management by God management by God Using timeless, Biblical principles to discuss management and leadership, and building a foundation for success. Articles
risk management
2008-04-09 15:32:00 Risk Management has been defined as, "the process of measuring, or assessing risk and developing strategies to manage it." When you go into any new project or other type of initiative, you must weigh out your risks. Missing this means that your project could run into obstacles that you are not prepared to handle, and this could slow you down or even stop you completely. Therefore, being an effective leader includes the need to measure and assess risk in everything that you do, and to develop the strategies that may be needed to overcome them should they arise.As I continue looking at leadership lessons from Biblical leaders, I come across an interesting event in the record of Gideon. Shortly after he was called by the Angel of the Lord to, "go... and save Israel from the hand of Midian," he was instructed by God to do some other work first. God told him to tear down the altars and idols to other gods there in his own hometown, and to set up an altar to the Lord (Judge... More About: Risk Management , Risk
Lessons from Odd Jobs
2008-03-24 00:10:00 Shortly after getting married I took a huge leap of faith and left a job that was making me miserable. During my time of trying to find a better workplace environment where I knew I could thrive, I hit a spot where I had to find something quick in order to get some cash flow moving. My wife's income just wasn't enough to get us through, and we didn't have much in reserves to hold us over until I found that one, right job that I was looking for. So I landed a gig as the Manager of "Yo-Yo Loco", a kiosk at an open-air outlet mall. During my short time there, I learned a few important lessons... Overcome your pride - As a talented young man looking for a job that would allow me to use my Go-given skills, I had to suck it up and take a job pushing yo-yos and kites in order to get by. It was a pretty humbling experience, and I had to learn that humility the hard way. Have fun - This was a job where in order for me to be successful, I had to loosen up ... More About: Jobs , Lessons
what are you passionate about?
2008-02-15 15:59:00 One of the most important things in a workplace is passion. Imagine a workplace where nobody has a passion for what they are doing. I think of people that sound like Eeyore (from Winnie the Pooh) when they answer the phone while saying something like, "hello, I'm happy to help you...". On the other hand, imagine what that same greeting sounds like from someone who is passionate about what they are doing! Their voice will be full of energy and excitement! I also think about great athletes like Jerry Rice. Now here is a man who had a passion for excellence in what he did, and it showed up in the things that he did to keep himself in prime shape while becoming arguably the best wide-receiver to ever play football. Passion... success in anything relies on it.Passion manifests itself as enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can be a contagious thing to the people around you. Check out what Paul says to the church in Corinth... "For I know your eagerness to help, and I have ...
Thinking Blogger Award
2008-02-05 16:16:00 Well, management by God has been tagged as a recipient of the Thinking Blogger Award . I thank Jerry from As The Crackerhead Crumbles for selecting me for this great honor. My biggest goal with management by God has been to challenge people to take a serious look at the Scriptures and think about how they can be applied in the workplace. There is way too much guidance there for us to not learn and apply the lessons that wait there for us. So it is nice to know that I seem to be hitting the mark! Thanks Jerry! The participation rules are simple: 1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award'. I know that there are many blogs that make me think, but I know that several of them have already received this award. So, here are some blogs that make me think who I do not believe have ...
lift Him up
2008-01-16 16:24:00 This is a tough one. Political correctness has made it difficult to even say the name of Jesus in the workplace. We are often required to shut down certain aspects of our lives while at work resulting in a deafening quiet regarding spiritual matters. This has always bothered me. A dear friend and co-worker several years ago set it straight when he told me that he was a Christian first, and oh by the way, he also worked for our company. This shift in perspective forced me to stop identifying myself primarily by the work that I do or who my employer is, but by my true identify first and foremost.However, this is not the heart of what I want to talk about today. Yes it is important for us to identify ourselves as Christians first, and then sprinkle that with a little bit of what it is that we do for a living. But what I want to focus on is more about what we do with a foundation such as this. In Proverbs 3:6 we are told, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your... More About: Lift
Book Review: Maxwell Leadership Bible
2008-01-09 15:45:00 I likely won't do this very often, but I got something for my birthday late last year that I just cannot get enough of. It is the Maxwell Leadership Bible . And knowing that my readers are here because of their interest in becoming a better leader in any aspect of life (but especially the workplace), I thought that it would be valuable to offer some insight into this incredible resource.The Bible itself is in the New King James Version. This is not my absolute favorite of the translations, but is certainly a reliable resource. The best part of the Bible though is not which translation that it uses, but the commentary that John Maxwell has provided. If you are familiar with any of his other works like The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership or The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, then you will be very pleased with the inclusion of the articles spread throughout where the Scriptures support these laws and qualities. There are also hundreds of profiles and other articles that... More About: Book Review , Book Reviews , Review
mbG Interviewed by Ron Hurst
2008-01-07 13:07:00 Awards are great, but one of the greatest honors that I think that I could have received is to be interviewed by another leader. Manager, Leader, Coach Ron Hurst from Developing Leaders and Material Leadership has recently interviewed me for a new series of podcasts that he is putting together on the topic of purpose. I am quite honored and humbled by his desire to interview me and share some of the management by God story. The large focus of the interview was on "purpose". He wanted to know about how mbG has either helped me to realize or refine the my purpose. I believe, as Ron does, that purpose is one of the most important aspects of being a leader. It is out of purpose that one finds direction. Without purpose, we are simply wandering from random points to random points. Purpose tells us where we are, were we want to go, and even helps to fill in the gaps regarding how to get there from here. Leaders are relied upon to provide vision for their organizat...
mighty man of valor
2008-01-04 16:59:00 No one likes selfish people, but our natural human tendency is to be selfish (at some level). We tend to think of how things affect ourselves before we ever consider how it affects other people. In the English language, there is no literal distinction between the singular and plural versions of the word "you". Therefore, often when people are talking, and they say the word "you", our natural inclination is to think of the singular "you" as opposed to the plural referring to whatever community we may be a part of. This selfishness has nasty implications in the workplace. When there is a group of people who are all out for themselves, then the organization is less likely to achieve its goals. And as creatures of habit, we tend to slip into the same behaviors as the people around us. So when it comes to breaking away from selfishness, we typically need a leader to show us how it is done. The good news here is that in identifying this principle, and we learn from another leade... More About: Valor , Mighty
making a stepford wife
2008-01-02 15:45:00 I love the classic (and remake) movie The Stepford Wives. I think that every man has thought about what it would be like to have that "perfect" wife. You know, the one that anticipates and meets your every need. I think that even most women can even relate that it would be cool to have a husband that caters to their every desire. I think that this movie makes an incredible statement about our human nature and the natural desire to want something without having to invest the effort that it takes to "earn" the kind of treatment that would come from the "perfect" spouse.As I look at the next requirement for the manager-leader, I cannot help but to think about this perspective. The qualification here is that "wives are faithful in all things". As we explore this topic, it would be too easy to try to make a list of things that needed to be done in order to keep one's wife "submissive," but not only do I find that idea repulsive, but also not Biblical. I believe that while "submission" o... More About: Wife
proof positive
2007-12-17 15:52:00 Managers are leaders with something left to prove. Front-line employees look at managers as "the boss". And when a front-line employee gets promoted into a Supervisor/Manager position, it sometimes feels like they have reached "the top". But I prefer to look at supervisor/manager positions as "entry-level" into leadership. Granted, I also feel that everyone has and should develop certain leadership qualities, but the true manager is really just getting started in the process of leadership development.As we look at the next qualification for the manager-leader, we come to the requirement to "serve to prove themselves blameless." This is an interesting one that I will break down into three pieces. First, I will discuss what it means to "serve". Then I will touch on what our motivation is in serving, which is "to prove". And finally, we will discuss the goal of this proving, which is to show ourselves as "blameless". I think that this qualification has obvious implications in the churc... More About: Proof , Positive
prepare to be tested
2007-12-05 15:44:00 I remember getting my first position as a manager. There was so much excitement, and so much pride in the fact that your hard work has finally paid off. And I know that many people can identify with these feelings as well, but I also felt a bit anxious about the great level of uncertainty about what my future held for me. Remember that feeling? Your first role in some sort of leadership, and rather than standing strong on what got you there, you suddenly fear what might be in your now so uncertain future. As we explore the next qualification for the manager-leader we come to, "be tested first". I think that this is an interesting qualification. One can read this and assume that before becoming a manager-leader that they must be tested, and pass the test. I believe that this much is true, and if it were that simple then I would just say to you that you can expect to have to earn your position in leadership and leave it at that. I don't believe that it is that simple. I believe that ... More About: Tested , Pare , Prep
capture the spirit
2007-11-28 17:50:00 I have worked in and around Call Centers for a good number of years, and one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the negativity that seems to prevail. Part of it could be that the Call Center agents only really take calls from the customers who are having problems. Think about it, when is the last time that you called your credit card company just to thank them for being there when you need them? Instead the only time that you are going to make the effort to get in touch with them is when you are upset about something. And this is the Call Center agent's job... to talk to unhappy customers all day long. So I can understand that it would take a lot to keep positive when it seems like everyone you talk to has a problem. But I think that there is a deeper issue, something that we can all relate to, going on here.How about this perspective... Have you ever worked with someone who just hated their job? Every day they come into work miserable, and they complain... More About: Capture , The Spirit , Spirit
The Power of "Nice"
2007-11-26 15:54:00 When I set out to do what I am doing with this site, I never expected to be called "nice". I try to share the Word of God, and deliver it in a way that causes everyone who reads it to be a better leader and/or a stronger Christian example in the workplace. I know that sometimes the messages that I deliver hit some people in that spot that makes them say "ouch", but it is typically taken with the agape heart that they were shared in.So when Isaiah from Joie de Vivre: A Wretched Man's Quest to Follow In Jesus Christ's Footsteps tagged me with the Nice Matters Award. Isaiah selects me, "for being one of the nicest people on the blogosphere. He is one of the bloggers I most respect." The award is given out to ??those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.?For this honor, I thank Isaiah. In addition to him, there are a few other people that ins... More About: Power
greed and desire
2007-11-16 17:55:00 It is a question that the average Christian has been asking since the "American Dream" was first dreamed. American consumerism tells us that we need more, and that if we don't want more, then there must be something wrong with us. Even the church is split on this issue of "how much money is enough". On one side, you have the poverty-minded groups that think that money is evil, and that financial poverty is the way to Godliness. Then you have the "Health-and-Wealth" gospel folks that believe that if you are not filthy rich, then you must have some sort of sin in your life that is holding back God's blessing.I don't believe that either of these is the truth, and both sides could use a little lesson in proper exegesis and hermeneutics of the scriptures. As we look at the fourth qualification for the manager-leader, we come across a requirement to be "not greedy for dishonest gain." While much can be said about money itself, the point that I will make is that "money" is not evil, but... More About: Greed
"You Lift Me Up" Award!
2007-11-15 12:23:00 It is always cool getting recognized by fellow bloggers, but Casey from Casey's Critical Thinking just passed on an award to me that really means a lot. Casey recognized me with the "You Lift Me Up" Award . The funny thing is that it is not my intent to "lift people up" through my blog. I like to challenge people with the Word of God, and help people to become the every bit of the leaders in the workplace that God intends them to be. The cool thing is that this only shows how powerful the Word of God can be in encouraging people and lifting them up! Thank you Casey for this great honor! And as I know many others would say, I can only say that it is not me that is deserving, but the Christ in me that deserves all of the recognition!So, let me recognize some other people that lift me up, and encourage me... A Joyful Life - Julie is a friend from my church, and even outside of her blog, she is such an encouragement to my wife and I. Therefore, I cannot complete a list of tho...
the marriage requirement
2007-11-10 14:52:00 This one will be one of the more controversial topics that I write about, bar none. Here in the list of requirements for the "executive leader" is this one that says that you must be, "the husband of one wife." Many of you may be thinking right now, what in the world does that have to do with being a business leader? What about divorced people, can't they be leaders, or does this rule count them out? What I will say is that while it is not my intent to change anything in the Scriptural text, it is my intent to discover the principles that they teach, and translate that into a business principle that puts you on an unshakable foundation.Quite honestly, much of the church is split over what this verse means as a qualification for elders (overseers) in their church bodies. Some take this as a very literal requirement, while others dismiss it as an outdated rule that should not apply because of the "grace" of God. I have my own beliefs about this, but I am not here to even try to make ... More About: Marriage
get serious
2007-11-10 14:52:00 One show that has caught my attention recently is Dragon's Den on the Fox Reality channel. I must admit that I am a bit of a reality TV junkie, and when I stumbled upon this show it excited the entrepreneurial side of me too! It is a British (and Australian) show that brings people with new business ideas in front of this panel of investors (the "Dragons"). The entrepreneur must make their pitch and defend their request for financial (and sometimes business management) support, while the Dragons decide whether or not to invest their money into the ventures that are presented to them. It is a very interesting show, and if you get the chance to watch it sometime, then I highly recommend that you do so.One of the things that I have regularly seen while watching this show is that sometimes the Dragons pass on some really great business ideas. However it is often their reason for passing on these opportunities that really catches my attention. Sometimes they simply are not interested in...
r-e-s-p-e-c-t
2007-11-10 14:51:00 In the infamous lyrics sung by Aretha Franklin, one verse goes something like this, "I'm about to give you all my money, And all I'm askin' in return honey, Is to give me my profits, When you get home." As The Queen Of Soul sings about wanting a little respect, one thing is certain. It requires an investment. As we look at the fifth qualification for the executive-leader, which is the requirement of being "respectable", we will look at some of the things that it takes in the workplace in order to achieve this.The first thing that I want to do is to take a look at this word "respectable". I want to point out that the focus here is not on whether respect is given or not. I think that often people believe that their position or title demands respect. I have also often seen people who have been given certain levels of responsibility wonder why the people around them do not respect them (or obey them). People often think that respect is given to them when authority is bestowed upon th... More About: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
get disciplined
2007-11-10 14:51:00 The four years of my life that I spent in the United States Marine Corps shaped much of who I am today. And if I have to pin it down to a more specific influence, then it would be that of my Drill Instructors while I was in Boot Camp for the first three months of that time. The Marines have a reputation for being the most disciplined and most fearsome of the Armed Forces, and there is a reason for that. The Marine Corps Drill Instructor is a master of discipline, and developing discipline in others. As we look at the fourth qualification for the executive-leader, which is "self-controlled", I thought that there would be no more appropriate experience than that which comes from the United States Marine Corps.PARADE Contributing Editor Larry Smith, in his article How We Make Marines, points out some of the secrets of the Marine Corps Drill Instructor. One of the most important things that he points out about how they develop discipline in others is by example. They realize first and f...
to my good friend gaius
2007-11-10 14:50:00 When was the last time that you were on the road, away from home? It might be a business or a personal trip, but most of us have been away from the comfort of our own home at some point in our lives. When you are away, in an unfamiliar place, you need someone to provide you certain comforts and help you to take care of your needs. So we look to hotels to help provide a roof over our heads, and a comfortable bed to sleep in. We then also eat out at the hotel or other area restaurants, because we lack the means of preparing our own meals like we do at home. Hotels and restaurants have become an entire industry focused on "hospitality". When we are out of our element, we rely quite a bit on the hospitality industry to help us take care of ourselves.As we continue our study of the executive-leader qualifications, our sixth stop is at the requirement to be "hospitable". It is easy to understand this when you think about family or old friends coming to visit you, but what does this mean i... More About: Friend , Good
ready, set, teach!
2007-11-10 14:50:00 Once when I was really young, I remember that I wanted to take an apple to one of my grade-school teachers. I don't remember much about the circumstances, but I do remember certain feelings about the event. I know that the whole apple thing is very cliche, but to me as a young boy, I wanted to do something for the teacher that made me happy. How did she make me happy? By helping me to learn something. To me learning always felt good. And I've always had a great deal of respect for the people that have helped me to learn something new.As we move on to the seventh qualification for the executive-leader, we come across the requirement of, "able to teach." This one is very near and dear to me, because my profession in the workplace today is in the Learning and Development field. I also feel that this is God's call on my life. I lead a young adults ministry at the church that I attend, and teach this group regularly about how to fit their faith into their lives. I also am starting thi... More About: Ready
cheers!
2007-11-10 14:49:00 You just got done with a big project, and it was a huge success! So the boss wants to take the team out to celebrate this great victory. After a couple of drinks with dinner, everyone decides to hang around for a little while and bask in the glory of a job well done. Then it happens. The boss, who now seems to have had one too many drinks, stumbles off of his chair while getting up to go to the restroom. When he returns, he starts cracking the kind of jokes about coworkers that only seem to come up when someone has lost control of their thoughts and words. He is drunk. Now forget the sweet taste of victory on the big project, and think about how you will look at this person in the office the next day. Do you respect him the way that you did before? How far are you willing to follow him now?Or how about the closet case? This one is the boss that doesn't make the appearances at social events like this because he knows that he has a problem but refuses to admit it. But every night whe...
the root of all evil
2007-11-10 14:48:00 Imagine this... You just got dropped off in the middle of a city just like the castaways on Survivor. You have nothing, don't know anybody, and are left to fend for yourself. What's the first thing that you think of that you need in order to do anything? Food? Maybe, depending on when your last meal was. Shelter? Possibly, depending on what the weather is like, and time of day that it is. I would argue that one of the first things that most people would start thinking about is money. You would need money to eat, and to get shelter, right? So the most essential need that you may find yourself looking for is money. Let's face it, we live in a world where money drives everything, and I would agree that it is quite essential to survival these days.As we discuss the tenth qualification for the executive-leader, we finally come to one of the most discussed topics in the entire New Testament. Paul tells Timothy that these leaders should not be "lover(s) of money." But this requirement o... More About: Evil , Root
anger management 101
2007-11-10 14:48:00 I love this scene... During Jesus' day the Jewish Law required people to make various atonements for their sins. For some sins, you were required to give your finest, first-born sheep, and for other things you maybe had to sacrifice a bird of some sort. Now remember that this was a largely agricultural society, so quite often people had and raised many of these animals. Therefore the sacrifice that they had to make for their sins was a personal sacrifice. And quite often they were required to give up the best quality sacrifice, such as a lamb without spot. I can only imagine that it must have been difficult to give up the best quality animals that I had, especially if that was my livelihood. And for what? Doing something that I shouldn't have done in the first place?Now Jesus is on His way into the temple courts, and what does he find. Rather than people bringing their sacrifices, He sees people buying and selling them in a makeshift market right there in the temple courts! Can yo... More About: Management , Anger Management , Anger
certified leaders
2007-11-10 14:46:00 I recently passed one of the most important certifications that I could ever get! Along the lines of the FREE management training mentioned in my last post, I was certified by my son as a great dad! He was playing, but then started doing something that he should not be doing (I forget what exactly it was, but I remember getting on his case about it). After "reminding" him of his poor choices with my stern, disciplinarian voice. He stopped and looked at me and said, "I love you daddy!" Wow! There I was trying to be the "mean" guy and bring correction to him, and rather than fighting the correction, he stopped to tell me how he really felt about me.As we look at the next qualification for the executive-leader, we come to, "with all dignity keeping his children submissive." The first thing that I want to get out of the way is the idea about the word "submissive" being a dirty word these days. Everyone wants to be so independent, that they simply reject the idea of being submissive. Oft... More About: Leaders , Certified , Cert
free management training!
2007-11-10 14:46:00 FREE! FREE! FREE!Sign up now for the opportunity of a lifetime! We are now offering FREE leadership and management training for everyone that is interested! Learn and practice the skills and special techniques that can make you one of the greatest leaders in your organization. This course covers everything from balancing budgets to human relations to implementing your vision. Don't miss out on this special offer to take part in one of the greatest leadership development opportunities that will ever come your way!Sounds great doesn't it? Where does one sign up you ask? Sorry, but not on this site. As I continue in my discussion of the qualifications for the executive-leader, we come to a very interesting one... "manage his own household well." On the surface this one may look pretty self-explanatory. Think about working for someone who cannot keep things together at home. They have a rocky marriage, the repo man visits the office every month looking for their car, and they are alwa... More About: Management , Training , Free , TRAI , Raining
proven results
2007-11-10 14:45:00 Imagine that you have just inherited the majority stock position in a major company. The company is struggling and has been for years. Based on your observations, there is a strong culture of apathy and selfishness, as well as a lack of direction and values. Now it is your responsibility to turn it around. Realizing that the task is too big for you to accomplish on your own, you set out to hire ?the best and the brightest? people that you can to help you change the culture of the company that has been bringing it down for so long. Which way do you go when trying to find the right people? The top shining stars from the best business schools in the country? How about proven executives that have shown a knack for returning high profits? Some mix of the two?Some might look at your situation and say that it is innovation that you need, and tell you that securing some up-an-coming executives that are just waiting to knock one out of the park would be the way to go. Others might tell you t... More About: Results , Prove , Proven
personal branding
2007-11-10 14:45:00 Why is the iPhone such a hot item these days? Whether you are rushing out to get one or not, you must admit that it has got some crazy, cool functionality. It probably IS more of what we've always wanted in a handheld, portable, phone device than ever before, but we've never held anyone else to the standard of actually delivering it. One thing about the iPhone that really interests me is the whole buzz behind it before it ever became available. In fact I even remember there being an incredible buzz about "some new thing" that Apple was going to be unveiling at some consumer electronics show, but no one would say what it was. Yes, Apple's PR folks do seem to be good at what they do, but I think that there is something deeper going on over there that is feeding their success. Apple has a reputation now for delivering crazy-cool stuff. They have become masters at brand management.As we discuss the final qualification for the executive-leader, which is about being "though of well by ... More About: Personal , Branding
manager-leader qualifications
More articles from this author:2007-11-10 14:43:00 There is one person (or group of people) in any organization that determines that organization's level of success more than anyone else. You may argue that it is the front-line. And while I agree that the front line is indispensable as the group that carries out the mission, I still feel like there is a more important group. Some may say that the executive-leaders are the most important, because without them, there would be no organization or vision. Again, while I recognize the importance of this group in setting the direction and creating the "spirit" of the organization, I again still feel like there is a much more important group.The group that I feel is probably the most important group in determining the success of an organization is the managers. Ironically, many people even question the validity of the role of the manager, and even go as far as to state that a manager is not even a leader. However, it is the person in the role of the manager-leader that is responsible for t... More About: Manager , Qualifications , Leader , Ager 1, 2, 3 |
|
 |
|
 |
