” Stewards are always “on stage”. They faithfully represent the owner’s interests. Stewards learn about and further the relationships of their Master as it relates to the entrustment. Stewards behavior, language, attitude, methods of interaction – all reflect character and persona of their Master. #6: Make Difficult Decisions Stewards make difficult decisions on behalf of the owner which are in alignment with the owner’s beliefs,...

November 1, 2020Christian StewardshipStewardship

Family Business

Why Succession Planning is a Multi-Year Process

Succession Planning. That seems to be the #1 issue people talk about when it comes to family businesses. And just about every consulting, accounting, legal and financial group claims to do it and do it well. Talk to family business owners over 55 and they'll tell you that "succession" is probably their highest concern and, at the same time, their most confusing concern. Those who are on...

November 1, 2020Family BusinessSuccession Planning

Theology and Business

Elements of a Church Ministry to Grow New Stewards Who Own Businesses

I’ll offer several ideas here on what a local church ministry would do in order to be intentional about growing new stewards who own for-profit businesses. First, you’ll need the support of your pastors and elders. Most ministries in local churches need this support. They will become your first group of stakeholders. Secondly, spell out the purpose and audience for this ministry. Simple is best. Don’t create...

October 29, 2020Theology and BusinessBusiness as Ministry, Entrepreneuership, Stewardship, Succession

Family Business

Family Owned Businesses Pay Attention to Good Governance

The way corporations work in America, there are four roles that need to be filled: DirectorOfficerShareholderEmployee What are the responsibilities of these four roles? What happens when family members who own a business fulfill all four roles? Let’s dive in and find out. Role Responsibilities Each role in a corporation is an important one and its’ proper function in a corporation should be called-out and respected. Shareholders...

October 23, 2020Family BusinessGovernance

Christian Stewardship

Foundations in Christian Stewardship Part I: God Owns Everything

The companion video can be watched here. In this series I’m titling Foundations of Christian Stewardship, I’ll outline what I believe to be the foundational passages and principles for Christian Business Owners to adopt and follow if they are going to be faithful stewards of the business that God has given to them. The first foundational principle is this: God owns everything. Corollary: We own nothing. The Scripture that teaches us...

October 23, 2020Christian StewardshipStewardship

Family Business

Justice is Never Enough

In an effort to gain justice while ignoring forgiveness, family members in family businesses suing each other is not uncommon. In the last couple of years, I’ve run across several situations in which family members sue each other to find justice. Nevermind that justice is never enough. Forgiveness needs to be part of the picture if a family business is going to survive with the family intact....

October 3, 2020Family BusinessLawsuits, Love

Executive Insights

Eight Responsibilities Which Christian Business Owners Cannot Delegate

I have found that some responsibilites cannot be delegated to others when I'm serving in the role as CEO. I'm most successful as a leader when I'm highly focused on the things that only I can do within the organization. When I focus on the things listed below, I find my swimlane that best compliments what others do in the organization. So, here are eight responsibilities which...

September 29, 2020Executive InsightsLeadership, Purpose

Executive Insights

Turnarounds

In business, from time to time you’ll hear the word turnaround, as in “this business is a turnaround.” You might be wondering what a turnaround is and why they take professional help to be successful. If so, you’re not alone. In this post I’ll discuss turnarounds and the things you need to know do avoid one in your own business. What is a “Turnaround”? I define a turnaround...

September 29, 2020Executive InsightsBankruptcy, Turnaround

Executive Insights

The Emotional Price Business Owners Pay When Their Business is Failing

The companion podcast is here.The companion videocast is here.The companion PDF slides are here. No one said building a company is easy. But small business owners find it difficult to be honest about how brutal it really can be and the emotional price so many of them secretly pay. At one time or another most small business owners will find themselves on the brink of financial ruin....

September 19, 2020Executive InsightsBankruptcy, Failure, Turnaround, Warning

Theology and Business

Speech in Proverbs

How we talk – what we say – is a reflection of what is in our hearts and displays our self-control. Luke 6.45 says: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Another translation says “…for...

September 19, 2020Theology and BusinessGossip, Speech

Executive Insights

Twelve Warning Signs Your Business is Headed for Disaster

Most entrepreneurs have several characteristics – among the more prominent is a level of confidence – some would say arrogance – that enables them to believe they can beat the odds when taking a risk and win. Most of them are pretty good at what they do – they are competent at a trade, skill, craft or they have a novel idea that can be monetized. In the early...

September 19, 2020Executive InsightsBankruptcy, Turnaround, Warning

Family Business

Cabins and Family Conflict

I was in a meeting recently with several professionals, one of whom is a lawyer and specializes in family litigation – most of it pertaining to family businesses. He told us that cabins cause more family disputes and litigation than do family businesses. He also noted that it is probably easier to pass on a family business to the 2nd generation than it is to pass on the...

September 19, 2020Family BusinessCabins, Conflict, Family Business, Family Conflict

Leadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David – Part IV: David Fights Goliath

Listen to the podcast here. In this post, we’ll look at how David passed the test of leading a nation when the future and the obstacle(s) seemed overwhelming and likely to end their existence as an independent nation. This lesson is directly applicable to Christian Business Owners because we face dangers every day which are seemingly insurrmountable. How did David respond in the face of Goliath? We’ll...

September 19, 2020LeadershipGoliath, Leadership

Executive Insights

Considerations for Selling Your Business

If you own a business, there’s only three ways you can leave it: A) liquidate (go out of business), B) Die or C) sell. Obviously, the best option in most situations is to sell your business – to convert the value of your business to cash. When buyers come knocking on your door, they are going to be looking for any number of things, including (but not...

September 19, 2020Executive InsightsSelling Your Business, Wealth

Executive Insights

Is There a “Christian” Way to Fire an Employee?

I’ve yet to meet anyone who likes terminating employees. It’s never fun, never easy and never routine. I’ll also answer this question directly: No, there isn’t a “Christian” way to fire an employee. However, there are better and worse ways to terminate employees – ways which will impact your Christian witness in the marketplace. I’ve met a number of well-meaning Christians in business who can’t bring themselves...

September 19, 2020Executive InsightsEmployees, Firing, Termination

Family Business

I Can’t Marry Into This

Editors Note: This story is a compilation of three different calls I received in the last year which were remarkably similar. All three found me via this web site and called me for advice. Two were female, one was male. The names and particulars have been changed or merged so that their identities are protected. But their story is repeated every day, in nearly every county across...

September 19, 2020Family BusinessConsequences, Decisions, Family Business, Marriage

Leadership

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David Part III

Listen to the Podcast here. In my previous post, we learned how David experienced being underestimated. We observed that he started his journey to becoming King of Israel by first being underestimated by his own family. We also learned that when one is given seemingly insignificant tasks, one must infuse those tasks with as much effort, learning and development as possible if one is to absorb all...

September 2, 2020LeadershipLeadership, Submission

Theology and Business

Assuming Risk as a Christian Business Owner

Risk can be defined as the exposure to chance of injury or loss. Everyone who runs a business assumes a certain amount of risk. In traditional economic thinking about this topic, most Americans would agree that those who assume the most risk in a business venture are also entitled to the most compensation should the venture turn out to be successful. I personally would agree with this...

September 2, 2020Theology and BusinessReward, Risk, risk management

Christian Stewardship

Sufferings are an Entrustment

I recently had a conversation with a rather talented developer in the SharePoint space. For the last 10 years, she's been working on her own as a contractor through various consulting companies. Her work is steady and she is fairly compensated. Customers like her and she likes them. But inside her is this growing swirl about how much the consulting companies charge the customer and how much...

September 2, 2020Christian StewardshipEntrustment, Stewardship, suffering

Theology and Business

A Good Name is Better than Getting Rich

When you're in a position of leadership, having a good reputation and the respect of those you're leading is essential to your success. There are three passages recently which have stood out to me even though I have read them numerous times before my recent readings. So many people chase money and power. Both are elusive and fleeting. But the things that really matter cannot be bought...

September 2, 2020Theology and BusinessReputation

Leadership

Leadership Lessons Life of David Part II

Listen to the podcast here. The first leadership lesson that David needed to learn was about being underestimated: Sometimes, you will be underestimated in your leadership potential and consequently, you will be overlooked even though you are chosen by God. Let's read from 1 Samuel 16: The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your...

August 14, 2020LeadershipLeadership

Leadership

Leadership Lessons Life of David Part I

No one is born ready to lead. Leaders must be developed before they are needed. Leadership doesn't come naturally to most people. When it comes to leadership development, leaders cannot be mass produced. Competent leaders cannot be created after the crisis occurs. As we look at the life of David in this series, we’ll find that God prepared David for leadership over a ~15 year spane of time. In...

August 13, 2020Leadership

Theology and Business

God’s System of Fairness

The companion podcast is here. Recently on Faith Radio, I suggested that God’s system of fairness and our system of fairness in America are two different things. I stuck my neck out just a bit because I was speaking out of my intuition, not my research. Then I committed to having researched this topic of fairness enough that I could speak to it on-air the following week. Hence,...

August 13, 2020Theology and BusinessFairness, Justice

Executive Insights

Tenaciously Committed or Foolishly Stubborn

Commitment and Stubbornness look rather similar on the surface. Commitment happens when you have a sense of dedication or loyalty to a cause, activity or person. Stubborness is more of a dogged determination not to change your attitude or position in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so. Commitment is not the same as stubbornness. Commitment requires tenacity to see something through. Stubbornness can often...

August 13, 2020Executive InsightsCommitment, Failure, Fools, Persistence, Stubborn, Success

Executive Insights

Every Business Needs a Strong Banker

I’ve met my fair share of Business Owners who are skeptical of lawyers, bankers, accountants and/or financial planners. When it comes to bankers, I’ve known some who give some information to one banker and other information to another banker but never give the full story to any single banker. Others view bankers as necessary evils – when you need a loan, make nice with them - but...

August 12, 2020Executive InsightsBank, Loan, Trust, Trusted Advisors

Theology and Business

Greed, Christians and Business Ownership

Also known as an intense Love of Money, Greed is characterized by an excessive or rapacious desire for money and is often linked with selfishness and, more generally, corruption of character. This is aptly illustrated in Ezekiel 33.30-32, where the Lord describes his people as those who “express devotion” to God but their “hearts are greedy for unjust gain”. Greed can be applied to a deep desire...

August 11, 2020Theology and BusinessCovetousness, Giving, Greed, Hoarding, Wealth

Executive Insights

The “Opt-Out” Method Finds Great Employees

As I write this post, I have a group of candidates taking an assessment for an open sales position in my company. This assessment is part of a larger process that I call the “opt-out” interview process. I didn’t come up with this idea. A colleague of mine explained it to me and I’m sold on this method. Opt-out is not the right method for every position...

August 10, 2020Executive InsightsEmployees, Hiring