Our personal strengths, when overused, can also become weaknesses. Taking anything to the extremes can end poorly. Over the years, I’ve been told at times that listening and observing is a strength of mine. This strength can have the benefit of others feeling heard. But I also know that when I only listen, and not engage, others find it difficult […]

My son lives in a residential home with five young men who all have some form of special needs. The young men get along great most of the time, but occasionally, the parents are a different story. For a while there was a parent who constantly complained and gossiped about the staff or other parents. It made for an unhealthy […]

Altruism is when we act to promote someone else’s welfare even at a risk or cost to ourselves. According to research conducted by the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2013, altruism in the workplace has many benefits. A Fast Company article highlighted some benefits of altruism. Altruists are more likely to help fellow employees, be more committed to their work, […]

As we remember Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, it’s a great day to remember the importance of doing the right thing, even when unpopular. With half of the nation at war, President Lincoln was very unpopular with most of the nation. Yet, he persevered to abolish slavery and fight secession. Today Lincoln is widely celebrated as one of the most respected Presidents […]

In Tim Elmore’s book, “The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership,” he referenced a study that discovered two different ways of implementing values. The first is to pronounce them and hang them on the wall for everyone to see. This approach takes ten to twelve years to change any culture. The second way is much more effective. For each of your […]

Early in the pandemic my friend, Peter, began to realize that needed supplies for his restaurants were becoming hard to get. He began ordering additional supplies and stockpiling them. The problem, however, kept getting worse. As Peter tried to determine a better solution, he happened to study the story of Joseph in Genesis 41. After God forewarned Joseph of the […]

My wife, Kathy, makes it a habit to stop people in a military or police uniform and thank them for their service. Lately, she has begun doing the same thing with waiters and waitresses. I’ve noticed many restaurant employees seem overwhelmed lately, resulting in more opportunities for Kathy’s gift of encouragement. After she thanks a server for their service, Kathy […]

Recently, employers have struggled to fill jobs. We are in a strange time when there are more jobs available than people to fill them.  There are multiple reasons for this employment gap, such as parents staying home to care for children or staying home to avoid Covid. Another possibility, however, is due to the many government programs providing funding for […]

A Stanford Economics professor, Nicolas Bloom, has been researching remote work for the last several years. Bloom believes that there are three different work options for the future. He believes 50% of workers will be required to work in a workplace setting. These include retail, healthcare, or manufacturing jobs. Option two is hybrid work. He predicts 40% will work at […]

Our next speaker in Kansas City, Dr. Caroline Leaf, is a neuroscientist who often talks about brain plasticity. That may not sound very appealing to most business leaders. But when a good copywriter shares about Dr. Leaf, it sounds more like, “Backed by up-to-date scientific research and biblical insight, Dr. Caroline Leaf empowers business leaders to take control of their […]