business

Week nineteen (What happened?)

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Week nineteen? What happened to weeks 10 through 18? I’m asking myself that same question. Weeks are flying by! Much has happened.

Ok, here’s the scoop… I am still in West Virginia helping manage my brother’s company and learning the fire safety industry. It’s had challenges, but for the most part I’ve had great fun. It’s been many years since I held down an eight-to-five job. Members of the church congregation would often tease me about only working one hour a week as pastor. I speak with first hand authority when I say that working a steady 50 hour work week is a piece of cake compared to being a pastor of a church.

Since we last spoke I attended a trade show in Atlantic City where I met a number of manufacturer’s reps for the first time and had the privilege of networking with other fire safety distributors. I had the opportunity of speaking with a business owner that travels all over the world consulting and installing specialty fire suppression equipment. It opened my eyes to international networking. That was exciting!

In addition, I traveled to beautiful Marinette, Wisconsin (where?) to attend one of the world’s premier fire schools. Spending a week blowing stuff up, setting things on fire, and then putting them out with some really great fire suppression equipment is every little boy’s dream vacation. I learned more at one week of fire school than all other weeks combined. There is no substitute for hands-on training. I had the opportunity to fight every kind of fire imaginable. From basic spill fires to an entire factory section engulfed in flames…it was challenging and great fun.

With everything going on and the amount of travel I’ve been doing (including a couple of trips back to AZ to see the family), I decided to take a break from blogging. Some of the routine weeks would make for really boring blogs anyway.

Now that I have fire school under my belt, I had the opportunity last week to assist in holding a fire safety training session for one of our ‘Oil and Gas Energy Field’ customers. It was a reminder of how passionate I am about teaching. I deeply miss teaching the Gospel. I look forward to the time when I’ll be teaching on a regular basis again.

Faithfulness

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The accounts of the greatest businessmen throughout history aren’t found in the classrooms or libraries of prestigious business schools or on the shelves at Barnes and Noble.  I submit that they are found in the Bible.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah managed Babylon as skillfully as the best Wall Street has to offer today.

After a hostile takeover of their country, these four refugees were enrolled in the Babylonian school of management.  (Daniel 1:1-6)  God’s hand of favor rested upon them, not because of what they could do but because of who they were.  (Daniel 1:8-9)

For three years they studied.  God gave them exemplary skills in all literature, languages, and wisdom.  (Daniel 1:17)  Finally it was time for their job interview.  The boss found them intellectually head and shoulders above their peers. (Daniel 1:20)

Daniel and his three colleagues outperformed all others as they climbed the corporate ladder.  (Daniel 2:48-49)  The employees hated taking a back seat to these Judean outcasts.  They schemed for any damaging evidence against Daniel’s exemplary record.  But they found no legitimate charge.  So the disgruntled employees made a very interesting statement that initiated one of the most famous scenes in the Bible…

Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for compliant against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for compliant or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for compliant against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

(Daniel 6:4-5, ESV)

The employees tricked Daniel’s boss into making a bogus rule that conflicted with Daniel’s faithfulness to pray three times each day.  (Daniel 6:6-7)  Daniel would never stop praying therefore he was cast into the mailroom aka the Lion’s Den.  In this pit, we find the only act of faithfulness greater than Daniel’s, that being, the faithfulness of Daniel’s God.  (Daniel 6:16-23)

The boss witnessed the power of God to save his faithful servant Daniel.  He also saw the deceit and wickedness of his employees.  They were immediately discharged along with their families.  (Daniel 6:24)

The dramatic image of Daniel surrounded by fierce lions was not the main point of this text.  The strongest and most feared force was, and still is, FAITHFULNESS.

It was the faithful relationship Daniel had with his God that secured Daniel’s position in the Babylonian empire.  This relationship would remain strong as long as Daniel lived.  This truth enraged the employees.  The fear of knowing they could never rise above this godly manager was the cause of their murderous scheme.

As Daniel spent time with God in prayer, his trust and faith grew.  That faithfulness spilled out to all aspects of his life, including his management position in the kingdom.  Daniel’s office walls most likely were covered with Employee of the Year plagues.

I imagine Daniel turned away from those accolades and on bended knees looked out the eastern window while he prayed to his God.  God’s faithfulness to Daniel, and to us, is a power beyond understanding.  Like Daniel, our faithfulness can only grow as we encounter God in prayer and His Word.

It’s not about what we can do.  It’s about who we are.  Be faithful to the Gospel and see faith shut the mouths of lions, aka our enemies.

Created in the image of God

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Most of the time when we hear a teaching on Genesis chapter one, specifically verse 27; “So God created man is his own image”, facts regarding the image bearers are presented. These facts include mankind, both Adam and Eve, are the crown of creation. Human life alone is created in the “image” of God and has the special assignment to rule over the created order. It is implied that Adam and Eve and their descendants will have a relationship with God that is different than all other creatures. Humans alone will reflect the glory of God in creation more specifically than any other creature.

As true and helpful as these facts are in understanding our relationship to God, if accepted as “that’s the whole story”, as leaders and husbands and fathers we will find ourselves in trouble. The whole story unfolds as we read the rest of the Bible. Adam and Eve rebelled and the glory of God faded in these image bearers. Jesus shed His blood on the cross to restore the image bearers. If you have received the salvation of Christ, image bearing takes on a whole new meaning.

Listen to what Paul states as a fact regarding the redeemed image bearers:

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

(Romans 8:29, ESV)

What is predestined is that we become like Christ (cf. 2 Cor 3:18). The purpose is that Christ might be the “eldest in a vast family of brothers”. If we were to bear no family resemblance to him, the intention of the Father would never be realized.

Listen to Paul once again as he prays for us to conform to the One whose image we bear:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

(Philippians 4:7-8, ESV)

Paul desires here that we be conformed to the image of Christ. Our goal is stated clearly; love what God loves and hate what God hates. Act and react as Jesus would. In other words, after reading the story of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15, we would lean back and say, “yep, I’d handle that situation the same way”.

God is both strict when it comes to sin, and merciful when it comes to need. But it is not good enough to simply have a code of strictness and mercy toward our family. The strictness and mercy must conform to God’s standards. Listen to how Doug Wilson, Pastor/Author of the book Father Hunger , states it:

This is why fathers need to learn how to be strict in the same way that God the Father is strict, and to be merciful in the same way that He is merciful. If we are strict only, we crush the spirit of our children, or we provoke rebellion. If we are merciful only, we create a culture of entitlement and self-indulgence in the home. And, in the worst possible combination, if we are strict where God is merciful and merciful where God is strict, then we are busy supplying the strip clubs of the future with all their pole dancers and customers.

We cannot wink at sin and withhold blessing. As leaders, we must work hard everyday at being the servant-leaders blueprinted in the Word of God. A wise leader studies the blueprint. Biblical authority flows only to those who are willing to accept this responsibility. Biblical authority knows how to bleed for others.

 

 

 

Week eight (the weakest link)

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Even a company that can be described as a “well oiled machine” isn’t perfect. Every chain when stressed past its limit will break. However, only one link breaks; the weakest one. One of the functions of any good leader is to continually identify weak links in the organization and strengthen them. The phenomena of strengthening the weak link is creating a new weak link. By definition, a leader’s work is never done.

After two months, this was a week of reflection and assessment. We have been hard at work strengthening weak links and it’s beginning to reflect improvement. When head down in the daily routine you can’t see the forest for the trees. It’s always a good idea to take a short break from the daily routine and look for results. The daily routine has a tendency to demoralize a leader. Stepping out of the routine has a tendency of encouraging a leader as you see the results of your labor. The system is beginning to take shape! The goal is to manage the system not the individual employees in the system.

I am working very closely with my brother who is the owner of the company. We are polar opposites. We don’t have the same business philosophy or always agree on how to achieve goals. We often find ourselves at odds. However, at the end of the day, we place those differences aside and we are just brothers sharing a meal or just talking about stuff. That’s also very encouraging. People who operate at the highest level go head to head from 8 to 5 and without walls or animosity enjoy the pleasure of each others company at the end of the day. It is one of life’s deepest tragedies when individuals who have a lifetime of experiences together allow simple disagreements to ruin such a valuable gift.

Still missing my family like crazy. Can’t wait to see them at months end!

Life without walls (part five)

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“Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” Who could trust a teacher that doesn’t follow his own advice?

This apothegm is a laser focused definition of hypocrisy. One who speaks this way, or better said, one who teaches this way, is likely to see their students confused, angry, and rebellious. As a leader, husband, and father, the most efficient way to build deadly walls in relationships is to live life as a hypocrite.

I realize this brings nothing new to the table. Everyone experiences hypocrisy; from parents, bosses, co-workers, and governments. All react the same way toward hypocrisy, with clenched fists and gnashing teeth.

Studies reveal clearly that children will be more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and drugs, and live in a host of other harmful ways if they grow up observing their parents doing the same. It’s not effective teaching your children the dangers of tobacco with a pack of cigarettes in your pocket.

Again, this is nothing you didn’t already know. It’s nothing you haven’t already experienced. It’s obvious.

There is a type of hypocrisy, however, that is less obvious. Paul warns the church in Corinth:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

(1 Corinthians 13:1-2, ESV)

This is one of the most amazing statements in the Apostle Paul’s teaching. Think about what he is saying. As a leader, you have studied to the point that your knowledge is vast. This knowledge is truth and it is powerful. It is building faith in you that is strong enough to move mountains. Yet, you lack the one thing that makes it all valuable; “LOVE”. How can this be?

Listen to what R.C. Sproul Jr. stated in a recent blog to pastors,” It is more important to us and our sheep that we would learn to believe more, than that we would find more to believe.” 

He continues saying, “Divinity is not a body of knowledge to be mastered like geology.” The Bible is not a book to be dissected like Moby Dick. We don’t go to Scripture to study the Word, but to begin to learn to have the Word study us. We go to pursue not advanced degrees but the fruit of the Spirit. We go to lose our reputations, not to gain them. We go not to be thought wise, but to learn what fools we are.

The people that you lead don’t simply need more information. What they need more is someone to lead them, to show them the Way. They need to see you repenting. They need to see you wrestling with your sins. They need to see you preaching the gospel to yourself, not because you like the sound of your voice, but because you hate the sin that yet remains, and you need grace. They need to see you rejoicing in the fullness of His promises, and mourning both sin and its fruit in your life.

As we relate to one another, I am convinced that the single most powerful moment on earth takes place when a father repents before his wife and children; when a leader repents before his employees. So, is the knowledge in your life under-girded by love? If it is you will live a life repenting before our Holy God. This is the litmus test of love. This is a life free from hypocrisy.

Be strong and courageous

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You are a leader. I may be writing primarily to CEO’s and Entrepreneurs, but that statement is true for all Christians. You are a leader. The statement made previously, “we have been awarded responsibility [by God]” (see Life without walls (part three)), stirs our hearts to understand the gift. The Lord, by His choosing, has awarded us the gift of authority.

Due to corrupt understanding in the early church, Paul teaches the Body of Christ regarding gifts from the Lord, better known as spiritual gifts. Let’s take a look at Scripture:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

(1 Corinthians 12:1-7 ESV)

One could write an entire book centering on these seven verses. For now, let’s focus on verse seven. The point of verse seven is straight forward. You have a gift, and that gift is for the “common good”. In other words, authority is a gift for others, not for you.

As a leader (patriarch), this gift of authority is not designed to build self-confidence, but God-confidence. Your actions should point your family and your employees to the only source of confidence; God. (verse 6)

The most important work that a leader can do for the sake of those around him is to be converted; placing faith in Christ alone. The most important strategy for guiding those around him is to become a new man in Christ—whose hope and happiness and confidence are in God and not in himself.

Leaders, what you ARE in relation to God is far more important than any particular management/parenting technique you try to employ. Will your people hope in God if you hope in money? Will your people be happy in God if they see that anything in your life is a happier experience for you than worship? Will your people be confident in God if your whole demeanor communicates the desire to be seen as self-confident?

There is a peculiar role that the Scripture gives to leaders, husbands and fathers. Fathers bear a special responsibility for the moral life of the family. Leaders bear the same for their employees. So I urge you to take that responsibility, leaders, and that you be the kind of man who gives hope and happiness and confidence to those around you because you yourself have found your hope and your happiness and your confidence in God.

Week five (Honeymoon’s over)

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Week five comes to a close. Actually it was a very short work week. I returned from my visit with family Wednesday evening and reported for duty yesterday (Thursday). Two days at work and now settling into a weekend with rain/snow and cold.

Here’s the cold hard facts of starting a business; doing the planning is like going on honeymoon. Dream dreams, talk about a bright future, set goals, and even calculate a budget…all without dealing with the nitty-gritty details called life.

Thirty-two years ago Shelia and I were married; married on Saturday, setting on a beach in the Caribbean on Sunday. While on honeymoon I didn’t pay a single utility bill, cut a single blade of grass, or change a single poopy diaper. On the contrary, we dreamed about the future while experiencing the moment.

Two weeks later, we were moving furniture, paying bills, and calculating mortgage payments. My daughter soiled her first diaper fourteen months later. The honeymoon was over…well, I still think of Shelia as my honeymoon bride. Every Valentine’s Day I always think of that moment on the airplane heading to our honeymoon destination. She was setting in the window seat back-lit with the setting sun. I remember thinking to myself, “I can’t believe this beautiful woman agreed to marry me!”

Ok, ok, back to my point. Yesterday and today were filled with the down and dirty details of getting a business entity created. No more dreaming about the business, just get it going. That means talking to the IRS, State of Arizona, and the Fire Marshall’s office. As one might well imagine, I am overwhelmed with government documents and demands for the mundane, boring facts of life. I need to study regulations and take tests to gain licenses and certificates so I can knock on the first potential customer’s door.

I suppose if it where easy everyone would be doing it.

Life without walls (part four)

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The Servant-Leader

When I say “industry leader” who comes to mind? Quick tell me! Some shout Donald Trump, some Lee Iacocca. These two men, and many others like them, are somewhat famous in our culture. After all, they get a lot of press. Household names come to mind first. While I acknowledge the charisma, savvy, and success that these men exude, if industry leadership is measured by market performance they don’t hold a candlestick to men like Darwin Smith and George Cain.

Darwin…George, who? That’s right, you’ve never heard of them unless you study industry at the micro level. Darwin Smith was CEO of Kimberly-Clark and George Cain CEO of Abbott Laboratories.

Smith and Cain outperformed Trump and Iacocca in nearly every category, especially the ones that really count. Smith and Cain outperformed the market nearly 15:1 and built companies that are still known as legacies. Trump and Iacocca performed at market standards and when they walked away not much remained.

Jim Collins in his book, “Good-To-Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t”, unwinds an amazing study regarding industry leaders. Collins simply utilizes data to make his point; he’s not interested in opinions. That’s why I love this book and highly recommend it.

Collins allows the data to define what makes a good leader like Trump and Iacocca and what makes a great leader like Smith and Cain. There are several reasons that can’t be presented here in this short article. Collins defines leaders like Trump and Iacocca as effective visionaries and hard driving performers who care more about their own image than the companies they lead. They are charismatic leaders surrounded by a thousand “yes men”. They are unreachable leaders that build large walls. They simply bark out orders from the tower and expect to see results.

Collins goes on to define leaders like Smith and Cain as men who build enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. They live their lives as an open book. They are consistently open to everyone around them. They are quick to give credit for success to those outside themselves and quick to personally accept responsibility for failure. They are always more concerned about the company and its employees than themselves.

The good-to-great leaders never want to become larger-than-life heroes. They never aspire to be put on a pedestal or become unreachable icons. They are seemingly ordinary people quietly producing extraordinary results.

If an icon-ish pedestal is your goal, you’ll need to hide all your flaws; that will require walls. If greatness is your goal, your flaws will guide you toward someone outside yourself; no walls required.

Week three (chicken noodle soup)

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I’m cold. The weather took a turn toward the arctic. The average temperature this week was well below freezing. Up before dawn, out before daylight. It’s not easy for an Arizona boy to climb out from under the covers when the room feels more like a refrigerator than a living space.

Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup has become my best friend. My local grocer has a sale; 5 for $5. I enlist a small army of cans and take them home and line them up on the shelf like so many tin soldiers. Every evening the most enthusiastic volunteer gets opened, poured in the pot and boiled to steaming hot. The heat, smell and taste take the edge off the long cold day. The Southwest Airlines ticket home looks more and more inviting.

Week three comes to a close. The employees are getting use to me being around. I know because they are becoming engaging. They run down the events of the day; the good, bad and ugly. Maybe running a business is more like being a pastor after all.

I really enjoy fielding calls from customers. I spent a couple of days this week doing just that. It’s very interesting. Some call and it’s as if they are taking happy pills. Some call with an IRS serious attitude. Some think they dialed 911. No matter, all are expecting to have their need met by me, the voice in charge.

I am beginning to get excited about the business start in Arizona. I am currently building the system and creating work flow documents. So far I have no customers, no vendors and no employees. It’s fairly easy to manage at this point, but it doesn’t have much of a bottom line. This is were prayer comes in. “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Cor. 9:10) We trust that God will supply everything necessary to accomplish the ministry. Please pray for me and my family to have courage and wisdom for the task set before us.

Well, with soup in hand this frigid week comes to a close.

One afternoon at the mall

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It doesn’t happen often, but I was very early for an appointment. A friend and I were to meet at the mall for a lunch meeting. With time to kill I began a trip around my favorite places in the mall. A quick stop at the restroom, (I realize it’s not too cool to talk about visiting the men’s room but it does add relevance to the point I’m making), to well… and wash my hands with really nice scented soap and dry my hands with an ample supply of paper towels in a rather pleasant room of tile and mirrors. Next I went to visit a nice lady at Paradise Bakery who graciously awarded me a cup of ice water for free. With ice water in hand I found a great place to sit at a comfortable table in the food court and began to people watch. I found myself enjoying the sites and sounds and mostly the air conditioning (It was a rather warm August day).  Then it dawned on me,,, I am sitting here enjoying a great deal of luxuries for free. Why? How?  Then I began to feel somewhat guilty thinking, “If I were a homeless guy, security would have thrown me out by now.” Why was I allowed to stay and enjoy such things? The answer is simple…I am a part of the network; the network of commerce. The reason why I have such privileges at the mall is my back pocket has a wallet in it with cash and credit cards. That makes me a consumer and all consumers are welcome at the mall. I have use of this multi-million dollar facility for free because I am part of the network.

This scenario made me think about something I learned in my first year at seminary. My professor who taught “Intro to Missions” made a very interesting statement our first day of class. He stated, “God allowed Rome to dominate the world in the first century, creating a wonderful system of roads, establishing a common language, and establishing peace in most regions, to maximize the spreading of the Gospel.” I have never forgotten that statement. I thought it profound. The point is, Rome did all the hard work and bore the expense, and the Gospel simply rode on the Roman effort for free! I remember thinking…”God you are really something!”

Then it dawned on me, “That’s what I am experiencing right now.” Then I thought, “Is there a way for the Gospel to travel in the 21st century much like it did in the 1st century?” The answer is…YES! Just like Rome established roads, a common language, and peace so that the Gospel traveled quickly and efficiently in the 1st century, the marketplace has accomplished the exact same thing in this new world of the 21st century. For example, just like the Roman roads, the 21st century business network of commerce allows for quick and efficient movement of any commodity. The network spans the entire globe. Just like Rome establish a common world wide language, most business transactions across the world take place in English or are easily translated into English. And finally, just like Rome demanded peace from all of its conquered citizens, business transactions occur successfully even in the most dangerous places on earth.

Here’s an example of what I mean. (I am making this up)  Domino’s Pizza Gaza takes two phone in orders for lunch just minutes apart. The pizzas are cooked, boxed and handed to the driver for delivery. The driver makes his way down a street which matches the address on the delivery ticket. Bullets are flying from east to west and west to east. People are dying as a result. However, the Domino’s driver safely travels the street delivering pizzas to both sides. How? Its simple…both sides love pizza for lunch and will do everything in their power to not only receive the pizza ordered earlier, but make sure that the delivery guy will live to deliver pizza another day.

I know, that’s kind of a silly example, but you get my meaning. Let’s engage this powerful resource that already exists and is free to anyone who is part of the network to spread the Gospel.