As Christian business leaders, the values we use to run our businesses impact everything. Our values have the potential to define our company culture. They guide our decision-making and drive our performance.
In our modern world, technology’s rapid evolution has changed many business sectors and practices. Communication is instant, production is faster, and digital tools for marketing, campaigning, and networking are more advanced than ever.
Facing business struggles, setbacks, conflicts, and hard financial times is something that business leaders and CEOs expect to experience.
I enjoy unhurried conversations where joys, hopes, dreams, and fears bubble to the surface of our often too-busy lives. As a pastor and frequent speaker on faith, work, and economics, I not only really like a bold cup of coffee but enjoy catching up with congregational members at a favorite coffee shop.
There has been much written about building the right team. Here are some thoughts from top business leaders:
John Maxwell – Unity Begins with the Leader – A true team – one whose members work together to achieve greatness – has a unified vision.
Simon Sinek – Start with Why – It’s important for team members to know why the team exists and does what it does.
I’ve been through another season of funerals—8 in the past 3 months. Family, friends and business associates passed on and so I attended their memorial service or celebration of life, depending on their belief system. This now regular event gave me ample opportunity to pause and reflect on my own destiny, something that, I hope, you all do on occasion.
The haunting feeling of isolation is among the top reasons a business leader will seek out Convene Peer Advisory Groups. It’s really kind of strange how we need connection and community and so seldom find it.
There are several syndromes that hamper the leader in this quest for connection.
Interesting question and what difference does it make?
Many, many years ago Peter Drucker, considered the Father of Modern Management, recognized the shift from work done and perfected by repetition, skills through training, and quantifiable measurement to the "knowledge worker". Knowledge workers use their education, experience, and subject matter expertise to define alternative courses of action, make decisions, and take responsibilities for outcomes and expected contributions - much like executives do.
Leadership, in my view, consists of the merger of heart and science (in that order). Leadership in God’s Kingdom is learned, driven by character, and operated with excellence.
Heart generates vision statements, mission statements and values developed in relationship with the Holy Spirit living in and through us.
