I was angry when a vendor’s invoice was nearly twice what I was expecting. The vendor documented the higher costs, but I objected so strenuously that the group vice president had to intercede. After hearing both sides, she decided we should pay the invoice. Now I was angry with her!   My response was not only ...

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No one was surprised when Darrell was promoted to lead the team. He had been a subject matter expert and go-to guy for years. But he quickly discovered that his technical skills weren’t as helpful when it came to leading people.   Darrell realized he needed to find ways to engage, motivate, and encourage the team ...

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As I reflect on my career, I realize that early on I made some poor decisions out of my lack of maturity. One time, after working a grueling 70-hour week, I was reprimanded by a supervisor I didn’t respect, and one of our partners, for something I felt was unwarranted.   Later that day, that supervisor ...

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When I was a young professional, I was blessed to work for companies that valued training. Whether I worked for a CPA firm or a large bank, I was allowed to enroll for all sorts of training in business practices, and even graduate school of banking.  The learning was valuable, but it also included, at ...

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According to Pew Research, the percentage of female managers in the workplace has increased from 29% in 1980 to 46% in 2023. In part, this happened due to a significant increase in the numbers of women who have completed college, and due to relational skills becoming more important to the workplace.   During Jesus’ time on ...

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In this series we’re addressing root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The final reason your business may be struggling may be due to a spiritual attack.  Although I try not to give the enemy too much credit, there are times when God will allow the devil to sift us. Job is the ...

The post Why Is My Business Struggling: Part V appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In this series we’re addressing root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The next reason your business may be struggling might be that God is testing, training, or refining you.  Early in the ministry there were times when God tested and refined my faith. When payroll was nearing and there was no money ...

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In this series we’re addressing some root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The next possible reason for your struggles is because God is disciplining you or your company for sin.  Years ago, I served on an advisory board for a ministry leader who was struggling to produce any tangible fruit. Something didn’t ...

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In this series we’re addressing some root problems of struggling businesses and how to respond. The second common problem is when the economy, or your industry, is in decline.  When you’re experiencing an economic downturn, you can assume that your only response is to persevere. But a proactive response is critical.   Managing expenses is important, ...

The post Why is My Business Struggling: Part II appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Business struggles can become overwhelming at times. There are many possible reasons for troubles in business, so discerning the root problem can be difficult, but necessary.   In this series, we’ll address some of the root problems of a struggling business and how to respond. The first is, asking, “Am I being a poor steward?”  It’s ...

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