Recently, I had lunch with Jim. Jim was excited to hear that my wife, Kathy, is leading our new Unconventional Business Women ministry. Jim shared a story that put a smile on my face, but didn’t surprise me. Jim shared that he was in a drugstore recently when he saw Kathy. At the time, Jim had a family situation that […]

One of the most important roles of leadership is listening — really listening.  Empathetic listening.  Active listening.  Unfortunately, the voice you occasionally get to hear is that of whining. As difficult as it may seem, as a leader, you’re to empathize and listen. Consider the story of Job who whined to God about His circumstances. God patiently listened before setting […]

Tom’s a CEO who had a leader who was struggling at work. He needed some additional oversight until he matures into his potential. But he was reluctant to release any control. Tom knew that if this leader didn’t accept his recommendations willingly he would likely sabotage any help he sent his way. He needed to prove that he was teachable, […]

Researchers Alison Reynolds and David Lewis studied how businesses tackle complex problems. These researchers labeled the businesses that were best as solving problems as “Generative.” Two key attributes stood out at these Generative companies; being Cognitively Diverse and Psychologically Safe. Reynolds and Lewis discovered that teams that were diverse in their backgrounds and thinking styles proved more successful at solving […]

When I was a young and foolish 25-year-old, I read an article about a new business concept called “Rent a Wreck.” After leaving public accounting I was searching for my next career, so I started a used car rental agency. Looking back, I heard only what I wanted to hear. When friends and bankers asked me tough questions, I had […]

In the 1880s, Henry Crowell bought an oat mill to provide feed for horses. The business was struggling when Henry turned to God in prayer for a creative solution for his business woes. God led Henry to begin selling his oats to people as a breakfast cereal. This was an unconventional strategy, because oats were sold from insect infested barrels […]

Most organizations have a few star performers that get all the accolades; from clients, from leadership, or from their teammates. But a company’s success doesn’t come from a single star player; it comes from the entire team. To remain competitive in your field, it is vital that accolades are shared across every team member, recognizing that each person brings a […]

Are you able to allow someone else to make a decision? Or do you give the responsibility for a decision to someone else only to take it back? Taking back previously given responsibility compromises your leadership and undermines your staff. Jeremiah 8:4 says. “Thus says the Lord: When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he […]

As a nonprofit leader who raises money, I have found that my motives are sometimes less than pure. There are occasions when I’m with wealthy business people who need counsel or prayer. As someone who loves to help others, I’m quick to assist them. But at times, my mind drifts to thoughts of them writing the ministry a big check […]

Google conducted “Project Oxygen,” a multiyear research initiative, to identify manager qualities that enhanced a given team’s success. According to the Harvard Business Review, Google discovered that drive and technical expertise were outflanked by some surprising character qualities. These qualities included: being even-keeled, making time for one-on-one meetings, working with a team in the trenches, and taking an interest in […]