In banking, I participated in and witnessed many different business turnarounds. When a business is struggling to survive, and a new leader is hired to return the business to profitability, it’s common to see turbulence for awhile.  Layoffs and expense cutting are commonplace, but painful. Pain must come before improvement begins.   Our country has been ...

The post Turbulence Ahead appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

As the Kansas City Chiefs headed to Super Bowl LIX recently, the Press questioned Kansas City Chiefs kicker, Harrison Butker, again about his controversial statements made at a Catholic University in 2024.   According to the Associated Press, Butker said, “I don’t feel the need to apologize for anything.” He added, “I feel like God’s prepared me ...

The post No Need For Apologies appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

My first professional job was as a daily newspaper reporter. I got along with all my coworkers except the publisher’s assistant. Reporting to the top executive, she had (what I thought was) a condescending attitude to the lowly reporters, and to me, in particular.  On my last day, I sent flowers and a card to ...

The post Missing Love appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Working at a utility meant my colleagues and I had to be prepared for all kinds of disasters. To maintain that readiness, our company conducted regular emergency simulations. These drills were stressful by design.  During one drill, I let the stress get to me. When a colleague asked how we might respond to a hypothetical ...

The post Wound Tight appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Is work getting you down? Do job frustrations and pressure make workdays feel like daily battles?   Although work is a blessing and opportunity to use our God-given talents, it can wear us out. Stress, conflicts with colleagues, and incentives to act in ways that clash with our faith can make modern work exhausting.   We can ...

The post Work as Worship appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Over the years I’ve gotten to know many wealthy business leaders. I’ve wondered why some are generous, while others are not.   One of the answers comes from a recent survey conducted by the American Bible Study. This study determined that 94% of people whom they call “scripture engaged” gave to charity a median amount of ...

The post Why Be Generous appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

In the 1970s, there was a popular book called The Peter Principle by Laurence Peter. The premise of the book was that successful people often receive promotions until they’re finally promoted to a level of incompetence.  The most common application of this principle is in sales. After many great salespeople have success, they often assume ...

The post The Peter Principle appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

When Susan received an email from a client who was frustrated that no one had responded to his earlier note, she was surprised by the sender’s tone. His words expressed his anger at the organization’s lack of response.  Susan could have returned the sender’s emotion or ignored his not-so-subtle sarcasm. Instead, she took responsibility for ...

The post Small Graces appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

Jeremiah 21 tells the story of Zedekiah, king of Judah. Frightened of the approaching Babylonian army, the king asks the prophet Jeremiah to intercede with God. Although he had disregarded God’s prior direction to submit to the Babylonians, Zedekiah wants God to repel the invaders.  But Jeremiah is compelled to speak God’s truth. God will ...

The post Presumed Blessing appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.

A recent Gallup report claims that employees feel increasingly disconnected from their work. Gallup calls this trend the "Great Detachment."   The report points to rapid organizational change, remote work challenges, broken management practices, and shifting expectations for this new era. When we – or our teams – are feeling disconnected, perhaps the best response is ...

The post Detached at Work appeared first on Unconventional Business Network.