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Archive for the ‘Adversity’ Category

Amazing Grace@Work

Posted in Adversity, Culture, Faith and Work, Grace, Relationships, tagged , , on February 10, 2013 | 2 Comments »

This past weekend, my wife and I Redboxed Flight, the Denzel Washington movie that earned him a best-actor Oscar nomination. It is a powerful movie full of painful, real life stuff worthy of it’s R rating.

I won’t expose any more of the plot here. Suffice to say that you have a man who is very well respected in his ability to do his job. In fact, he is hailed as a hero at work! But he is living with extraordinary difficult circumstances in his personal life. And guess what? His personal circumstances spill over into his work life. Of course they do! We don’t live compartmentalized lives.

As I sat in church, I couldn’t quit thinking about this movie we had watched the night before. The pain of his addiction. How many people come to work with secrets. With personal issues that are impacting their lives and work in monumental ways. How should we handle these issues? How do we help a co-worker who is suffering with an addiction or an illness? And at what point do their circumstances intersect accountability?

I don’t know the answers. But I know this. There are people all around us suffering at work. Maybe, just maybe, we can help.

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.”

Maybe we can share some amazing grace at work.

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Overcoming Hurt at Work

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Boss, Encouragement, Faith and Work, Prayer, Relationships, Work, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Have you been hurt at work?  Was it a co-worker a boss or a client? Have you had a hard time getting past it? How can you set that experience aside and move on with a positive attitude?

Have you been wronged at work?

If you’ve had an experience where someone has wronged you, you understand how it can affect you. It could’ve been a conversation that you overheard, an email that was inadvertently sent to you, a co-worker who took credit for work that you performed, or being blamed for something that you weren’t even responsible for.  When that happens, trust goes out the door, and you are left with a feeling of betrayal. If left unresolved, the problem just gets bigger in our minds and bitterness sets in.  You can kiss productivity and a positive attitude goodbye.

Hanging on to that experience only hurts you. The other person may not even realize that you are hurt. Decide right now to put this behind you.  Here are some suggestions…

  • Pray for the person who hurt you   –   It’s easy to love those who love you, but as Christians we are called to love and pray for our enemies as well. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matt 5:44.  
  • Have a reconciling spirit  –   As hard as it is, if you really want to get past this, you must have a heart for reconciliation versus retribution.
  • Don’t get even  –   “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19
  • Talk it out  –  “If your brother sins against you, go to him. Tell him what he did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won him back.” Matt 18:15
  • For your own sake, forgive  –   Remember, you don’t forgive someone for his or her sake – you forgive them for your sake.  “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13

 

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Changing Your Thoughts at Work

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Excellence, Faith, Faith and Work, Mind, Pride, Relationships, Thoughts, tagged , , , , , on September 19, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Have you ever had a misunderstanding with your boss, a co-worker, or a customer?  It could be a verbal exchange or something as simple as an email. You replay the scene in your head over and over getting more frustrated each time you think about it. Worse yet, as the day goes on you have a hard time focusing on the tasks at hand, your energy is zapped and you become less pleasant to be around.

Are you frustrated by an email you received?

I think many of us have experienced this from time to time.  We’re human, right? But when our thoughts are preoccupied and distracted over the course of the day, don’t we end up hurting ourselves even more?  So, how can you reign-in your out-of-control thoughts?

Strategies to control your thoughts:

  1. Don’t speculate. How many times do you make assumptions that you don’t even know are true? Paul says in Philippians 4:8  “…whatever is true…think about such things.”  Don’t read anything more in a situation then what you know is REAL. Don’t speculate, don’t assume, don’t read between the lines.
  2. Take control of your mind. Literally!  Is the situation stuck in your head, like a broken record?  Paul writes “Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.”  When you start thinking about the situation, say this scripture instead.  You’ll be amazed how powerful God’s Word can be to help you get your mind back on track.
  3. Do NOT get offended. People are imperfect and as long as we come in contact with other people, there will be misunderstandings. Our pride can rear its ugly head in many ways and getting easily offended is one example.  Be proactive.  Decide right now NOT to get offended when someone rubs you the wrong way.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true…think about such things. Phil 4:8

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5 Things to Consider While Locked in a Stairwell

Posted in Adversity, Jesus, Marriage, Prayer, Relationships, Time, tagged , , , , , , on September 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Being locked in a stairwell was not on my list of things to do this morning. As I sat on those cold concrete steps, God taught me a few lessons I thought worthy of sharing with you.

  1. Be thankful you stopped at Starbucks first.
  2. Be thankful you didn’t leave your phone next to your keys.
  3. Be thankful your wife has a sense of humor.

Seriously,

  1. Slow down! I am always thinking, always moving forward. What am I missing?
  2. Why am I where I am right now? Beyond the obvious stupidity answer, the stairwell has reminded me that God allows things to happen in my life to get my attention.
  3. Quiet time! Ironically, the reason I am locked in a stairwell at work is because I came here to deliver a book to a business leader I met with yesterday. Title of the book? “Quiet Time”! We need to find a quiet place (like a concrete stairwell) to talk and listen to Jesus.
  4. Who are my 2? When I got locked in the stairwell, my first phone call was to my awesome wife. But who would my second call go to? Who is the brother (ladies … sister) who I have developed a relationship with, who I have invested time with, who I can share the real me with … that I would call to save me from my stupidity?
  5. Did I mention slow down?

“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”   Matthew 6:33

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10 Lessons Learned from Jeff Long

Posted in Adversity, Honesty, Influence, Integrity, Leadership, Relationships, Vision, Wisdom, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 12, 2012 | 6 Comments »

The last seven days have yielded one of the most powerful displays of leadership that I have ever witnessed. Even if you are not a sports fan, you have likely heard the recent saga of University of Arkansas Football Coach Bobby Petrino. While  there are undoubtedly critical lessons we need to learn from Coach Petrino’s story, the REAL leadership story is found in University of Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long.

This is a story of a leader who found himself in what most people described as a “no-win” situation. Jeff Long had an employee on his team who was an incredible performer. He had achieved almost superstar status from his “customers”. Revenue was at an all-time high largely due to this employee.  The national buzz was off the charts and the future looked even brighter than the past. This is a story that  we often see in the marketplace, isn’t it? As the leader, what do you do?  The only thing riding on the decision is the psyche of a state, a potential national championship and the near-term future of the University of Arkansas.

A good case could be made for forgiveness with discipline. Let’s keep the train on the tracks. Let’s do what most other leaders do. Let’s do what the “world” tells us to do. That is NOT what Jeff Long chose to do.

I have included the full press conference here. If you haven’t seen it, please take time to watch it. You will be amazed. If you have seen it, I encourage you to watch it again. But this time, watch it with your leadership eyes. Go to school on what you see here from a courageous leader.

Here’s a sampling of the leadership lessons I learned:

  1. Integrity - Doing the right thing, is never the wrong thing.
  2. Wisdom and Courage - have the wisdom to know what to do, and the courage to do it.
  3. Compassion - his heart is deeply connected to the mission. He hurt for everyone who lost in this situation (especially the players).
  4. Details - a great leader is willing to understand and execute.
  5. Decisiveness - his assuredness created a persuasive confidence in the masses.
  6. Vision - communicating the future state with confidence creates emotion and commitment.
  7. Choices - as leaders we face them everyday. Are we willing to do the right thing no matter what the outcome?
  8. Excuses – it was never about Jeff Long. You can only imagine the turmoil he went through. 
  9. Passion - do we really care about the mission and purpose of our work? 
  10. Influence - last…our work is a platform for influence. Jeff Long made the hard choice. The by-product is an impact in thousands of peoples lives that you can have honor and integrity.
Thanks Jeff…for giving us hope. For allowing your life at work to be a bright light for the rest of us.

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Your Road Warrior Co-Workers

Posted in Adversity, Balance, Decisions, Integrity, Prayer, Relationships, Travel on March 19, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

My wife works at the airport here in Northwest Arkansas (XNA).  She said yesterday was probably one of the worst days she has ever had and she has worked there for almost four years.  It was a combination of things that made it difficult, but the hardest was having to tell people who had bought their tickets sometimes months ago that there were no more seats available.   Anyway, I spent a large chunk of the afternoon waiting around for her and my daughter to fly out for a quick spring break trip.  As I waited, it was interesting to observe the people, especially the business travelers looking not at all thrilled to be flying with all these families, kids, etc.  I know that  many of you can totally relate.

As I observed many of these people trying to get out of here yesterday, it made me think about the challenges that go with jobs requiring constant business travel.  I know this may be fun or exciting for some, especially at the beginning, but most report this wears off quickly and they would love to be able to stay home.  The constant travel hassles, hotel life and being away from friends and family really take their toll over time.  Often times we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations with constant temptation to let down our guard when traveling.  I have talked to several over the years that gave in to those temptations and ended up terribly regretting what it cost them.

Most of you probably know someone who headed out on the road yesterday or this morning.  Pray for these co-workers and for the situations they may encounter this week.  It would probably be a tremendous encouragement to them if you texted or emailed them a note letting them know that they are in your prayers today.  Most likely they never got a message like that and it may be just what they need to get through another business trip this week.

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Showing Up to Serve

Posted in Adversity, Encouragement, Faith and Work, Friendship, Serve on February 1, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Rob Hey continues to share his powerful insights regarding how we can more effectively serve those we work with.  This is a powerful story!

A few weeks ago, one of my fellow co-workers experienced some unexpected major health issues and ended up needing open heart surgery.  It was a shock to everyone at the office as it happened so quick.  In the break room getting coffee the next morning, I heard several people talking about what they should do for him.  Does the family need any help?  Do you think he wants any visitors?  I listened throughout the day to many people asking me questions regarding how he was doing, and was he recovering ok.  The next morning, not as much talk as everyone went about their daily routine and every now and then someone would mention him, but he sure wasn’t the point of conversation today.  Everyone had moved on with their busy lives.

I struggled as well with what to do for those two days.  Heart surgery is a big deal and I didn’t know how I could help him or his family.  The third morning I drove to the hospital and went straight to his room.   He looked up and gave me a smile.   I went over to his bedside and said, “I didn’t know if you needed anything, but I thought I’d drop by and just check on you”.  He was so appreciative and said nobody but his family had been to visit.  He didn’t have the strength to say much and so I just sat in a chair in his room while he dozed in and out for about 45 minutes.

His wife came in, informed me that she had been running a few errands for the kids, and had to leave him alone for a little while.  She didn’t know who she could call to come sit with him since everyone was so busy.  I informed her that I was always available, just to call.  Her words that followed really made me appreciate the time I took out of my day to come see him, “Thanks so much, I didn’t want to interrupt anyone’s day and just didn’t know who to reach out to”.  She called me two more times over the next few days and asked  if I could do small errands for her which I was more than happy to do.

The point is….Don’t ever underestimate the power of just showing up when someone is in need.    During those times, people don’t always think clearly so sometimes you just need to show them you are there for them.  Often they won’t ask for help, but they really need it. This is especially true at work!

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Lessons Learned from the Tornado

Posted in Adversity, Faith and Work, Leadership, Planning, Serve on January 23, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Rob Hey continues to share his thoughts  this month on how we can serve more effectively at work.

It is amazing to see people around the office that will step up and serve when the time calls for it.  We all have talents and gifts that can be used in powerful ways if we will just decide that serving is a priority and open our eyes to the opportunities that present themselves all over the workplace.  These opportunities can come from all kinds of directions.  Let me share a story with you about someone I work with who was a real inspiration to me in this way.

We all remember the tornado that went through Joplin, MO last year as if it were yesterday.  It was one of those moments in life you will always remember what you were doing when you heard about the devastation so close to home.  The next day at the office, so many people were asking, “what can we do”?  Several wanted to immediately drive to Joplin to help with the recovery effort, yet nobody was really sure how to get started or what to do.  After listening quietly to all the concern throughout the day, one of our associates, John, asked if he could talk to me in my office.  John lives in Monett, MO, very close to Joplin, and had served as a Missouri State Trooper in a previous career.  In a very short amount of time, John showed me a plan he had put on paper of how many volunteers we would need around the clock to feed emergency workers in downtown Joplin.  The plan included supplies, location, emergency phone numbers, vehicles, and everything else that would have us serving food within a couple of hours.  Once the plan was in place, the volunteers were assembled and a schedule was put together allowing us to serve food in Joplin for the next two weeks.

What started as concern and a lot of uncertainty, quickly turned into action when one person stepped up with a plan.  Over the next two weeks, our entire office staff had taken time out of their schedule to serve emergency workers in Joplin.

Many times in our day-to-day routine, it just takes someone to step up and provide the leadership necessary to make something happen.  So many people around you want to help serve others, yet they don’t know where to start.  As you start to respond to these opportunities, your co-workers will be inspired by the example you set and serving others can become a common part of your workplace experience.

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Inspiration for Relationship with God at Work

Posted in Adversity, Faith, Faith and Work, Family, God, Influence, Jesus, Relationships, Seven Pillars of Faith and Work, tagged , , , , , , , on September 20, 2011 | 1 Comment »

We are blogging this month on the first of  Seven Pillars…Relationship. Specifically, how we can walk with God all day, every day, but especially in our work. But it’s hard, isn’t it? The menial tasks. The grind. Deadlines. Worry. Money…and the list goes on.

But God calls us to see it differently, doesn’t he?  He calls us to see our work as a blessing, not a curse. To understand that our work is a mission, or at least it can be if we let it. To treat our work as worship to Him.

Do you need some inspiration to see a higher purpose in walking with God at work? Watch this video. Watch it to the end because it’s the last five minutes that really matter.

Now…what do you do with what you just witnessed?

How can your life and your work have deeper meaning?

What does your relationship with God look like now?

It’s up to you…

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Matthew 25:23

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Finishing Strong

Posted in Adversity, Job Search on June 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Finishing strong is something all of us want to do. Finish strong each day. Finish strong in our job. Finish strong in our faith. As a valued partner of WorkMatters, we want you to be aware of a significant shift in our marketplace ministry. Wednesday morning we formally announced that the time has come to retire The Joseph Project.

We have been blessed to help alter the journey of literally hundreds of men and women between jobs as they’ve navigated those difficult waters over the past 2 ½ years. We’ve witnessed stories of pain and suffering turn into those of encouragement and enthusiasm as people transition to what God has next for them in their careers.  The decision to end “the Project” has been incredibly difficult, but our Board of Directors has made this decision (based on my recommendation) for all of the right reasons. The time has come for us to focus on our core vision.

Helping business people between jobs was never on our radar. It was never a part of our vision. But, it has been an incredible journey, one that we always assumed would eventually come to an end. We believe that time is now.

It has been an indescribable blessing for our WorkMatters Board of Directors, staff, TJP leadership team, volunteers and financial supporters to serve our Lord out in the marketplace for those between jobs. The stories of life change are inspirational. Every week new stories come. In some of the most difficult times in these people’s lives, God has shown himself powerful, merciful and loving

All of the details are online in the FAQ and Letter from the President.  I hope you will find time to read each of these so that you can fully understand and communicate why we are retiring The Joseph Project.

If you live in northwest Arkansas, it would be an honor if you would join us for our last two meetings of The Joseph Project.  On Wednesday, June 15, we will receive a truly inspirational story of job loss, understanding of God’s plan and the ensuing life change.   On Wednesday, June 22, we will conclude The Joseph Project with a celebration breakfast and unique Between Jobs panel.  EVERY leader who has spoken will be invited to participate and share their last notes of wisdom.  You can learn more about that here.

Thank you for the blessing of serving in this Joseph Project marketplace ministry.  If you have a story you would like to share with us about your experience at The Joseph Project, please email us.  We will continue to pray for those who are between jobs and need a place like The Joseph Project for help and support.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  2Timothy 4:7

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