I recently heard a sermon that pretty much said we need to leave the past behind and move on.  In addition to being a Christian business coach I am also a Christian counselor.  Sometimes counselors go the other direction and just pull people back into the past and we stay there.  I am not one of those counselors.  However, being a Christian I don’t know how to fully appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice if I only look to the future.  This fueled my thoughts and I wrote this post called A Place for the Past on my counseling blog The CrossRoads We Encounter.  (A different site and another writing style – but it is still me!)  I wanted to share it with my business readers because I feel it is relevant to everyone.

Feel free to leave comments here so our other business friends will see them too!  Continue reading A Place for the Past

A simple concept.  A simple post. A simple plan.

How can we reflect God in our business today?

Jesus tried to simplify it when he gave us the Golden Rule:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22: 36-40

Keep It Simple

If we keep it simple and follow these two commandments, we may have a day at work like this:

Prayer

I get to the office an hour early.  It is quiet and I can get settled.  I start by walking through the office praying.  I want this place to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  I walk by desks and offices praying for each individual.  Something specific or general, depending on the need.

I end up on my knees in my office praying for the Holy Spirit to guide me and work through me today.  I pray He will provide the clients what they need.

This is my time with God.  Private.

Thanks

As others arrive I am engaged with work. Employees and customers here my random mumblings,

“Thank you Lord.”  (When the purchase order finally arrives.)

“Sorry Lord.”  (When my wit leans to the side of sarcasm.)

“Please Father God!” (When ADP says their is a glitch and we may not get payroll checks cut.)

Love Others as We Love Ourselves

I have much to do and get right to it.  But I remember that I am here for relationship and to love others as myself.  What does this look like?

When I am interrupted (and if I allow it) I fully stop what I am doing and give the person my full attention.  I am present with them in the moment.  After all, that’s what I would want someone to do with me.

I walk around and check on other team members.  I ask them about what they are working on and really listen to the answer.  I try to help if there is a need or connect them to resources.  Sometimes I just say an encouraging word.  Wouldn’t that be nice from the boss!

I keep a list of all of the people who work here.  I run through it every couple of days.

• Does anyone have a performance review due?
• Does everyone have a development plan?
• Do I know what is going on with my team both personally and professionally?
• Am I providing them with what they need to do their job and to develop their work and career?

I try to think about them and what they really need to develop professionally and to glorify God in their work.

I “love” them enough to tell them straight up when something is going well or if change is needed.

I try to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

These are just a few examples of what the day might entail for a small business owner who wants to live out their faith in their business.

No Distractions – We Can Start Now

We can argue about how much to say and what to say.  We can debate the advantages and disadvantages of being a Christian in our business.  We can pray about business decisions that we worry may impact our ability to compete.

While all of this is going on, we can start reflecting God in our business today, right now, before we have it all figured out.  Just look around and start treating others as you would want to be treated and make sure to love God by giving Him the credit whenever you can.

It’s simple.  It’s a way of life.

“I haven’t heard of the concept of retirement in the bible”  This was a quote from Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, in an interview with Bob Buford, author of Finishing Well.

I found this compelling.  Here is a man who was successful in the traditional business sense as an entrepreneur.  He sold everything he had, gave it all to the poor, and went off and founded Habitat for Humanity.

Another quote when initially asked if he had heard of the term “retirement” was,

“Sure I have,”  he said with a laugh.  ”I remember the words of Jesus, who said, ‘Take up your cross until you’re sixty-five, then lay it down, then take up your fishing pole and move to Florida!’”

I find this so unique because I talk to people all of the time trying to figure out what God is calling them to do.  Many of us who wonder, and I am surely one, are in their 40’s and 50’s.  And then I have to laugh, because once we figure it out, it will be time for us to retire!

Start Now

I guess it doesn’t have to be.

If we embrace Millard Fuller’s philosophy that there is no such thing as retirement in God’s Kingdom it really takes the pressure off.  We can look around each and every day and do what needs to be done.  It is not at all difficult in our world to wake up each day and see Kingdom work.

I am all for a calling.  I am all for trying to make an impact for God’s Kingdom in a big way.

What I think is a trap that we get sucked into is feeling like we are not doing His work unless it is big, meaningful, and brings tears to people’s eyes when they read about it.

Millard Fuller did go on to say that although he wasn’t interested in retirement He did acknowledge that his contribution may change in his 70’s or 80’s.  Fuller died last year at age 74.  He actually ran Habitat for Humanity until 2005; so he was 70 years old.  At that time, he didn’t retire.  As he indicated his contribution changed.  He founded the Fuller Center for Housing.

Eternity is Forever So Isn’t Kingdom Work too?

I think what I appreciate so much is his mindset.  Eternity is forever.  Eternity began when we accepted Jesus as our Savior.  Our contribution will continue on from this world to Heaven.

Our challenge is to make a contribution for Jesus.  Retirement isn’t a ticking biological clock in His Kingdom.  Whether we are 20, 50, or 80 there is an opportunity to make a difference for Jesus today.

Have you ever felt that your time to make a difference was limited?  I have even though some of it may have been subconscious.  The weird thing is having a time limitation actual paralyzes us and we don’t begin.  I want to challenge us all, even if you aren’t sure of an eternal calling, to start today by looking around and seeing what you can do to help God’s Kingdom!

Hey everyone.  I would love you to check out my guest post at Marketplace Christianity called Are You a Lukewarm or Full Throttle Christian Business Owner?

Don’t forget to check out the other posts too.  Marketplace Christianity is filled with insights and perspectives regarding our faith in business!  Also follow Brad Harmon (founder of Marketplace Christianity) on Twitter!

Feel free to comment there or here!

I was frustrated this weekend trying to create an abstract painting.  I see other abstract paintings and say Why not?  It looks so easy doesn’t it.

Blank canvas facing me, I don’t know where to begin.  I have the tools.  The best paintbrushes, a multi-purpose easel, and artist quality paints.  I didn’t skimp on the student grade!

Eventually I put paint to brush; brush to canvas.  I wish I could say I painted with abandon.

Do You Follow The Spirit With Abandon?

But, I couldn’t seem to let go.  In contemplating the affliction I had to admit, this isn’t the only area I try to over-control.

God gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us; but a prerequisite is that we have to give up control.

Have you ever had a similar experience in your business?  You have the best software or the finest equipment money can buy.  You have assembled a first class team.  The vision is clear.  Yet you don’t seem to be able to let go.

Let your team do their thing.

Trust in your equipment and tools.

Believe in your vision and that it is God-breathed.

Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and work through you.

Drawn by the Spirit

The result for me is almost abstract art.  It has color.  It’s a painting.  But where is the meaning behind the picture?  Where is the depth and emotion?  Where is the soul?

We can make our business work without the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Many people do, both believers and non-believers.

However, I would contend that something is missing in our business without the leading of the Holy Spirit.  It lacks true purpose, it is short on originality, it is void of soul!

A soul-less business is not a city on a hill.  It isn’t a masterpiece.  It probably won’t change lives.

Adding Soul to Your Business

The only way to control this is to give up control.  Trust the Holy Spirit as the living God who wants to work through you and your business for His kingdom purposes.

It’s not tangible.  Others may not see it.  But you know.

You know if you are holding to tightly to the brush.

Only using conventional color combinations.

Following the science, not the art.

My challenge to you is to pray each day for the Holy Spirit to lead you and your business.  Invite Him to take over the reigns.

Follow through on the vision God gave to you knowing that nothing is too difficult for Him.

When it comes down to it, we can’t create a masterpiece if we don’t believe God created us to do it.  We can’t create a God glorifying business if we don’t trust the Holy Spirit to guide the way.

A mustard seed.

Faith that can move mountains.

Only Our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

I thought when I became a Christian I became a new person in Christ.  I was able to give up some pretty bad habits and picked up a few really good ones.  In theory I would say I’m a new person.

In reality, I don’t think we ever get away from our core being.  Research says that if you take the Myers Briggs Personality Test when you are 17 and again when you are 47, they should be the same.

This seems particularly true for me.

We All Get Stuck

I have been working on developing a new informational product.  It is a home study on my business development path.  The topic I needed to add content too was about creating policies and procedures for your business and automating your systems.

I totally believe in this topic.  It is an absolutely necessary component to building a strong foundation.

I talk to clients about streamlining your business topics weekly.  And, I am actually pretty experienced in creating processes and policies; setting up systems; and identifying opportunities to automate.

But, like my clients, I don’t like it.  It’s not the fun, enticing part of entrepreneurial life.  It isn’t what get’s me jumping out of bed in the morning to rush to work.

The Enemy is You

Somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind sits my 10 year old self.  This was a rebellious time in my development.  This 10 year old kid has been refusing to write the detailed content for automating a business.

She didn’t say anything.  She just hid the ideas, vocabulary, and creativity and refused to give them back.  The problem is I didn’t have any of these tools for the rest of my business either.  Her stubbornness overflowed into all areas of writing.  If you have noticed it has been a couple of weeks since I even posted a new blog post.  She wouldn’t let me write anything.

In hindsight, I know it was the “automation content” that was causing the stall.  I talked to my marketing manager and we decided on another way to address this section.  We determined that much of this section is pretty standard and I can point clients to others who have already developed resources in this area.

We Are Who We Are

Instead we re-routed my attention to focusing on my upcoming Christian Business Edge product.  As soon as we hung up I started writing.  The 10 year old me pulled out her crayons and went to town.

Why was this so hard for me?  If I talk about automation all of the time, and I believe in it’s importance, why the writer’s block?

I think it goes back to the fact that the core of who we are doesn’t change.  Ultimately I am not excited about policies, procedure and systems.  It is a necessary evil.

Don’t get me wrong.  I believe we all have things in our businesses that just have to get done and we need to either do them or hire someone else to.  That is different from creating a product that is uninspiring to you.  Even my 10 year old self knows that it would lack passion, vivacity, and pizzaz compared to the many other topics in my business path product.

How to Get Unstuck

If you are stuck in moving forward in some part of your business, stop and reflect on what you are working on.  Is there a barrier that you have not even recognized?  Can you redirect your work?  Can you hire someone to help in the area if it is a necessary evil?  When we have a barrier or block in our productivity, creative or not, we need to do something to knock it down, overcome it, or go around it?  The longer you wait to face the 10 year old rebellious YOU; the longer you wait to make progress.

Our God is a God of order.  He knew right away that we weren’t going to make it on our own.  He created laws and commandments for us to follow.

Thankfully in the four gospels we have been able to document His “policies and procedures” for life.

Some of His teachings were policy type lessons like do not commit adultery.  Others were more procedural as He taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer.

Jesus had dual teaching going on.  He was teaching people how to live simultaneous to teaching the disciples His ministry. He wanted His ministry to run even when He was no longer physically present.

What Would Jesus Do?

That should be our goal for our business, too. Jesus teaching was so consistent and well communicated that we still hear today WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?).

Wouldn’t it be cool if you were on vacation and your team is in a pickle and instead of calling you, they all put their heads together and say “What Would Sue Do?” or “What Would Joe Do?”  And even more cool would be that you had created such a strong foundation of policies and procedures consistently applied that they would be able to figure out what you would actually do.

And if you want to top off the perfect scenario-

If you have built your business on your Christian values then in many cases your team could go straight to “What Would Jesus Do?” because they know that “What Would Sue/Joe Do?” would be the same answer!

Think about it.  If we build systems and teams on our Christian values we have such a foundation for our business.  Our employees will automatically know:

• customer service – treat others how we would want to be treated
• quality – in everything we do glorify God
• service – Jesus washed His disciples feet
• delegation – Moses found many other men to delegate the judging duties to

Christian Values = Good Business

It is amazing how good business lines up with our Christian values.

Having predictable, duplicatable systems is necessary for leading and growing a prosperous business for the long run.  No matter how passionate we are about our vision.  No matter how young or energetic we are.  No matter how gifted and talented we are and how many hats we can wear….eventually we need rest.  Eventually we need to pass the torch.

That’s What Jesus Did. And 2000 years later we are still following His policies and procedures manual (The Bible).  Two thousand years later the gospel is still being shared across nations.

You don’t have to worry about where you business will be 2000 years from now, but will your employees know what to do without your direct input 2000 days from now? How about 2 days from now?

I know it is really frustrating to own your own business and have less flexibility and free time then when you worked for someone else. There can be many causes of this, but one that is fairly common is that we become the main “technician” in the business.

Whether you have an accounting firm, delivery service, or counseling practice, if you are spending all of your time doing accounting, deliveries or counseling your business is probably suffering.

Spend 20-30% of Your Time Working On Your Business

We need to be spending at least 20%-30% of our time working “on” our business, not “in” our business.

Why?

If we are a small business, what can take so long?

The biggest problem occurs when you get behind on business management. Do any of these scenario’s sound familiar?:

• “I only write a couple of checks per week. I figured I could put in an accounting/bookkeeping process later. Now it is the end of the year and I can’t pull the information together for my taxes or to renew my credit line.”
• “I was working so much I didn’t have time or the need for marketing. Then when everything started slowing down and I could catch my breath, my cash flow dried up. I can’t afford to spend money on marketing.”
• “I had to hire Mr. Z. The last guy quit without notice. My gut told me Mr. Z wasn’t the right person, but I had a hole. If I didn’t hire him, I would be working even more hours.”
• “My new employee starts Monday. I can’t even stop long enough to figure out what to delegate. I wish we had completed those training manuals. Now half of my day will be eaten up on Monday to even get this new person started.”

If any of these, or a variation of these, sounds like you, these are issues that can be prevented by working “on” your business. The idea is to put together consistent business processes before you need them so you will be ready when you do need them.

The Sooner You Carve Out The Time, The Longer Your Business Will Last

It is much more difficult to establish strong systems once your business is bursting at the seems.  You have less time.  Processes and information are a mess and have to be cleaned up before a new process can even be established.  The longer you wait, the more people are usually involved in the transition.  And we all know how people feel about change!

As a small business owner, making it a routine to spend 20-30% of your time working “on” your business now, will not only save you time and money later, it may actually save your business!

Someone Else May Run Your Business After You Fail

I have a family member that ran his own business for several years.  Sales were great and his business was building a brand name.

He didn’t have time to work “on” his business.  A few years of hard work and sweat later, he had to turn his business over to someone else because he didn’t pay correct taxes or maintain proper accounting records.

When the time came to pay the back taxes, he didn’t have the money.  The bank wouldn’t lend it to him because he couldn’t present financial statements and his credit was shot.

He had to move on, but 20 years later the person he turned this business over to is still running it!

How would your infrastructure hold up if you quickly doubled sales?  Could you handle the business with the same quality and responsiveness that you had envisioned when you started your business?

Start now and develop a 3 month plan to incorporate time into your schedule to spend working “on” your business.

What works for you?  Please share your suggestions for making time to work “on” your business.

A long time boss and mentor of mine used to always tell me “The measure of how good a leader you are is how well your department, business, division runs once you are gone.”  He knew me well.  This was a battle cry.  I was always looking to move up or over in the company and I wasn’t going to leave a string of embarrassing rag tag departments behind me.  In the heat of things I always saw this manipulation as a personal challenge.

And although part of consistently throwing this statement my way, was because he knew how to push my buttons, in actuality it was true.  By creating teams and businesses that could run without me, it freed me up to take advantage of other opportunities.

But, most importantly, I believe it was the single most effective strategy for successful business growth and for enhancing my leadership skills.

In order for my projects and teams to succeed, and run without me I had to:

• hire talented, technically competent people
• create a diverse team that complimented each other to ensure no major holes
• delegate like crazy so that everything could be done without me if necessary
• develop an open, learning, and innovative environment where people were not afraid to let you know if they had an issues or messed up

And more importantly…

• create systems of checks and balances to make sure discrepancies were found without one boss micromanaging
• make sure that we had policies and procedures whereby the team could make most decisions independently because they knew how things were supposed to work

These leadership activities strengthened the team and made them more independent.

As a small business owner creating a business that will beat the odds and survive and grow beyond it’s first 5 years,  you must create a business that can run without you.

How would your business do if you stepped away for one day? Could you step away for a week?  Can it run without you?  Why not?

Make a list of the things that would fall apart first.  What can you do over the next 6 months to turn this around and empower these parts of your business to be autonomous?

Need help?  Write your questions in the comment field below.

Last night my husband was watching Sheryl Crow and her new tour band playing on television.  They were introducing her new cd 100 Miles from Memphis.  I sat to watch for a few minutes.

It was on QVC and she seemed embarrassed, but that is just speculation.

She was being interviewed between songs as the interviewer pitched the special QVC price and bundle for sale.  The interviewer was bragging about how Sheryl could play so many different instruments.  When she got around to the saxophone:

“You even play a little saxophone” stated the interviewer.

“A very little….that is why I have….”(and she named her sax player and pointed to him).

Then she introduced the rest of the tour band.  I think there were at least 10 members in her band.  It was diverse in many ways:

• Each played a different instrument or provided vocals.
• She had men and women represented.
• She had different races and ethnicity covered.
• And she had what seemed like a wide-age span  (but maybe that is just because I feel so old)

She seems to have the diversity thing figured out.  She obviously knows she can’t do it all herself.  She has build a special touring team.  And she has many different gifts and talents assembled a la the body of Christ concept.

I think sometimes we worry that if we hire team members that are too different from who we are individually that they won’t fit with our team.

They may not match the culture.

In this case, they did all have a common bond.  They all loved music and they were all talented musicians.  To effectively manage this diverse group of musicians and singers I am sure she had to lay out the vision of this cd and this tour.

We don’t need everyone to look exactly alike to make up a cohesive team.  On the contrary, we need other people’s gifts, talents and even differences to compliment ourselves and to fulfill our vision!

12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by^[c^] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  1 Corinthians 12:12-27

It works for the church.

It works for rock bands.

I bet diversity will work for our businesses too!

And what a relief to have someone with the gifts you don’t have to help you out!  Thank God.

Our purpose in this world is to serve God.  He gave us all different gifts and talents and I believe in my heart it is our responsibility to use these gifts and talents to serve Him.  The difficulty in this is remembering 24/7 that we are here to serve.  In us fights a desperate need for accomplishment and personal purpose.  This need is so strong that sometimes it blinds us to the fact that we already have a purpose.  I think we can manifest this need for purpose on two different paths.  In the world’s vocabulary we would call both paths our vision.  Christian business owners usually have a business vision.  The difference in the two paths is that one is a vision God has given us and the other is a vision we have created ourselves.

How do we know the difference?

I think on paper both visions can look the same.  I believe that God can use a Christian business coaching practice.  I also believe that I can desire to use my gifts in the practice of Christian business coaching.

A vision on paper is a picture, possibly an end result.

A God vision is alive and developing as we live it.

On the outside they can look the same, but in practice they become very different.  God’s vision will always somehow further His cause which is to glorify Himself.

I decided to become a Christian business coach and counselor when I finished my second graduate degree.  As I execute my vision for creating a Christian coaching business the two paths lay in front of me each day.  I know it is God’s vision when:

• an idea or passion comes to you that won’t go away and that you feel drawn to…it’s personal…you feel called to it…not that it is just something that needs to be done.  It is something that YOU need to do.
• I feel connected to God and seek Him for advice and guidance each step in executing the vision rather than check my faith at the door and segregate my business life from my God walk.
• doors open and opportunities present themselves rather than a person fighting to make it all happen in their own strength.
• my gifts are used in ways I never trained for or contemplated…
• circumstances defy your training and logic; I can see God’s hand at work
• He makes himself known to me in the execution of the day to day
• He brings me clients that I would not have chosen or targeted and my work is just what they needed.  And I soon feel Christian love for people that I wouldn’t have encountered on my own.
• I have patience in situations I normally wouldn’t because I see God’s plan in it all.

Obviously this is a general list for me and I am sure that there are as many variations, as there are visions, in seeing God’s path versus the world’s path. How do you know your vision is a vision from God?  Please share your experience with us!

Interviewing is an art.  It is also the key activity in the process of hiring the team member who will provide you with not only the perfect compliment of skills and talents, but the cultural fit you need to build your business.  During the interview process here are the 3 impact areas to focus on:

Secret #1: You Can Find Out More Than You Want to Know if You Build Rapport

Try to get to know the candidate.  Put them at ease so they will open up and share more of who they really are with you.  You won’t be able to tell if someone will fit with your team if they are guarded throughout the interview.  You won’t be able to tell if you will like working with them either.

You are in charge of the interview.  It is up to you to set the tone of the interview and to put the candidate at ease.

You will find out good and bad from this.  I have had candidates tell me that “no customer is going to treat me like dirt.  I won’t stand for that.” to others sharing stories of terrible relationships with prior employers.  I am not judging these individuals in their values based on these stories.  However, depending on your business, information learned may indicate whether they would fit your culture or not.

If you effectively build rapport, you can find out a lot about the whole person you are hiring, without asking any inappropriate questions.

Building rapport is NOT crossing your arms, staring the candidate down, and asking them “why would we hire you?”

If you aren’t sure how to build rapport, start by creating an atmosphere that feels more like you are just sharing a cup of coffee with a new acquaintance, and trying to get to know them better.  Smile.  Use their name a lot.  Give them time to settle in before you ask the hard questions.

Secret #2: Ask Questions That Yes or No Can’t Answer

There are many questions you can ask to determine if a person already shares your value system.  The best way to assess this is to give the candidate a situation and ask them an open-ended question about how they would handle or resolve the situation.  It’s important to not lead them in the answer you want.

One example may be:

We have all had to deal with an unhappy customer at some point in our career.  Tell me about your most outrageous customer situation.

Then let them tell the story.  Don’t ask them how they handled it at first.  Wait until the story is unfolding and in the natural course of conversation say “What did you do when Customer X did that?”

The candidate is usually caught up in the story and they will openly share their response.

Other questions should be covered about work ethic, dependability, etc.

Remember, the best questions in an interview are open-ended.  What open-ended means is that they cannot be answered by a simple yes or no.

One question I love to ask to determine if a person is dependable or not starts with:

If I asked your current boss or past bosses about your attendance or about your promptness to work on a consistent basis what would they tell me?

By wording it this way for some reason it is like hooking the person up to a lie detector test.  They seem to feel that this means you are going to ask their references this question and the truth will set them free.

It is an introduction to whether or not the candidate meets his/her commitments.

Secret #3: Share The Dynamic, Inspiring Vision of Your Company

All companies can and should share the core values of their business.  It is perfectly legal to tell an employee that integrity is a core value for your business and to explain or define that in your terms.  You can communicate your views in an interview.  You can say that the bible tells us in the book of James “to let your yes be yes and your no be no”.  Then explain why this verse exemplifies integrity to you.

Or try something like this out:

In my company people are of utmost importance.  Whether it be our employees, customers or vendors.  I want to create a foundation or culture in my company that values people.  This is what that looks like to me:

We all try to help any customer whether it is our job or not.

We treat others how we would want to be treated.

We own up to mistakes and communicate openly to find solutions.

We help other team members proactively with a servant’s heart.

We treat vendors with respect with our words and our actions.

We use respectful language here in front of customers and vendors and behind the scenes with each other.

We show up to work on time and when scheduled because we know it will cause a burden on someone else if we don’t.

We care about quality and doing everything, everyday to the best of our ability.

Why?  Because we want to have a team that works together seamlessly, we want to have customers and vendors that respect us and want to do business with us.

At this point, if the candidate meets your technical requirements for the job and you are impressed with their interview, it is worth the time and effort to share with them your vision of the company and the culture.

Ask them if this is the type of culture that matches them and why.  If they just say “yes” and can’t qualify it, then they may just be paying lip service.  However, if you have built rapport and had a productive interview, at this point if someone hears about your culture I believe you will be able to read their honest response.  Your intuition will kick in.

I can tell by a person’s body language.  Sometimes it is the excitement in their voice.  Other times it is a sparkle in their eye.  It says “Wow, I didn’t know that companies like this existed.  I want to come and work for you, learn from you and grow with you!”

Yes, you can get that from body language or a sparkle in the eye.  Others may actually say it!

Just Do It Then

These may seem like simple obvious interviewing techniques, but in coaching small business owners on a daily basis, in reality these must be well kept secrets.  They just aren’t happening.  Companies jump right into the interview process and tell the person all of the requirements of the job.  They ask them if they have any questions and if they think they can do the job.  Then they hire them.  The interview part of the interview never happens.

The bad news is that glossing over a real interview results in poorly qualified people being hired and, in many cases, quick turnover in the position.

Simple or not, if you follow these interview secrets, you will make much better hiring decisions.  So, don’t say you already know all of this, just do it!

The Results

There are tremendous positive outcomes from following these secrets:

• hire more qualified candidates
• maintain a tighter company culture
• create a team that works well together
• reduce turnover costs

If the candidate matches your company culture and your company culture reflects your Christian values, it is highly likely that the new hire shares your Christian values.  And ultimately there is a higher rate of successful new hires.

For much of my career I worked for other people.  Even working for bigger companies I had an opportunity to do some completely entrepreneurial work.  I always like flexibility, change, the unknown.

I like doing what has never been done in companies where I am told “this is how it has always been done”.

On the outside I am a mild-mannered, calm, consistent force to be reckoned with.  On the inside I am the person on the edge of the cliff, heart beating fast, adrenalin exploding as I’m about to take the plunge into the unknown.

No one is pushing me.  I am here on my own.

Why?

Because God created me this way.  The heart beating fear is my own creation.  The desire to be on the edge is His call.

The Christian Walk is Not The Easy Road

People think being a Christian is taking the easy way.  You just follow the rules and be a good girl or boy and you will be fine.

I don’t know where this idea comes from.  Certainly not from anyone who has tried to follow Jesus.

It’s really confusing actually.  It isn’t by works that we are deemed “good” by God.  Just following the rules doesn’t cut it.  It is by faith.

Yet if you are a high achiever.  If you are the one who shows people that what they thought couldn’t be done can.  This person wants to work on being the poster child follower.  Because that is who I am.  That is who you are.

But, that doesn’t count, and “working on it” only classifies you with the pharisees.

You Are Not Alone

You have to have faith.  You are standing on the edge of that cliff, wind blowing through your hair, thoughts swirling in your mind, when you suddenly feel a hand enclose around yours.  You look to your side and see Jesus standing their ready to jump with you.

• When you sign for the business loan to open your own business.
• When you purchase the new system that cost as much as a month of your revenues.
• As you hire that new associate from the Ivy League school.
• When you tell your main client that you don’t agree with the direction they are going.

Jesus is there with you.  That is what makes being a Christian business person different.

Taking That Leap of Faith

That is what gives me the final burst of adrenaline that supernaturally moves that first foot off of solid ground.  His presence makes me brave.  His love makes me grateful.  His power makes me feel safe.

These feelings I have learned to understand are Faith.

It is because the Creator of the World chose me that I want to do everything to glorify Him.

It’s What Makes Us Different

It is why I took my business skills and started a Christian business coaching practice.  Without God in it, my advice is the same as the tens of thousands of other business coaches.

Because I believe that all Christians should build their business on their Christian values…..

Because I know that God gives us our vision and our dreams and opens the doors to their achievement….

Because I have trusted Him to guide my business decisions and to provide for me as He promises….

Stepping out in faith.  Leaping off the cliff.  Creating businesses that dare to be different.  I have found the path to business success.

Not on the world’s terms.  Not on my own terms.  But on God’s terms.

If you are a Christian business owner you have probably felt it too.  Haven’t you ever felt that God was sending clients/customers to you?  Have you ever wondered how you had the energy to work 60-70 hour weeks for months on end?  Were you scared?  Are you scared?

Remember that you are different.  God doesn’t see success as the world sees it.  He has a different mission and a different world view.  But if you step out in faith.  If you follow His path for you personally (and you know He has one for you).

In your heart.  In your mind.  You will achieve success on a level you have never known before.

And it is that feeling that compels you to climb another mountain.  To boldly approach the edge.  And to launch a new way of doing business.  God’s way.

God’s way is not the way we have always done it!

I had a pastor once who said often, “People have an infinite capacity for self-deception.”  I have often thought of this phrase in many different settings and even applied it to myself at times.

I purposefully study and meditate on how I can apply the bible to my business.  I believe fervently that God cares about my little Baton Rouge business just as He cares about all of the other aspects of my life.  I share that as part of the mission of my business coaching.  As Christian business men and women we have extra advantage with the King of the Universe watching over us.

Most of my clients are pretty knowledgeable about God’s word and at times will argue gently that the scripture I am referencing has a different meaning.  Not that I am taking it out of context, only that the scripture was talking about church life or marriage or some other specific noun.

The Holy Spirit Points Out Different Things to Different People

This bugs me because as I read and study I feel that the Holy Spirit points out different things to different people.  That God personalizes His message to me.  However, I wasn’t sure how credible it would sound if I said that maybe to you God was talking about marriage here, but to me he was discussing business partnerships.

Referencing scripture is hard because we are sharing with others what the Holy Spirit is showing us personally in God’s Word.  I already have the capacity for self-deception thing going for me.  And I am well aware that at times we have all probably cherry picked scripture to support our decisions or actions.  In sharing scripture I feel vulnerable to these weaknesses inherent in me.

But the idea that scripture can be just as helpful in my business life as any other part of my life stays strong.

Then all of the jumbled thoughts in my crowded mind sort of clicked into place.

My Epiphany

If I step back and look at the bible as a whole, I find that scripture:

• helps me know who God is and to better understand His nature
• shows me who man is in our natural pursuit
• guides us on who we can be in Christ.

If we follow Jesus’ example, if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we can become who God created us to be.  Or at least get closer.

The bible gives me a God view and I need to apply my entire panoramic view to the separate compartments of my life.

How Does This Relate to our Business?

If God’s principles show us how to have better relationships; how we can be Godlier people; how His order of things produces a more “right” life; then why wouldn’t we just apply it to every aspect of life that we can?

If God says to be equally yoked in our marriages, why wouldn’t I want to be equally yoked in my partnerships?

If God tells me that I need to put His Word in my heart in order to “build my house on rock”, then having His Word in my heart would also mean applying it in my business.

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

I talked to a client about these verses in Matthew 7:24-27 and said that we should have an underlying foundation in our business based on our Christian values.  He said to me that these verses didn’t speak to him about management.

I get that in these particular verses Jesus is saying that practicing obedience becomes the solid foundation to weather the storms of life.  But, to me, practicing obedience to Jesus words in business management is included.  This seems wise to me.  The principle seems sound that if I build my business on Christian values rather than secular principles my business will have a stronger foundation.

From God View to God Mindset

I am not trying to use scripture to manipulate or coerce anyone.  I am trying to get into a God mindset for my life.  I am trying to absorb God’s wisdom so that as I pursue life I approach people, situations, struggles and opportunities with a God view.

It is hard in practice to follow Jesus well.  It is impossible, at least for me, to try to compartmentalize my God view.  Part of my personality is to look at the big picture and then look at the details or facts.

What I attempt to do is to look at how God wants us to live (the big picture) and apply it to every facet of life (the details).

The bible gives us many examples of how God would apply His wisdom but then we need to extrapolate life application of our God view to our own life.  Yes, we have an infinite capacity for self-deception, however, if we study God’s Word and pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to guide us and provide us with discernment, ultimately we will live a Godlier existence in all aspects of life, including our business!

——-

Image Credit:  Katie Miley (she took this picture for me this morning – photography on demand!)

I remember every time I had a huge project or a new promotion I would get such a case of the nerves that it was unhealthy.  I worked for a bigger company and I volunteered for everything, qualified or not.

I was the marketing manager with a finance degree.

I was the Corporate Controller without a CPA or Accounting Degree.

I was put in charge of store design and construction when I didn’t know the difference between a pliers and a wrench.  (I still am not sure.)

I am a business person who became a mental health counselor.

Working for a fairly big company had it’s “this is the most fabulous career ever” moments to “this is hell on earth”.

But there was a distinct difference in dealing with the nerves in a big company working for someone else compared to the very small sole proprietorship I have now.

The difference – you were always on the pedestal with a crowd waiting for you to fall off.

The positive of being on the pedestal was:

• fear of public humiliation pushed you to give it your all
• bosses and owners were threatening (I mean encouraging) you to accomplish the goals
• people (your team) were counting on you and depending on you

And I achieved so I would never let them down.  The problem with this motivation was that it was external and fueled by the fear of negative consequences.  Don’t get me wrong.  There were worldly rewards for achievement.  Recognition and Money.

But at the end of the day(or decade) I was zapped of energy and trying to figure out what lasting legacy my heart and soul were leaving behind.

Let me pause here and say that towards the end of my corporate career I found Jesus.

I was looking for Him because the money, the recognition and the goal accomplishment wasn’t giving my life meaning.  When I slowed down long enough to think, I realized it was a hollow success.

The difference now- no pedestal but Jesus is their to catch you even if you stumble.

My motivations for my Christian business are:

• I want to make a difference in God’s Kingdom
• I want to help others find God’s will for their lives
• I want to help businesses to shine a light on Jesus, showing that businesses based on Christian values can be and are successful even in the secular marketplace.

Forget the pedestal.  I want Christian businesses to be a city on a hill.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

How does a finance manager successfully navigate the new product waters bringing unity to the traditional competitive relationship between a marketing and sales department?

How does a marketing person run a $100 million company’s Accounting department reducing DSO to an all time low, increasing investment returns, reducing the corporate tax rate and bringing the monthly close to a best practices of 5 days.

How does a career support department manager develop and launch a new cutting edge strategic business unit for a traditional, high market share cash cow business?

How does a Jewish corporate business executive become a Christian coach and counselor?

It was Paul who said,

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

They say hindsight is 20/20.  I can look back now and know that God has always worked through my weakness.

He chooses us before we are born.  So although I didn’t know that I was His at the time, He did.  And even then, I now believe, God was working through my weakness.

Thankfully now I know to give Him the credit.

The pedestal was scary because I knew the fall would cause bruising and bumps.

The city on the hill is scarier because I don’t want to let the God who created me, and who has worked faithfully through me, down.

But the difference – building my business on my Christian values

Brings color and definition to the vision God has given me for my business.

Creates a unique culture for my clients and stakeholders that they can rely on.

Gives me guidance on building a team that is especially equipped to build that city on a hill.

And we will do it on a foundation of rock (God’s Way), not sand (Secular ways).

With Jesus’ methodology of discipleship and spreading the Good News as our marketing and sales model.

Through servant leadership and leading by example we will form a path for other businesses to see that they too can achieve traditional success on a foundation of Christian values and become their own city on a hill.

Why?  Because for Christian business owners our point of difference and our competitive advantage is Jesus Christ.  He is our CEO.

Don’t you love hiring new people.  Once it is determined that a position is needed and it is going to be filled it is like getting a gift card.  The money is already spent so you don’t feel guilty.  Now you just have to find the best book, electronics, dinner or dress you can find with your gift card.

The entire market place is your store.  Your goal is to find that purse that matches your wardrobe or that cell phone case that fits like a glove.

Finding a new person for your team is the same.  You don’t go and buy a pair of shoes that doesn’t match anything in your wardrobe.  You want something that compliments or coordinates with the rest of the closet.  And we all know what happens when we buy the shoes that look great but kill our feet…they stay in the closet.

When you start looking for a new employee you need to figure out what characteristics and credentials will best match you, your team and your business.  And if you are a small business owner your team is probably small so you want to make every team member count!

Be Picky – Stiff Requirements Are Okay

Jesus spent a good amount of time building His team.  There were twelve of them and they would serve an eternal role.  Jesus had some stiff requirements:

1. Leave everything and follow me.  Leave your job, your family, and your home.
2. Lot’s of travel is involved.
3. It will be awesome.  You will see miracles, healing, and learn a ton.
4. You will be a part of an eternal mission serving the one and only God of the Universe.

Jesus chose to build a diverse team from fisherman to tax collectors.

His plan was to lead by example.  He didn’t ask the disciples to do anything He wouldn’t do.  As a matter of fact, Jesus held himself to God’s standards whether any one else could achieve them or not.  And we know the answer is “or not”.

He also was a servant leader.  He washed His disciples feet and served them.

This Is The Person That Your Team Will Be With Approximately 2000-2500 Hours/Year.

Jesus was with His team nearly 24/7.

Consider this.

Whomever you hire will be with you or with others on your team for 40 -50 hours per week.  Between 2000-2500 hours per year.  Choose carefully!

Here are some guidelines:

• Make sure you fully explain what the job is and what your expectations are for the ideal candidate.
• Sell them a little on your company, your vision, your team.  To get a really good candidate the opportunity needs to be exciting for them too.
• Consider how they will fit in with the team.  Do they fit your company’s culture?  Will they get along with everyone?  Will they add value to the team overall?
• What are their long-term plans?  Turnover is expensive.  Will this job meet their needs for awhile?  Will it be challenging enough for them for 3-5 years?  Or will you have other opportunities by then?

Maybe your team will not bring salvation to the world, but it is the group of people that will achieve God’s vision for your business.  Again, choose carefully because the return policy on a poor hire is a lose/lose situation for everyone.

If you are not confident in your hiring, Crossroads Professional Coaching can help.  We have programs specifically designed to help Christian small businesses build their teams.  Let us know if we can be of service.

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When I answer the phone for my business I try to be enthusiastic and energetic to the caller.  I was talking to a friend a couple of weeks ago who called a business and the owner answered and he sounded like the phone ringing had interrupted him.  This was a business that has a retail location.  My friend knew the owner and told him that he sounded pretty miserable answering the phone.

You Set The Mood

Can you imagine if the owner feels this way, how do the other employees feel?  I wonder how they would answer the phone?

Granted we all have bad days, but we business owners must remember that our employees, customers and vendors won’t get excited about our business if we aren’t excited about it.

Our Thoughts Control Our Mood

When I wear my second business hat, I am a counselor.  In counseling we learn that our thoughts really have a huge impact on our attitude and mood.  We also know that in most cases we can control our thoughts.

Sometimes we have to do something to distract ourselves from bad thoughts.

Other times we can force ourselves to think positively.

We Control Our Thoughts

The best way in my opinion is to get ahead of our moods and attitude.  Put positive thoughts in your head proactively.

Are you passionate about your business?  Were you at one point and then a series of frustrating, aggravating, disappointments occurred sucking the joy out of your work?

Go back in history to the time you had unbridled energy and enthusiasm in your business.  Before you go to work each day, remember that time and tell yourself that today is going to be one of those days.

Or think of an especially satisfying day at work in the past few months.  Why was it different?  Did you do something different?  Try to put your thoughts on recreating that day.

Attitude Is a Choice

However, you do it, attitude is a choice.  People are attracted to people and more so to people with energy, enthusiasm and a contagiously positive attitude.

Share this positive view with everyone at the beginning of the day.  Employees.  Customers.  It will catch on and everyone will work harder and treat each other better.  Soon your good thoughts and peppy mood will be real, not contrived.

Seize the Day

Jesus says in Matthew 6: 34:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Focus on the day.

Focus on each moment.  Make the decision to show excitement and passion about your business.  Make a decision to make someone else’s day.  You may be surprised, it may make your day too!

Everyone hates to fail.

At the same time in one way or another we all do fail.  As a Christian business owner failure seems to taunt us from the sidelines the same way Satan tempted Eve in the garden and tried to tempt Jesus in the desert.  If we fail, not only will we have real worldly consequences of our defeat, we sometimes feel that we did not glorify God in our business.

What kind of city on a hill am I when my business shuts down?

If I am not successful it may send the message that running a business on Christian values just doesn’t work in this world.

And this train of thought begins to weaken the bonds of our faith as we contemplate:

How will I support my family if the business isn’t successful?

I can’t take that chance because if it fails I may have to lay off people or reduce salaries.

Soon our fear of failure has us avoiding perceived risk and creating limiting boundaries that many times lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Small failures begin to shrink the boundaries.  We are so consumed with the fear that this small failure could have been so much worse that we shut the initiative down.  We stick to the tried and true and we are inflexible to needed change to stay relevant in the market place.

Businesses don’t succeed without some experience in failure and a certain measure of risk.  How can we take our failures and use them to create success?

1. We have to analyze the failure to figure out what didn’t work.

I know it is painful and we want to block the whole thing out of our minds.  We don’t want to discuss our foolishness or lack of competency with others to get perspective and insight.  But we have to.  If we don’t want to let the failure have power over our future we need to glean from it the learning and wisdom that is available.

Was the plan wrong or did we just not execute fully?

Did we do great on the sales side but then not deliver on product or service quality?

Did we build it with hopes that “they would come” and not have a sales or marketing vehicle in place?

If you are honest with yourself the answers are there.  You will learn something from the failure.  Something you can use in the future.  Don’t let the failure be for nothing.  Get the valuable learning at least!

1. We have to get back up and try again.

I have read so many stories about famous people who failed many times before they were successful.  Stephen King and JK Rowlings were rejected dozens of times before they were published.  Can you imagine if they had given up?

Mother Theresa was not granted permission to begin her ministry to minister to the sickest and poorest until several requests and many, many years.

If we look at Peter in the bible we see a man who learned from his mistakes.  Peter started out strong.  He got out of the boat and walked on water when Jesus called him.  (Matthew 14:27-30)  He even took the risk of boldly identifying Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20).  Then he totally messes up and denies Jesus three times on the night of His arrest.  That was a huge lack of faith and fall from grace for Peter.  He miserably failed Jesus Christ directly.

Many of us would have gone off to hide after that.  Our shame and humiliation would have us go back to the fishing boat and live out our life in quiet desperation.

But not Peter.  He went on to do incredible things for Christ’s church.  He helped others to stay strong in their faith even in the face of persecution.  He saw first hand the risen Lord and knew the rewards of eternal life awaited him.  He boldly shared this with the early church.

1. We have to trust God and believe that His Holy Spirit will guide us.

As an entrepreneur it is already in our dna to control things.  But, we have to remember that if we panic in our failure and scramble to fix everything in our own strength, we are more likely to fail again.

Remember that our definition of failure is probably different than God’s.  He would care more about our character development than the worldly impact of the business failure.  Can we learn patience and trust?  Can we look to God in all of our ways, even in our business?

If the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains, what could it do in our business endeavors if we are aligned with God’s will and walking in the Spirit?

I know it is hard to embrace failure and I would be lying if I said I did this with a joyful heart.  But the alternative, to hide out and retreat after failure, is not an acceptable alternative for a believer.  If God is to work through us and if we are to make an impact for His Kingdom, we have to be available.  We have to be willing and obedient.  Whether in our personal life or business life, God can and will use us.

Let’s take a lesson out of Peter’s book and remember that God gives us everything we need to succeed in life!

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

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I am waiting for the yard clean-up guy to show up this morning.  We have talked back and forth on the phone and he said he was coming today but it is almost 9 am.  It is already 95 degrees out.  I wonder if he is coming.

The doorbell rings.  Yay, that must be him.  I run from door to door but don’t see a person’s head.  I look out the kitchen window and see the Fed Ex truck driving away.  Fed Ex just dropped off my business card order.  I ran out of business cards over a month ago.  It took me over a month to get business cards printed.  I called several local printers and they sent me to upload online but my logo’s looked blurred.  They couldn’t or wouldn’t help me figure it out.  I finally had to go back to the graphic designer who created my logos to order business cards.  Sara Fae Kosteva, The Fae Group, was super responsive and got them for me in under a week.  I just didn’t think I would need to go to a graphic designer every time I needed to print business cards.  She is great though.  If you need logos, brochures, etc. she is creative and responsive.   [Quality below is tainted by my photography not actual business card-- it is perfect!]

I am excited to finally get the business cards but bummed it wasn’t the yard guy.

I have been trying to hire someone to clean out my garden beds.  They are a wreck and to some hungry entrepreneur our yard should seem like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  I started calling a business, that has “yard clean-up” in the business name, about a month ago to get an estimate.  After about 6-7 phone calls he came and looked and gave us an estimate.  His voicemail to me was that he didn’t think he would have time to put mulch down at the end.  I tried to explain in several messages that we had a lot of work to do and if he just scheduled it on his available days we would pay whatever his rate was for the time or project.  Yes, my gardens are a mess, but isn’t that what yard clean up businesses are looking for.

I see a truck drive up and run out to meet him.  He actually says to me “I’m not looking forward to this.”

We also need to replace about six custom windows on our house.  The hurricanes have eroded the wood on the bottom of the windows.  I have talked to three carpenters.  Two have come and looked at the windows.  I have yet to see an estimate.  I am anticipating one today from the third guy. So now that the yard guy and the business cards are here I will start praying for this carpenter to actually sent me the estimate.

I Thought That The Economy was Bad and Businesses Needed Work

This is just a couple of projects on the list that we have tried to hire people in the past couple of months to do.  I don’t understand it.  The economy is bad and supposedly everyone needs work.  Even if you call someone who does what you need they don’t respond.  Unless our name is on some blackball list across the whole city of Baton Rouge and surrounding areas in every industry I don’t think it is us.  Businesses are unresponsive before they meet us.

As I keep hitting these walls I try to take some learning out of it.  I have my own small business and I try to apply my learning myself as well as sharing with clients.  Here are my 4 simple steps to a positive business image (and to keep sales healthy) even during this economy:

1. Call people back whether or not you feel like it.  If you don’t have someone answering phones for you, and people leave you messages when they need your service, respond as quickly as possible but worst case scenario within 24 hours.
2. Tell the customer what to expect. If it takes a week to put a good quote together then tell the customer it will be a week and this is why.  If it is work you don’t want to do then tell the customer it isn’t what you do and offer a referral.
3. Do what you say your are going to do. Not only is it the Godly approach to “let your yes be yes and your no be no” it is also good business.  Even if you feel this business is not a good fit for you or your service, you should still communicate.  You may not want the business of this customer, but the bad impression will expand much further.  This snubbed prospective customer is going to tell a bunch of other people who NOT to call when they need new windows, yard work, or business cards.  If the best marketing is word of mouth, this can also work against you if you don’t live up to your word.
4. Take the time to refer the person or help them get the service they need. In my counseling practice I refer people all of the time.  I feel it is really important to stay within my area of expertise, therefore, many clients will be better served if they have another counselor.  I am very helpful in referring them to other colleagues that specialize in their area of need.  Some people are surprised that I spend so much time trying to help them find the right counselor.  I personally want to make sure they get the help they need.  But I also believe it is a smart business decision.  It creates good will with the client and when they have an issue that is in my area of specialty there is a higher chance they will call me at that time or refer friends who may be a good fit.  It also creates reciprocal referrals from other counselors who I have referred to.  Doing what is right is always the highest priority, but usually there are reasons it is right that will also benefit you.

I was able to get a good bit of my garden cleaned up even though we didn’t get to the mulch.  I asked the guy to put me on his schedule for his next available slot which he said was not for three weeks.  I also paid him an extra $50 to make it worth his while so he will actually come back.  Then I come to work to meet with a client sharing with me the impact the economy is having on their business.  I have to hold myself back from suggestions like, “Have you ever thought of opening up a window repair business.  Or maybe a business card printing service!”

I think my client’s may not want to throw away their 4 year college degree or their 10 years of industry experience.  So instead I say “Let’s see how we can knock down these  barriers.  It is a process, but I will stick with you through it.”  And somehow, hope is reignited and we get to work.

It is really crazy all of the ways that fear can manifest itself.  I was recently reminded of the time I had a meltdown at work because of a complete void of personal confidence.

It went like this…

I was promoted to the job of Vice President of the coffee house division for the strong regional coffee company where I had been working for about seven years at this time.  I was promoted from Corporate Controller.  All of the sudden my job went from closing the accounting books in five days to finding, leasing, building and opening coffee houses in 8 weeks.

We had a Starbucks’ alumni start the division for us.  He had opened the first two stores and we decided we didn’t want to be a Starbuck’s copycat.  I enter in with all of the culture of our 75 year old Louisiana heritage and the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning.

What if You Don’t Know What You Are Doing?

The problem everyone seemed to forget was that I had never designed or built anything, not even a personal home.

I was charged with creating a store design that matched our culture and roots.  We wanted old New Orleans, not contemporary Seattle.

Plus I was used to cutting costs and saving the company money.  Now I was in charge of the investment division aka the drain on the cash cow.

Don’t get me wrong, I had been begging for my own part of the business to run for at least a year; since giving birth to my twins.  This was one of those reinforcing moments of “be careful what you ask for”.

My first tasks as the new VP were to present to the board of directors my vision for our infant coffee house division, open the 3rd store which was finishing construction, and find a designer and construction company to create and build our new unique coffee house concept.

Confession Time

Within 3 weeks I was in the CEO’s office, tears threatening to flood the weakening dam, basically confessing that I didn’t know what I was doing.  The CEO had hired me many years ago when he was the CFO and I was an entry level financial analyst.

We had a history.  More like he had been on this roller coaster ride with me before.  In thinking back on it I can still summon up the embarrassment of the many times I had been in front of him telling him I was in over my head.  Embarrassed yes, but I didn’t feel bad.  He had told me early on that his strategy for developing people was to let them go under water, and as long as their head was still bobbing up above the surface he would leave them be.  It wasn’t until they submerged, he said, that he would throw the lifeline.  Gee thanks.

The problem is I was constantly bobbing and usually didn’t believe that I was going to make it back up for air.

So here I am back in his office, with yet another huge responsibility looming over me, and I am panicked.  My short career is flashing before my eyes but I feel a sense of moral obligation to tell him he has made a bad choice.  After all, if I single handedly took down this 85 year old company he would probably be in big trouble too.

As I confessed the tears began to fall.  “I don’t know what I am doing.  I don’t think I can get us a unique store design.  I have never built anything before, not even a bird house.  Are you sure you picked the right person for this job.”

Lack of Confidence is a Personal Problem

He just leaned back in his chair and waited for me to finish my full death row confession.  This made it worse because I was rambling now and going on way too much about my inadequacy.

When I finally shut up.  He looked straight at me and said, “I have complete confidence in your ability to do this.  You are the one that doesn’t have confidence in yourself.  That’s a personal problem that you need to figure out and move past.”

Period.  End of meeting.

He had confidence in me.  He had mentored me for the past 7 years and had trained me up for just such an opportunity.  He wasn’t making a wild gamble.  He knew my abilities.

God Doesn’t Make Mistakes

I think Jesus feels the same way.  God creates us and gives us all of our gifts, talents, and temperaments.  He knows what we can do.  He created us so he could use us to grow His Kingdom.  Yet how many times do we go to Him and say “I can’t do this Lord.  You picked the wrong person.”

He listens. He is patient.  But he stands by His decision.  Just as my old boss was thinking “I put you here for a reason.  I trained you up for just this challenge.”  I believe God has similar thoughts.  And when we think He may not be rescuing us from submerging, what He is really saying is “I have confidence in you!”  He knows we can do it.  We need to just have faith in ourselves.

Evidence Grows Faith

I went on to open 28 more coffee houses.  We had a very traditional New Orleans style feel to our cafes.  Lot’s of wrought iron and pictures of jazz musicians.  Dark wood counters and granite tables sat on our scored, stained concrete floors.  Aromas of rich ground coffee beans permeated the room, full of seating, as southerners like to stay awhile and catch up with friends.  Our coffee houses were more than a place for a quick cup of joe.  They were a haven for folks to come relax, work or chat with familiar faces and sip their favorite blend.

God wants to create a haven too!  His Kingdom is alive and present here on earth and He wants to use us, His followers, to grow it.  All we have to do is have the courage and faith to step out and do our part.  The part that our Heavenly Father created us to do.

Stepping Out in Faith

New challenges come and I am on the cusp of one myself.  I try to learn from my past and this current opportunity brought back all of these memories.  This time God is my CEO, but the rest of the story is the same.  I have to remember that I have built a history of evidence that says I can conquer new and different challenges. So I think I will save the tears, take a deep breath, and step out in faith to do what God is giving me to do!

How about you?  Are you facing serious challenges or opportunities?  Are your ready to step out with me?

If you want everyone on your team to be enthusiastically working towards your business vision they first need to know what it is and fully understand it.

What is a vision?

To me it is the ultimate picture of the business you want to create.  I believe that for Christian business people God gives us our vision.  The mission is the impact we want to have with our business.  It is the purpose of our business.  I am not talking about having a plaque on your wall that states your corporate mission in paragraphs that no one could remember if they wanted to.  I am posing the questions:  Where are you going and why?  There is a reason you started your business.  What is that reason and what are you hoping your business will look like down the road?

Write a couple of sentences that express your vision/mission?

How will it look if it was where you wanted it to be?

Some of you have employees in your business and some may be a solopreneur like me, but we all have people we depend on.  They may be vendors, contract employees,  friends, or even clients.  It is important for everyone else in our world to know our vision/mission also.  Jesus sent out the apostles to spread the word to Jew and Gentile.  The goal of the gospel is that every knee shall bow in every nation.  Jesus wants to make sure everyone knows about Him and His saving grace and he is using the ultimate in networking—-His followers!

Do your employees/stakeholders know the vision/mission of your organization?

Here is a test: (Answer yes/no)

______  Given multiple choice of 3 different missions, could they pick out yours.

______  If asked by someone else could they clearly communicate it?

______  Is it top of mind for them as they conduct their role in the business?

______  Are they passionately carrying the torch – sharing the mission in appropriate  ways as they conduct business for your organization?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, how can you change that?  Do you feel it is important to change it?

I have read three 2010 copyright books in the past two months that all espouse that the key motivator for employees and stakeholders of a company is:

To have challenging and important work!

If they do not know the purpose of the business they are working in, or for, how can they feel that their work is IMPORTANT?  Who needs to know?

EVERYONE

It really doesn’t matter what kind of work you do, it is important to someone.  We may not think a business cutting grass is very exciting, but it is for the busy corporate executive who get’s to enjoy time with their family rather than mowing grass on Saturday.  It is for the neighbors who all used to talk about your yard, and your laziness, before the grass cutters were on the job.  The Mission for the Grass Mowing company could be:

• Making neighborhoods beautiful.
• Keeping peace between neighbors.
• Doing our part to help busy people have time for their families.
• Taking care of the everyday stuff so you can do what you were born to do.

When I was running restaurants one of the most important jobs was the dishwashers:

• We had to have dishes.
• If they were not clean the guests experience would be ruined.
• Clean dishes kept health standards up, reducing liability and protecting health.
• Dirty dishes would be a PR/Marketing nightmare.
• If the dishwasher didn’t show up, someone else had to do it.

We could skip making a certain dish if we are out of an ingredient or if the chef who created it was sick…but we had to have dishes.

Does your equivalent to the dishwasher know how important his/her job is and how it relates to the company’s vision/mission?

If not, what action steps can you put in place to communicate the vision/mission of your business to EVERYONE!

The vision of Crossroads is to help Christian business owners to build a successful business on a foundation of their Christian values!  What is your vision/mission?  Share it with us in the comments!

If we make alot of money does that mean we are evil?

1 Timothy 6:10 (New International Version)

10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

I believe that this verse from 1 Timothy is one of the main verses that give Christian business owners pause in seeking profits as the primary measure of success in their business.  In a survey I did in 2009, guilt over desiring profits was a core conflict for Christian leaders.

I have to admit at times I have even felt this way.  If I use my business talent, time and skills and focus them on trying to increase sales and increase profits will God be upset with me.

It’s a circular internal argument if you think about it.  If I don’t earn a profit I will go out of business.  What is the difference if I earn a profit in my own business in order to support myself and my family or go to work for someone else and earn a salary from their profits?

If I want to provide a stable income for my employees to take care of their families then I need my business to make enough money, right?  If I want to share my passion for my product or service with others then I have to focus on getting it out to people.  If I don’t make a profit I will close down and then I can’t share my products and services.

You see how you can go crazy with this circular logic?

I am sure like me, you have all heard that it isn’t the money that is bad, it’s the love of money that is the root of all evil.  Okay so how do I measure “love of money”.  Some people say that our love can be seen as where we put our time and attention.  This just puts me back into the circular because it takes time and attention to run a profitable business.  It’s hard work.  It takes consistency, time and effort to start, grow and sustain  a strong business.

To get off the hamster wheel of circular logic, this is my thought process:

1. God gives us our talents and skills and He also gives us our vision if we are following Him. Is your business a calling from God?  I don’t mean that it must be a Christian business to be a calling from God.  My point:  Did God put it on your heart to open your own business?  We don’t have to sell a Christian product or service to have a Christian culture and foundation for our business.
2. We are supposed to do everything to glorify God. That means God wants us to really try hard in our business or if we work for someone else.  God expects us to have a strong work ethic.
3. We are supposed to build our lives on Christian values. To me that includes my business.  Is your business built on a foundation of Christian values and business ethics?
4. God calls us to be good stewards of His resources. We have to remember that none of the money is ours anyway.  It is all God’s.  If you remember the story of the servants and the master’s talents in Matthew 25:14-30 it is clear in this parable that we are expected to invest our master’s resources wisely.  We are expected to do more than just keep it safe as did the servant who hid the talent he was given.  The master praised the servants who multiplied his resources while he was gone.
5. God calls us to help others. This can be in many different forms, but some people help by providing resources for those in need.  This can be financial resources or more specific to services.  The one thing I do know is having a healthy financial life provides us with choices.  If we have abundant financial resources we are able to help many people in many ways.  This is where our attitude comes in to play.  If we have a true “love of money” we are not likely to be very generous.  This is a great way to check your heart.  Is it hard for you to do for others?  Do you share your resources with others in need?

I guess the summation of these points is that it really is our attitude.

If we have started a business because we feel called to use our God given gifts and talents this way….

If we throw our heart and soul into our work to glorify God…..

If we make sure that we bring our faith into our business decisions and look to God for direction in all that we do …..

and if we are good stewards of His resources by providing stable employment to other families and using our own rewards to generously give back to others…..

Then there is absolutely nothing to feel guilty about!

Let’s get off the hamster wheel, quit wasting emotional energy on guilt,  and put our heart and energy into glorifying God through our business!  What are your thoughts?  Let’s start a dialogue in the comments!

If you are a Christian business owner than hopefully you embraced the idea that you will work for decades and you wanted it to be meaningful work.  At some point in your life God gave you a vision for your business.  You know what it is like to follow God’s plan for you and your business.  Unfortunately, I am seeing many young people graduate high school, college, and/or graduate school and begin their career defeated.  Why?

• the economy is terrible
• no-one is hiring
• they are told by well meaning advisors to just be practical and get a job

I know some of these things can be and are true, however, these graduates have decades of work ahead of them.  We need to motivate them to go against the odds and seek, pray and search for God’s calling in their life.  I don’t want to set people up for failure, but in my experience attitude, hard work and perseverance have always made a huge difference.

Here is my passion-filled plea to graduates about why their career is worth their whole-hearted efforts!

Graduates:  If You Give Up on Your Career Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later

If you have a graduate in your family or no someone graduating, please pass the link to this post to them.  Let’s encourage this generation to make the effort!

Also, please share any other positive advice you have for young graduates in the comments!

When I worked for a pretty big regional coffee company we had a board of directors with  very high-up CEO’s from much bigger national company’s on it.  Although there wasn’t a direct matching system, as the VP of my division I had a board member whose business most matched what I was responsible for.  His was a publicly traded company which today has 680 locations.  Back when I was with the coffee company this board member’s company was going through headquarter changes, business divestures and many other complex business strategy changes.

As his phone rang non-stop, and we were traveling Baton Rouge to look at my locations, I asked him the question I really wanted to know.  I wanted to know the answer to this question because I was working a ton of hours and there was so much to get done.  We were in a huge growth phase for us, trying to open 6-8 coffee houses a year.  I was having a blast, but I was worried that there wasn’t enough hours in the day to make the plans come to fruition.  If you are a busy small business owner you have probably felt this same sense of excitement and adventure tinged with “how will I get it all done”.  My questions was,

“Where do you focus your time?”

Seriously.  His situation was way more overwhelming than mine.  I believe it is a business advantage to effectively manage our priorities.  He was answering to the stock analysts on Wall Street.  They were in the middle of moving their headquarters and training center to another state.  He had hundreds of locations which meant thousands of employees.

It took him all of 5 seconds to respond, “At least 30-40% of my time is spent on employee issues – hiring, training, problems, opportunities, succession planning and turnover.”  Even at his level of CEO of a really big national company he was still spending more time on people issues than any other single area of focus.  He started the company and said that even in the beginning he had always spent at least this much time on his team.

His company employed dishwashers and CFO’s, waiters and marketing specialists.  The restaurant business has a turnover rate of over 100% by industry standard.  He knew that he could have a cracker jack HR team and that wasn’t enough.  It required his direct interaction.

Are People Your Most Important Asset?

As a Christian business owner we would all agree that our people are our Christian business advantage.  As Christians it is part of our Christian values to treat employees fairly and for them to in fact to be paramount to our business success.  We get that people are our most important asset.

My question to you is “How much time do you spend on the people who work for you?”  I don’t think we can get away with saying “I am not a great manager” or “I have an HR department to handle that”.

We all start our businesses for different reasons.  Most of us wouldn’t say I want to start a business so I can manage people.  We are usually passionate about baking pies or selling widgets.  We think we can do this as well or better for ourselves than we can working for someone else.  But, whatever the reason, at some point in our growth we will have other employees.  These employees represent us, fulfill our vision and become our business.

We need to be good managers and we need to prioritize our people as one of the most important areas in our business.

How do you do this?

1. Start with putting your time and attention into your team. They say you can tell where someone’s heart is by what they spend money on and where they spend their time.
2. Develop plans for who you need on your team. It doesn’t need to be complex.  Make a list of what needs to get done in the next 1-3 years and think about what skills are needed to compliment your current team and yourself.
3. Set up a structural safety net. As simple as another list.  If you were an employee (we all probably were at some point) what would be important to you?  How I was going to get paid.  What is expected of me in my job?  What holidays do I get off?  People perform better if they know what is expected of them and have a structural foundation.  (Just a foundation, we need a safety net, not a spider web!)
4. Practice Jesus commandments to Love God and Love Others. Jesus tells us that we are loving God when we love others.  We can’t effectively love our employees if we turn them over to HR or if we just expect them to “get it” by themselves.  Keep in touch with your team.  Make sure they are trained.  Appreciate them.  Discipline them – yes, part of God’s love is appropriate discipline and accountability.

I would recommend that if you do not feel that leadership and management are areas of strength for you that you make it a personal development plan to improve in this area.  The need won’t go away.  You may want to read one of John Maxwell’s books on leadership or his Leadership Bible.  Or attend a workshop.  The best leadership workshop I went to was at The Center for Creative Leadership.  If you need specific help on a few areas of development like delegation, recruiting or conflict management you may want to check out one of my many leadership coaching programs.  Leadership is a life long pursuit.  Let’s get started.

Where do you feel Christian business owners should spend most of their time?  What else works for you?

How is your business doing?  How is your relationship going with God?  Is there any correlation?  The bible tells us to seek God first.  I have written much about God caring about our business, but where is it on His priority list?

I would contend that the consistent message in the bible is that God wants us to care about Him first and most.  He wants us to seek Him with all of our heart and mind.  He wants us to put Him above all other relationships and priorities.

If you don’t feel God in your business, don’t leap first to He doesn’t care about my business.  Reflect on your relationship.

1. Time and attention – Relationship can often be measured by our time and attention.  We put our time and attention into what is important to us.  If I am not spending time with God, I know He is still there, but our relationship will become more distant, right?  When I am “working” on my relationship with God I am desperately seeking Him.  That means praying all of the time about everything.  Looking things up in the bible to figure out how to manage the day.  Listening to Christian music for inspiration.  It isn’t contrived, nor is it a list to check off.  When I am in close relation with my Creator these things are a natural outpouring.  When they are scarce I know my priorities are upside down.
2. Control – A major part of any relationship is trust.  If our relationship with God is strong we are probably trusting Him more than normal.  I say more than normal because if you are like me it is your natural bent to take control of things yourself.  If my business is floundering my first human response is to take action.  It is up to me to make things happen.  When my relationship with God is prioritized I seek Him first.  I pray for help.  I also pray for wisdom and discernment.  I still may take action, actually I probably will, however, it will hopefully be with a God view.  If I can’t tell if I have the God view glasses in place by noticing the “control” thing kicking in, I can usually tell by how I feel.  Am I scared out of my mind or do I feel at peace.  Just in case your aren’t sure – the peace scenario is the one that occurs when I am hanging on tight to God and have on my God colored glasses.
3. Obsession – Are you obsessing about whether or not Johnny was 5 minutes late for work or Anne punched in 5 minutes early so she could sneak out at 4:55?  Are you walking around the office wondering how much all of the different pens and notebooks cost?  Clearly God doesn’t want us to obsess out of worry and anxiety.  He tells us so in Matthew 6:26-34.  You know how He clothes the flowers and feeds the birds.  But, He absolutely wants us to be obsessed about our relationship with Him.  He wants us to care about the things He cares about.  He wants us to be so in to our relationship with Him that we will leave everything and follow Him.  Now He has us close and He can work through us!  Where is your obsession?

If we have focused our time and attention on our Lord and Savior.

If we are giving up control (after all control IS an illusion).

And we are transferring from anxious obsession to obsessively seeking God……

I believe we can count on His promises to provide for our needs and we can be assured that He cares about everything in our life including our business.

So if we can get obsessed enough on the most important thing in our life – God – then the rest will fall in place!

If you found this post helpful, download for FREE my new ebook The Seven Myths that Keep Christians from Realizing Business Success.

I want to send you to a post on my counseling blog called TRUST:  Mother Teresa’s Prayer for The Clinger. I usually post links on my counseling blog to share with them some of the posts on Christian Business CrossRoads as I believe many of our Christian values that pertain to our business are applicable to other areas of our life.  This post on TRUST is one that applies to every aspect of our life.

I love Mother Teresa’s ADVICE for those of us constantly seeking CLARITY.  She says that we don’t need clarity, we need to TRUST God!   My summarization:  It doesn’t take faith if we have clarity!  What do you all think?

In my experience, God rarely makes our fear disappear.  Instead, He asks us to be strong and take courage.  What is courage?  Not the absence of fear; rather, it’s choosing to act in spite of the fear.

from The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson

He says earlier in his other book, Beyond Jabez, that people often make the decision that it must not be from God if they are so afraid.  I’ve done that.  At least I have hesitated.  As a small business owner we take on all of the risk ourselves. It’s scary.   Things already just happen in our business that result in anxiety and fear routinely.

• Sales are great if the client’s would pay their bills.  My receivable balance is growing but my bank account isn’t.
• Our lease runs out in a couple of months and the landlord isn’t renewing.  Where will we go?
• My star employee was woo’d away by a huge competitor.  I could never pay that much.

On top of this God wants me to choose to take steps that I know will cause me great anxiety?

Jesus taught, “Everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.”  (Luke 12:48)

If you are thinking, God I want to do really big things.  If you are praying, God please help me make these really big things happen.  If you are hoping that God will bless your business.  Then you and I have a lot in common.  Hopefully where we differ is, that you, unlike me, do not let fear slow you down.

In early 2009, God began to call me to work with and speak to groups.  It took me until December 2009 to choose to be courageous and start doing it.

But, I was terrified on multiple levels.  The first being how do I find groups to speak to and help.  If I do find groups and I charge (albeit a lower price) it has to be really good or people would be getting ripped off.  And Lord, I am not sure I am a public speaker.  I have done it on occasion, but usually upon request, not me seeking the fear and stress myself.  And finally, my content is all in my head.  I have never taken the time to develop programs.  Is there anything new under the sun?  Can I provide a fresh perspective?

Thankfully, God put a huge flashing sign in front of me by having several people ask me to do groups or to come speak.  And guess what, God made it all happen.  I jumped out of my box and went and found public speaking coaching to improve my abilities. (Okay, really to give me confidence.) I said yes to every opportunity and, (Yes), even created a couple on my own.  In the first quarter of  2010 alone, I ran two group coaching programs working with 31 people and had the opportunity to be a speaker for three different outside programs.  I have a new Life by Design coaching group for women beginning next Thursday, May 20.  And, if God is willing will start a new Navigating Your Business group in June.

I am still feeling called further astray from my box to shake up my traditional coaching models offering technology based solutions like tele-seminars and online home study products.  I am a techno-geek wanna be.  My abilities don’t always match my desires.

What about you.  Have you postponed taking that step of courage for the past year like I did?  I know sometimes we don’t trust ourselves.

• Moses didn’t when he was called to confront Pharoah.
• Esther didn’t when she needed to intervene with the King on behalf of her people.
• Sarah just knew she was too old to bear children.

Yet, our faithful God came through for all of them and millions of other believers across time.  God gives us our desires and He wants us to be blessed with them.  All we have to do is be strong and DECIDE to take courage!  What are you needing courage for in your life or business today?  Let us know so we can be praying for you?

I think group coaching is my new favorite thing.  I have been working with a group of entrepreneurs about crystalizing their God-given vision,  establishing their foundation on rock, and growing their sales and profits.  The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how much I learn when I teach.  When you have to take the time to focus your thoughts, strategies and ideas to communicate to others you:

• see new connections,
• feel fresh motivation,
• and remind yourself of the foundation of knowledge you have been collecting.

This is how I feel every time the group meets.  That is after I kick myself for not developing the materials into deliverable formats before forming the group.

When you are working with people one-on-one the agenda is so specialized that you don’t take your responses and discussions and put them to paper.  At least I don’t.  I just say 8-10 times a week why social media would work for client A, client B, and so on.  You would think I would get so sick of hearing myself saying the same thing over and over again, that I would develop an ebook, a special report, etc.

The benefits are mutual:

• I create products and have more efficient use of my time.
• Clients get way more value when I can focus on the information and strategies that are specific to them and leave the general information to the ebook or special report.
• Preparation improves the clarity of the messages and information.
• Nothing is left out because I have time to develop an outline and think through the topic.

And best of all, once I have developed the material to teach others, the information is top of mind and I re-focus my attention to employing the strategies and tactics in my own business.

I bet the apostle Paul felt this way as he travelled around sharing the gospel.  Teaching others what it looked like to be more Christ-like.  I can only imagine it motivate him even more to carry on his mission.  I imagine each time he put pen to paper (or quill to scroll) his thoughts became more clear.

What if you aren’t a teacher, a coach, a consultant or St. Paul?

Obviously, many of you have different types of business than mine.  So what are your teaching opportunities.

• Can you prepare materials in advance for training new employees?  There will probably be future employees that will come along later and then you will have the information ready and consistently apply it across positions.  Plus, remember, then you can spend more individual time focusing on how to make that employee more successful.
• Maybe you could plan a meeting to share the company’s vision with your team.  By presenting it to a group it will discipline you to fine-tune your vision and put it in a format to share with others.
• When you hire a marketing firm, rather than just meeting with them, prepare a document to share your marketing goals, message, and strategies with the vendor.  By better preparing to teach or share with them the objective of the project you are hiring the for the more likely you are to have a clearer picture yourself.  You will probably communicate more succinctly and think through the outcomes you desire.  Overall, setting up for greater success in the project.

These are just a couple of ideas.  What ideas do you have about how small business owners can take the concept of “you learn more when you teach” to their organization?

I value creativity over many other characteristics or traits of people.  I admire creative people and strive to reflect creativity in my work and life.  There are a few little hangups with true creative talent that I want to skip, yet I want the benefit of the results.

God, Can’t I Be Creative Without the Angst

I always hear that amazingly gifted artists suffer with a certain amount of angst to motivate their creation.  I would like to avoid the angst part.

Innovators express a journey of many paths before finding the one that births their next great idea.  I pray often for God to make my path straight.  This prayer must come from the left side of my brain that reminds me that the closest distance between point A and point B is a straight line.

Then there is the subjectivity of the creative endeavor.  Art is subjective.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Creators must subject themselves to criticism, as well as the praise.  There is nothing like a few bad reviews, on something a person developed with their own mind or hands, to add to the angst.  It is a self-propelling circular at times.

A circular that can lead to creative block or that may cause some to keep their ideas, art, inventions and other creative expressions to themselves.  If I don’t share I won’t have to deal with people’s opinions.  And the world doesn’t get to experience the God-given abilities of so many creative hearts and minds.

Creativity is more than art.  Or art is more than painting, writing, dancing, etc.  Creativity can take the form of problem solving, organizing, business development, planning and almost everything we do in owning a small business.

Keep Focused on God’s Word to Inspire You

If you have started your own business in any format your are a creator.  You must tap into your creativity daily!  I haven’t figured out how to avoid all of the pitfalls of the creative process, but I look to Jesus and God’s Word to inspire me to continue to value and instill creativity in my life.

Add focus and structure to your creativity.

• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 God was structured when he created the world.  He had a plan and began and finished different parts of the plan each day and didn’t stop until his project was complete. Then He rested on the 7th day!
• Jesus understood we needed focus when he summed up and prioritized the commandments into the two greatest commandments of loving God and loving others.

Don’t give up – perseverance is key to finishing what you start!

• By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. Hebrews 11:30 (I would have quit on day 2 – sigh! )
• Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1Corinthians 9:24 (If that isn’t the goal, why bother?)
• Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

We are created in God’s image – He is THE Creator – we are made to create.

• When we aspire to be more like Christ we glorify God.  This is our chief purpose!  When we create I believe it gives God immense pleasure. (When we create garbage, thankfully, He has the patience of the Holy Spirit and smiles anyway.)
• God gave us our gifts and talents.  He wants us to use them.  Through exercising of our gifts the Holy Spirit can work through us for God’s Kingdom.  (Do you want to hold out your gifts from God?  Eek, not me!)
• Fear and self-criticism are from Satan, not God.  Don’t let fear keep you from leading the life God has planned for you.  (I tell myself this one daily!)

As a Christian small business owner we are challenged in the creative process every day:

• How do I find good employees?
• What kind of end cap display will really sell this product?
• We need a new creative incentive plan.
• What should the new flyer, store, product look like?
• What new features can we add to our product?
• Can we package up our services in a different way?
• What is our strategic plan for the XY division?

We are just like everyone else, yet don’t forget our secret weapon.  We chose to turn our lives over to Jesus.  We are okay with being totally dependent on Him.  Okay, some of us still struggle with control, but go with me conceptually for now.  He has promised to work through our weaknesses.

Even if…..Keep Going!

So even if you don’t feel like the most creative person in the world….

Even if you are tired and scarred by so called constructive criticism….

Even if your ADD is making it difficult to focus and follow-through….

Keep persevering and call on the Creator of the Universe for a little helping hand!

Do you have any other Godly wisdom to keep us creating to share? Please comment!

When I first became a Christian one of the first sins I had to tackle was WORRY.  I know to some you may think that isn’t quite as dramatic as giving up an addiction to heroin or a compulsive gambling habit, however it was huge to me.

After all, worry is almost genetic if you are from jewish heritage.  Worry and guilt.  I leaned to the worry side, but I can give guilt a good run too.

There are so many reasons why worry was a problem in my life, but it was especially impacting my ability to start and run my own business.  I was going into private practice as a Christian counselor and business coach.  At least that was my goal once I finished graduate school.

I was a 38 years old secular business veteran going back to LSU to get  a Master’s degree  so I could become a Christian counselor.  Now God tells me in the bible not to worry, but everyone else in my life thought I should be worrying.

Good Reason to Worry – or so I Was Told!

My husband told me we wouldn’t be able to afford our house and we would have to disrupt our kids, downsize, and change our standard of living.  (He was actually right, but I just needed to do it, not worry about it.)

My boss told me when I resigned from my GM job running her restaurants that I would never make any money.  When that didn’t work she actually said I was withholding my gifts and talents in business from the world.  At this point, I was pretty much a sold out Jesus freak and she thought that angle would provoke the guilt part.  After all, if God created me with business gifts shouldn’t I use them for good in the world.

My professors tried to steer me away from private practice for internship.  They said I would never get my hours.  But isn’t internship to practice and evaluate what you want to do when you finish?

If God Gave Me the Vision Won’t He Help With the Details?

It was God who gave me the vision.  How could it be wrong.  I had been working on every career assessment, life planning exercise and spiritual discipline I could to get a flashing sign from God as to which direction I was supposed to go.  He gave me the billboard, and here I was wringing my hands over whether His plan would work or not.

Being a fairly new Christian my daily prescription for my obsessive worrying was to go to my Life Application NIV bible and look up passages to get God’s wisdom on all of the things I was fretting.

Finally, one day in my search for the answers to my chaotic life, I read Matthew 6:26 – 40.

26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[a^]?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

God’s Word Spoke to Me in a Different Way

This wasn’t the first time I had read it.  But you know how sometimes you can read a verse and never get much from it and all of the sudden it jumps out with new meaning to you.  This was one of those times.  God wanted me to get it this time.  The Holy Spirit brought these verses alive.  Okay, so the Holy Spirit had to use the NIV footnotes to bring it alive, but it hit me.  The footnotes told me that my worrying wasn’t going to change anything.  And by the way, I am insulting Jesus because by worrying I am saying that He cant help me or take care of me.

I wasn’t consciously questioning Him.  It was in my nature to worry.  It was my personality to take control on my own.  Obsession and worry were like gasoline on my fire of productivity.  The problem was that in the past, my productivity moved in the direction of worldly definitions of success, logic, and what was best for my family.

But, when God gave me the flashing sign to quit the business world, take responsibility for my family, and go back to graduate school I knew it was from Him.  Was I going to trust Him or not?

Trust and Worry Are Mutually Exclusive

Trusting God and worrying daily about all of the details ARE mutually exclusive.  Reading these words from Jesus in Matthew 6:26-40 were making that clear.  This was a God sized vision and I wasn’t going to accomplish it on my own anyway.  Didn’t I believe God was powerful and wise enough to make it happen if it was His will?  And if it wasn’t His will didn’t I want to find out anyway?  I didn’t want to miss God’s plan for my life!

Do you ever experience this?  You believe that God is all powerful, all knowing, creator of the universe.  You know He loves you even more than you love yourself.  But all of the sudden hardship, massive challenges or doubt creep into your business and you move into overdrive of worry, obsession and controlling activity.

Letting Go of the Worry and Obsession

I was convicted this day and I let go of the worry and obsession.  I would like to say it was a cold turkey 100% conversion to the worry-free me.  My husband would read this and post a comment otherwise.  But I began to give the worry to God.

I was doing my part.  I had developed a plan.  There were big pieces that had to happen.  My boss didn’t want to run the business and ask me to help her sell it.  We had to sell a pricey house which the realtor said could take a year.  I had to get accepted to grad school.  And so on and so on.

Each day I would look at the plan, decide what I needed to do and just do it!  When I would be up against a challenge and obsessive worrying kicked in I would stop and pray, write in my journal to God, or many times get down on my knees.

Replacing Worry with Trust Grows Faith

And each time I did this I would feel release from the burden.  The worry would magically dissipate and the result would reaffirm my faith that Jesus was with me and taking care of the details.

It became a new habit.  And it brought meaning to another favorite verse of mine that I carried around with me everywhere.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart,

lean not on your own understanding

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

What Can You Do?

When challenges arrive in your business are you looking to God?  Are you trusting Him with all of your heart?  I know how hard it is.  Try giving over the worry to God.  How?  Pray!  Ask Jesus to provide for your business as he provides for the birds and flowers.  Then pray that you can release the worry.  Pray that you can be faithful to what you know to be true and let Jesus help you carry your burdens.

Remember, the outcome is the outcome whether you worry or not.  Do your part to work through the situation.  Follow your logic and gifts God has given you.  But give the worry part to God.  All the worry does is affect your health, impact your relationships, and push you into control mode.

The cool thing about this release from worry is you can go back and see God working in your life.  You will see that half of the things you worried about never happened anyway.  So the worry would have been fruitless.  I believe you will find that God will provide for your business needs.  Maybe not wants, but real needs.  And in some cases we will find that God’s will didn’t align with our “wants”, but given time we will capture His promise in Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And in the end we will STILL see that He is taking care of us as he promises in Matthew 6:26-34.

How do you turn your worries over to God?  I would love to hear other ways people have found to give up the fine art of worry.