Vicki Heath, a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, befriended Tracy Sharp on a flight to Houston. On that flight, Tracy, a woman with Down Syndrome, shared with Vicki her dream of being a flight attendant. Vicki began calling Southwest personnel for approval to help fulfill Tracy’s dream to become a flight attendant. Weeks later, on a flight from Sacramento to […]

For several weeks one of the overhead lights in my office area had dimmed dramatically. Although I knew it needed replaced, I grew accustomed to the darker setting. One evening, maintenance changed the light. The next morning, I was amazed as to how well I could see my work. It not only gave me a better view; the changed light […]

A team without a functioning overseer will lack the necessary oversight to care adequately for their customers. This became evident when I took my son to a Wendy’s restaurant recently. The young male clerk was busy ringing up customers as fast as possible. The cooks were cranking out sandwiches, and the manager was totally absorbed with the drive-up window. Everyone […]

The hard thing for many to grasp about the “Me Too Movement” is why these women did not speak up sooner? A professional woman who has been at high levels in corporate America recently shared with me her perspective. She stated that women serious about their vocation come to realize that speaking-up has been typically a death wish to their […]

There are times when a good employee suddenly becomes disengaged. They begin putting in the minimum hours possible. Their work gets sloppy and assigned tasks go undone. Susan David, in a past Harvard Business Review article, has three great ideas for engaging the disengaged: She recommends assigning the disengaged workers more authority and responsibility. She suggests learning from your most […]

In his early 30’s, Jim was charged with becoming CEO of the family business. Jim’s father was a legend in their industry, making this task overwhelming for Jim at times. Jim often confided in me about his fear of ruining the business that his father had built. Joshua had a similar experience. God charged Joshua with replacing Moses, one of […]

Years ago, a consulting client of mine was in a printing-related industry. The two partners had lots of opportunities within their industry, many of which were strategic to their future. That’s why I was stunned when I discovered the two partners seriously discussing buying a donut franchise in addition to their business. Fortunately, I convinced them it was a bad […]

Tom Hill, my friend in St. Louis, is an inspiration for many. His sense of adventure at 83 years old is remarkable. Tom runs fifteen miles each week and he recently registered for a marathon. His Eagle Summit conference inspires hundreds of leaders and Tom travels frequently, encouraging others. Tom reminds me of Caleb. In Joshua 14, Caleb said, “I […]

When I was a new Christian, I struggled with choosing between pleasing friends or pleasing God. A pivotal moment came when my drunken peers at Graduate School of Banking decided their mission was to get me to a strip bar. The Holy Spirit convicted me to take a stand. I told them, “No,” and locked myself in the restaurant bathroom […]

Sometimes work can be lonely. Socializing can seem inappropriate, or hard to navigate between sexes. A Harvard Business Review article reports that “eighty-one percent of women feel excluded socially at work.” This revelation can be discouraging, but then I’m reminded of the story in John 4. An ostracized Samaritan woman was at her workplace; a well, drawing water alone. In […]