Can You Sum Up Your Life’s Message With Just One Word?

Last updated on: October 25, 2009 at 4:09 pm By JBW

Have you noticed the trend of one-word book titles hitting the market lately? A couple of popular one-word books that you may be familiar with are “Outliers” and “Blink,” both authored by hip business-social observer Malcolm Gladwell. There’s also “Free” by Wired magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Chris Andersen, where he tries to convince us that future business profit models will be based on giving things away rather than charging for them. Or have you read “Sway,” by Ori and Ron Brafman? It’s about the subliminal... Read more

Your Work, Your Life, Your Masterpiece – In Just One Word (Prologue)

Last updated on: October 22, 2009 at 5:35 pm By JBW

Imagine this very afternoon you are approached by one of the most exclusive and sought-after literary agents in the country. Perhaps it is the effusive Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary, or the reclusive Sarah Chalfant of The Wylie Agency. She has been watching you, she says, following your every move and closely monitoring those brilliant Blog entries and witty Tweets. As she speaks, you can tell that she is barely able to contain her enthusiasm, because she wants desperately for you to join her A-list of... Read more

The True Calling of Capitalism

Last updated on: October 20, 2009 at 11:02 am By JBW

Earlier this month, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation sponsored a seminar debating the role of faith in today’s global marketplace. Wait -What? Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has a Faith Foundation? I never knew that, but apparently that’s what’s been going down across the pond these days with the tidy Mr. Blair, ever since his retirement from Prime Ministry of the United Kingdom. The Foundation’s mission is to “promote respect and understanding about the world’s major religions and show how faith is... Read more

Five Rules of Spiritual Engagement at Work

Last updated on: October 14, 2009 at 5:39 pm By JBW

For many of us, connecting business life with spiritual life is an elusive quest. Some, however, have been led to believe that just because I have been writing about this tricky subject over the last year or two, that, well, maybe I should have come up with some sort of advice for everyone by now. Enough with the whining and complaining, they say. How about a solution every now and then? Fair enough. A few days ago, one bold soul... Read more

Want to Get More Spiritually Engaged at Work? There’s an App for That.

Last updated on: October 9, 2009 at 5:13 am By JBW

Sometimes it seems like God is everywhere, except at work. We behold God’s glory in the sanctuaries. We extol his handiwork in the beauty of nature. We consider His tender mercies in the warmth of our friendships and family. But now pan the camera over to the manufacturing plant floor, or to the rows of cubicles in the corporate office tower, and – Ooops! Where’d He go? I swear, He was just there a minute ago! Wasn’t that Him there in the car... Read more

Something About Mary…

Last updated on: October 6, 2009 at 5:14 am By JBW

Dear Blog reader friends, I am taking a little detour from the typical work- and-spiritual life discussions we do here at STC, in honor of a little project that some friends of mine are working on. I read a book recently where the author repeatedly referred to God as “She.” It was kind of weird at first, but then I got used to it. By the time the book was finished, I actually started to enjoy the idea of God as... Read more

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work: A Book Review

Last updated on: October 4, 2009 at 7:14 am By JBW

I thought my Blog needed an intellectual boost, so I invited my friend Glynn Young to do a book review as a guest post. Glynn is a public affairs director for a Fortune 500 company in St. Louis. He also writes about books, poetry and business at his Blog, Faith, Fiction, Friends. The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work By Alain de Botton Pantheon, 2009, $26, 327 pages My introduction to Alain de Botton occurred a month ago. I followed a link in a... Read more

Thou Shalt Love Thy Customer

Last updated on: September 30, 2009 at 11:32 am By JBW

I will be posting a “Best of STC” at the end of each month. Hopefully one that you haven’t seen yet. Here is one of my favorites. Enjoy! I love Starbucks. No, I really love Starbucks. You need to know this about me. It’s as if Howard Schultz had me specifically in mind when he built the store concept: the serious roast, the eclectic but ever-so-cool music, the aroma, the European Café beatnik ambience. And, Oh, how I love the coffee!... Read more

The Twidiot’s Guide to Twitter Etiquette: Twelve Essential Do’s and Dont’s for Twitter Beginners

Last updated on: September 26, 2009 at 8:28 pm By JBW

I have been using Twitter for five months now, which, as you probably know already, makes me a seasoned expert. It doesn’t take much these days in the social media circles to be considered a specialist. Really, you just have to actually use those social media gadgets and then take a know-it-all attitude in advising others on how they should use them, too. I can definitely do that. Now let’s talk about you, dear Twitterer novice. So. You are quite... Read more

Landmark Gallup Survey Asks: Who is Happiest With Their Jobs?

Last updated on: September 23, 2009 at 5:41 pm By JBW

My mother always says that things happen in three’s, and she’s usually right. Earlier this month one of my close colleagues dropped dead of a heart attack. Two days later, my CEO went into the hospital with a serious heart condition. Later that same day, another retired executive from my company went into the hospital with a stroke. Then everything was quiet again. Thankfully, both my CEO and the retired exec are now recovering nicely. But the fact that three... Read more