Derek Thompson wrote an essay in The Atlantic called, “Workism is Making Americans Miserable.” In his essay, he speaks against a concept called workism. “Workism is the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of one’s identity and life’s purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work.” […]

Manufacturing is the essence of creating something from nothing. Stephanie grew up around the hubbub of hitting production numbers. She also watched the magic of making something meaningful and useful out of something useless and as meaningless as parts.  Manufacturing is about creating value. We were given value as God formed us and breathed life into our nostrils. He made […]

Yuval Feldman contends that major ethical scandals seem obvious, but the ones that can also do great harm are the smaller ones that chip away at trust and alter organizational behavior. In a Harvard Business Review article, Feldman contends that research reveals that stealing office supplies, fudging expense reports and engaging in conflicts of interest can become blind spots. This […]

One of my most challenging faith struggles is hiring a new employee when cashflow is uncertain. That’s when I struggle knowing if I’m taking a step of faith or making a stupid decision. When I examine the large steps of faith taken by many in the Bible, it seems that the key is knowing what God is asking you to […]

Rider’s University recently eliminated Chick-fil-a for consideration for an on-campus restaurant. When Cynthia Newman, former Dean of Rider’s University Business School, was provided talking points about the University’s decision, she realized that she was being required to speak against her own personal Christian values. So, she resigned. Standing firm in our faith in today’s culture can now require us to […]

William Rick Singer started a business 25 years ago with a vision of helping students navigate the higher education maze. Along the way, Singer realized that there were wealthy people willing to pay significant amounts to get their average children into premier schools. According to the Wall Street Journal, Singer’s business began devising schemes to hire test takers to sit […]

Skills and knowledge are necessary for executing company objectives. Maintenance crews resolve downtime issues. Sales teams work to understand customer needs in order to sell products and services.  Customer service provides the organizations soft touch expression. Each area has a skill set that is critical to the success, efficiency and performance of that department. As a leader, it’s important to […]

As a young loan officer, I was presenting a difficult loan proposal to the bank’s loan committee. During my presentation, the bank’s CEO pronounced my deal as approved, but I continued promoting the loan. Our Chief Lending Officer said, “Your loan’s approved! I recommend you quit talking before we change our minds.” In Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant experienced success when […]

Awhile back, I had a concern to address with another ministry leader. I sent him an email and requested a response. After no response, I began imagining all kinds of reasons why this person had not responded. I foolishly sent off another email and unloaded my frustrations, marking the email as urgent. This ministry leader called and apologized for not […]

Years ago, Vermeer Corporation in Pella, Iowa was developing disaster recovery plans for their business. As they wrapped-up, the person guiding them through their plan reportedly said, “The last potential disaster we need to consider is a tornado.” He went on to say, “The odds of being hit by a tornado are unlikely. Let’s only take buildings 5 and 6 […]