An idealistic assumption is that most people are identified by their family and community. Not so, says the Gallup orgnaization. Most Americans “define themselves by their job, on the basis of their job title and the brand image of their employer,” according to Gallup CEO James Clifton. “The great new American dream is having a good job.” We used to be satisfied with a nice home surrounded by caring friends in a stable community. Now it seems, we are happiest... Read more
Our new friend, Bill Peel, the creative force behind 24 Seven Faith, wrote an interesting piece on the responsibility of everyone to do the hard work of redeeming – of changing our world around us. He throws a fiery dart to the heart when he talks about the first century spread of Christianity. It was a revolution of mankind that grew from a “few hundred on the day of Pentecost to more than six million people by the end of... Read more
“Riches bring temptations. But then so does poverty.” — Margaret Thatcher“ Many in today’s workforce are possessed with the whole sphere of raises and promotions. Who is getting them and who isn’t often dominates the office chatter. Some have left jobs because they were overlooked for a position. The bitter taste of rejection for some never goes away and they retreat into inefficiency and even malicious compliance. It hurts, but a higher calling is to examine our motivation for moving... Read more
Dr. Ben Carson is one of the few black pediatric neurosurgeons in the world. As the director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Medical Institutions, he also a professor of oncology, pediatrics and neurosurgy He is a sought-after expert teacher and speaker. With several books to his name, his opinions are well known. He performs more than 300 surgeries a year, with a world-known expertise in separating conjoined twins. The man by all worldly standards, has made it. It’s amazing... Read more
Like many of you, my company doesn’t let workers off early for Good Friday. And I’m not complaining. What most workplace faith commentators fail to recognize — is that true workplace faith actually transcends mere accommodation. One example is the recent CNN piece about ‘religion in the workplace.’ As expected, they concentrated on external accommodations – prayer rugs, Sabbath days off, freedom of religious speech, and clothing. As Red Letter Believers, we don’t look for special exceptions because of our... Read more
Over at Philip Faustin’s Thoughts, there is an excellent post on the subject of authority. He says that authority is everywhere. Speed limits. Red lights. Rules. Regulations. Expectations. He’s self-employed and realizes that even in that his supposedly liberating work scenario; he’s not free from the authority and expectations of his customers. We cannot get away from authority, and yet we bristle at it. Blame it on Watergate or Vietnam or crooked CEOs or dishonest politicians. Blame it on anything... Read more
A seed bank on a remote Norwegian island in the Arctic Ocean opened in February, creating a repository of more than 100 million seeds representing every major food crop on Earth. The Svalbard Seed Vault contains seed samples from 268,000 plants. The bank consists of three secure rooms at the end of a 400 foot tunnel blasted out of the mountain. The seeds are sealed in four-ply foil pouches, and then sealed in marked boxes. It’s been called a “Noah’s... Read more
If I had one, I’d hoist a white flag at my desk. Because, I give up. I surrender. And by end of this post, I hope you’ll do the same. There are “barbarians” all around – competitors, coworkers, subordinates and bosses — and they stand ready to attack your reputation, your credibility and your honor. How much energy do you spend, trying to keep the mockers at bay? Does it seem like you put as much effort into defending your... Read more
We are easily fooled by the external. The smart sports car with its oversized rims and low-slung appearance could actually be full of fast food wrappers and the smell of old onion rings. The tidy, upscale home in the high-end neighborhood that looks so perfect just might be crumbling from within because of a termite infestation. The successful business could be running on the fumes of dwindling sales and overextended credit. Things aren’t always what they seem to be. People... Read more
“Just leave me alone, and I’ll perform.” Ah, the self starter. If you are a manager, this can be a dream employee — a high performer that needs little supervision. Independence is something I crave. And many of you love the same freedom to do your job. But how do you act when no one is looking? Is there an unspoken shout, “Everyone look busy” that screams out when the supervisor comes into the room. When he leaves, a collective... Read more
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