Your Work is Worship

Last updated on: August 3, 2010 at 5:07 am By JBW

One Sunday morning a couple of years ago, my church announced a new program discussing “Faith in the Workplace.” Although I had never thought much about this subject, I was intrigued and decided to check it out, along with many other career-oriented congregants. My church is located in a bucolic, historically-preserved town that happens to be a stone’s throw from the pharmaceutical Mecca of the Northeast, and is also within commuting distance from both New York City and Philadelphia. Needless to say, we... Read more

Jesus, Joni Mitchell, and Me (A Confession of Faith)

Last updated on: July 29, 2010 at 11:21 am By JBW

I reconnected with an old friend recently via the miracle of internet and email. It had been 30 years since we had last spoken. Her name is Margaret, but I always called her Madge, and sometimes, Midge. Back in the early 80’s, when we both attended the same college, Madge was the resident Bohemian eccentric avante-garde artsy dance major. She was a deeply spiritual woman, too, with piercing green eyes and long flowing chestnut brown hair like, just like Boticelli’s Venus. I... Read more

Taking Notes

Last updated on: July 23, 2010 at 8:57 am By JBW

I’ve noticed that the best and brightest business professionals have been looking very writerly lately. They seem to have all migrated away from using plain notebooks and folios, and are now bringing these very expensive-looking leather bound diaries to meetings. I first noticed this with my Executive Coach. As we spoke, he would take notes in this elaborate-looking oversized notebook that, by the looks of it, may very well have been scarfed from an ancient European monastery. Then, darn it,... Read more

Management By Calm

Last updated on: July 19, 2010 at 7:30 pm By JBW

Guest post by Dr. Stephen Payne. We all know that we work far better when our inner balance—that deeper, more spiritual part of us—is in a “good place.” Things just go a lot better, especially our connections to other people. But knowing it and living it are totally different. Especially in today’s fast-paced workplace where we can easily get knocked off our Platform of Calm. So anything we can do to stay on the Platform (or climb back on it!)... Read more

The Book I’m Not Writing

Last updated on: July 15, 2010 at 8:54 pm By JBW

Like every other Blogger within spitting distance, I have thought about writing a book. I suppose we all fall under the same delusional spell: that our writing is so compelling and magical; the world desperately needs to hear our voice; we have a unique perspective; blah, blah, blah. So, despite the fact that the publishing industry is presently throwing up inside its mouth, I still had this inner inkling that my particular writing angle was very special, destined one day to make its way to... Read more

Your Money Or Your (Spiritual) Life

Last updated on: July 13, 2010 at 5:26 am By JBW

It’s nice to make money, isn’t it? Now don’t give me that look. A healthy desire to make money does not necessarily imply greed, or obsession, or that one is dedicating one’s life to serving the dreaded Mammon. All I’m saying is, as a practical matter, having money sure does come in handy. In fact, it is pretty much a requirement these days for getting around in our 21st century Western culture. When choosing a career, I kept this important little detail... Read more

A Powerful Prayer for Workplace Moments

Last updated on: July 9, 2010 at 5:12 am By JBW

There is a prayer that is propped up on my office computer that I say just about every day. It was written by my friend Dr. Stephen Payne of A New Equilibrium. He gave this to me three years ago when he was doing some leadership coaching with me, and it is still as fresh and meaningful to me today as it was when I first started using it. It goes like this: God, I surrender my will and my life to... Read more

Bossing Around

Last updated on: July 6, 2010 at 5:36 am By JBW

Bosses are getting a bad rap these days. Despite the mammoth industry of motivational leadership advice glutting the bookshelves, most of the participants in our group writing project depicted their bossess as, um – how shall I put this? – narcissistic dopeheads. I don’t know where all that sage management advice is ending up, but it certainly isn’t trickling its way down to the many folks on the receiving end of things. The “Bosses” writing prompt evoked a very entertaining and instructional crop of posts about, well, mostly bad... Read more

You’re Gonna Own It Like Oprah!

Last updated on: July 2, 2010 at 5:08 am By JBW

I have always wanted to be known for creating some kind of unique landmark cultural innovation that would be remembered for generations to come. Finally, I believe that opportunity has presented itself. Right before your very eyes, I am going to coin a brand new slang phrase right here on the STC Blog, so that it will be always and forever documented in history. Beware that this awesome phrase is certain to spread like wildfire via the internet once I have published... Read more

Your Mid-Year Review

Last updated on: June 30, 2010 at 5:10 am By JBW

If you are anything like me (a strong, decisive, and handsome leader with a clear and ordered command of your environment), then you probably developed some kind of a game plan way back in December 2009 for setting and achieving goals in 2010. It’s just how we’re wired, right? We want to get things done, to see results, progress and promotions. So we tear out that clean sheet of paper, we pull up the blank screen, and we whip off... Read more