In most meetings, there’s one person in the room who everyone recognizes as high value.  They speak, and the entire room listens. To become this type of person of influence, here are four critical practices: Be concise. Speak only when you have something meaningful to say. Be attentive. Actively listen and engage the other attendees with non-verbal communication. Ask questions. […]

Our pastor, Andrew, mentioned in a sermon that he used to hear frequently the belief that pastors and missionaries were the only ones who had a vocational calling. Now he hears more frequently a different concern. Some understand the value of people-oriented professions but wonder how accountants and other task-oriented occupations can minister to others. Andrew reminded the congregation that […]

Mark is a CEO responsible for over 6,500 employees globally. During a panel discussion we hosted in St. Louis, Mark was asked how he manages that many people. Mark pointed those in attendance to Jethro’s wisdom. Moses was exhausted judging all the cases for the Israelites when his father-in-law, Jethro, arrived. Jethro realized this was a problem. In Exodus 18, […]

Tad Edwards is a 4th generation descendant of the former AG Edwards & Company’s founder. As a young man he watched his father grow the number of company branches into the thousands. Tad wondered aloud, “How do you make that kind of growth sustainable?” Tad’s father said, “If you lower your hiring standards for the sake of growth, it will […]

Mark Thom, CEO of a Berkshire Hathaway company called MiTek, shared some great wisdom at a recent event we hosted. Mark said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” When we’re lacking in rest we’re not as likely to take the necessary stands to do our job well. A recent study in the Harvard Business Review noted that high-performing executives get […]

Years ago, my office in a bank lobby had a large glass window to the outside. One “Good Friday” had been a lovely sunny day, until early afternoon. In just moments a total darkness settled over the city. My office filled with people as they came to marvel at the sudden darkness. A co-worker proclaimed, “This is like the original […]

Today is Maundy Thursday. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the universe, modeled for us a surprising act. In ancient times, Maundy, which means, “washing someone’s dirty feet,” was one of the worst jobs a servant could be asked to complete. Yet, on Jesus’ last night, He humbled himself and washed […]

How many of us started a new job only to encounter paperwork, a bare desk and a lonely lunch? Stunned, we contemplate, “Did I make the right decision?” A recent Harvard Business Review article, “How to Get an Employee Up to Speed?” suggests this check list: A clean and “stocked” workstation A list of access codes Welcome emails An overview […]

While leading a corporate department for a large organization, Vicki was performing her third annual review for Steve. During their discussion, Steve transparently disclosed that he and his wife wanted to start a family, but Steve’s wife desired to move to her hometown. Knowing Steve as a man of faith, Vicki encouraged him to pray. As Christians, we know the […]

My friend, Phil, serves on a local hospital board. After reviewing the hospital’s investments, Phil challenged the board with this question. “The mission of the hospital relates to helping people be healthy. Isn’t it hypocritical to own tobacco stocks?” Phil was surprised how few of the board members understood his concern. It seemed that they had compartmentalized their investments and […]