On this day in 1776, fifty-six Founding Fathers decided to end their allegiance to the King of England. These men took a very brave and important step by signing the Declaration of Independence.   This set in motion our nation becoming free of England’s rule.  Many people today feel repressed at work. These potential entrepreneurs ...

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The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life conducted a recent study, revealing that 40% of British Christians prefer not to disclose their religious beliefs. More specific to the workplace, only 42% of those surveyed view religion in the workplace positively.  The bright spot in this study, however, is the younger generation. Only ...

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Sometimes the best nuggets of wisdom are found immediately after interviewing someone. Recently, I was video interviewing Scooters Coffee franchisee, Tracy Bouwens.   After we finished, we discussed some common challenges of managing employees. Tracy told me that a common refrain in her workplace is, “Being unclear is unkind.”  Tracy mentioned those times when we ...

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As we watch the presidential debates, the destructive power of an impulsive statement or speaking the wrong words becomes more evident. The more you are in the public eye, the more words matter.  Likewise, for business leaders who are often required to speak at team gatherings or public events, the choice of words can ...

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Missionaries and pastors are usually easy to convince that God has given them a calling. Even medical professionals quickly understand the importance and value of their work.  But many entry level or blue collar workers struggle to believe that God cares about their work.   In a recent Common Good magazine article, author Tom Lutz ...

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A Rutgers University study discovered that 60% of recruiters responded less favorably to the mock resume of former entrepreneurs with comparable levels of education and experience.  In addition, research from the London Business School discovered that former entrepreneurs are 35% less likely to get a job interview, often called the Entrepreneurship Penalty.  Some entrepreneurs ...

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Our workplaces are full of people who have some form of father wounds. Some never had a father in the home so they may wrestle with abandonment issues.   Others experienced abusive or frequently absent fathers, resulting in a different set of problems. By realizing that some of your employees have father wounds that may ...

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Recently, I scheduled a morning meeting at Panera’s restaurant with a vendor. Since I don’t drink coffee, I typically order hot chocolate.  However, the clerk informed me that management recently discontinued serving hot chocolate. As a financial guy, I understand limiting the number of products you serve to enhance profitability.   However, I wonder if ...

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According to the American Center for Law and Justice, an employee of an unnamed hospital in Kansas wanted to start a Bible study over her lunch break. The hospital legal department concluded that a Bible study would not be permitted on hospital premises.   ACLJ informed this hospital that they have violated Title VII of ...

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My first banking job was in the Audit department. Although our audit manager wasn’t a particularly strong leader, the culture seemed peaceful to me.  That is until Mary was hired. Mary came from the academic world with a PHD and was overly ambitious.  Mary was only there briefly before she started stating that she ...

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