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Posts Tagged ‘Work’

2013…Living Life on Purpose

Posted in Faith and Work, Faith at work, Family, Goals, Marriage, Parenting, Purpose, tagged , , , , on January 1, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Did you look back at 2012 yesterday?

As I wrote down some thoughts and graded myself (yes, I am that analytical) on my faith, marriage, children, work, etc., it beautifully prepared me for 2013. Just as a business forecast comes from historical data, so can the forecast for our lives in 2013!

2013 year beginning blog post

Let’s keep this simple today. I have shared in the past these basic ideas to help you shape your 2013 to live with more purpose. Let me encourage you to block some time, find a quiet place, buy yourself a cup of coffee (or other stimulus), and just think and listen. Write down what comes to you.

If you are a person that needs some structure, try this on for 2013:

  • Purpose – a simple statement that describes your focus for the year.
  • Word – one word that  summarizes your purpose.
  • Verse – a single Bible verse that supports your purpose.
  • Goals – this can be as short (4-5 goals) or as long (family, work, financial, serving) as you wish.
  • Book – this is a freebee…go to Amazon and buy a book that you really need to read. Here’s mine.

I pray that your 2013 focus will intentionally include closing the gap between your work and your faith. That’s WorkMatters purpose and passion for your life!

Let’s do this,

David

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A New Mission

Posted in Faith and Work, Faith at work, Leadership, Purpose, Vision, Work, tagged , , , on November 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

For nine years, WorkMatters’ mission – to bridge the gap between faith and work – was perfect.

But not anymore! Churches are beginning to get it. Books have been written. Marketplace ministries are emerging. Universities are beginning to teach it. Simply bridging the gap is no longer good enough.

So this year, as we approach our 10th anniversary in 2013, we have changed our mission to closing the gap between faith and work. I know, it’s only one word, but it’s an enormous change in our focus.

Now we must push into the next generation. We must push beyond just sitting in rows at events where we learn – to sitting in circles in groups where we grow. We must continue to encourage each other. And increasingly, we must equip each other to actually live biblical leadership principles in our work and then export those principles to others in the process.

Closing the Gap graphic

So our mission to “close the gap between faith and work” is both timely and intentional.  In the coming weeks, you will be introduced to some cool new opportunities from WorkMatters. Opportunities that can take your work and your faith to a place of increasing purpose and significance.

Our passion is to help you live a Matthew 22:37-39* life at work in 2013. Are you ready?

David Roth

President, WorkMatters

* Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’…”

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Follow Through Changes the Game

Posted in Excellence, Faith, Faith and Work, Influence, Integrity, Relationships, Work, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

How often do you let emails or phone messages pile up before you communicate back? Have you ever had a business meeting with a customer, but never followed up with them? Or committed to do something but never followed through with it?

What if Tiger didn’t follow through with his shot? How about you at work?

These are issues we all face at one time or another.  So, what’s the big deal?  Read what our guest blogger, Michael Dodd, former University of Arkansas ASG president, WorkMatters Kairos alumni, and now a Walmart associate in the Merchandise Leadership Program, has to say on this subject…

The Sundown Rule was Sam Walton’s twist on that old adage “why put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” It is still an important part of the Walmart culture and is one reason Walmart is so well known for its customer service. The observation from the Sundown Rule means that Walmart strives to answer requests by sundown on the day they receive them, following through in a big way.

I have learned a few lessons in the workplace as a young associate, but none has stuck with me more so than the importance of following up and delivering what you say you’re going to do. Through many failures and successes, I’ve seen the power that following up has in defining my competence, trust, and in some cases, integrity. I’ve also seen how it can mean a lot to spiritual growth opportunities, as well.

But at what point do you put emails before quality time with others? At what point does it take too long to answer emails, and you just stop answering? Think about this…

  • While email communication is losing value, God desires us to be excellent in our work and in our communication and replying to requests or just shooting a quick “nice to meet you” is something that sets the tone for a relationship.
  • The ability to follow up can add more value to a career or relationship than nearly anything else, by simply being intentional to follow up and doing it in a timely manner.
  • Following up on prayer requests is something that God has been pointing me to do more and more – and revealing his ability to answer prayer can be a great testimony to his power!
  • Following up to set a relationship in motion that could be kingdom-oriented is exactly how you make work a calling.

“For he says, ‘in a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

The more we follow up, the more we are able to influence lives for the Lord. And when we’re too busy to follow up with everyone, we should seek the Lord’s counsel on how best to spend our time.

Mike Duke recently spoke to a UA class that I visited, and passed on this last piece of advice to those of us that were there: “Be trusted first; deliver what you say; when you make a promise, keep it.” As we look toward our Heavenly boss, let us strive to follow up: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” John 17:4

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Surviving the Ordinary at Work

Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Excellence, Faith and Work, Leadership, Work, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Are there tasks in your job that you just don’t enjoy doing? Are you biding your time waiting for something better? Do you have days at work that are so routine or even boring to you? Days where you’d rather be anywhere but at work?

Do have days at work that are boring to you?

No matter what job you have, there are parts of it that you probably consider ordinary or drudgery.  We all crave for exciting jobs which align perfectly with our passions.  Truth is, even if you had the perfect job there will be days where you just don’t feel it. So, the challenge is, how do you handle those days and those responsibilities in your job with a positive, upbeat attitude?  What does your character reveal about you during those times? How do you survive the ordinary of your job?

My son is on the 8th grade junior high football team.  As a receiver, he rotates with other receivers for playing time.  For someone who typically played every down during youth football, this has been an adjustment.  He practices four hours a day and when he plays a game he may or may not have the ball thrown to him or even get that much playing time offensively.  It’s easy to see how frustration or drudgery could set in.  We talked to him about his responsibilities as a receiver, how the coaches pay attention to his attitude, about being a leader even if he’s not playing and always being upbeat and motivated no matter what. Sometimes it’s hard to maintain that attitude through all those hours of practice, to play his best every down in practice and in the game – all while waiting for that pass to come his way.

Do you sometimes feel that way at work? Do you struggle with keeping an upbeat and motivated attitude in the midst of the ordinary tasks at work?  Are you waiting for that big promotion, or big sale or recognition from your boss? If so, think about the principles below:

  1. Your actions reveal your character. How you handle the ordinary times of your job reveals a lot about your character. I recently read in My Utmost for His Highest, “The true test of a person’s character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening.
  2. If Jesus did menial work, so can you.  “So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” John 13: 4-5
  3. God’s hand is in the ordinary. Oswald Chamber in My Utmost for His Highest wrote “I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.
  4. Just do it. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31

By the way, that pass my son’s been waiting for was thrown to him in last week’s game – a 40 yard pass for a touchdown!  All that practice and hard work and motivation paid off for just such a time as this. Now back to practice…

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Having an Attitude of Gratitude at Work

Posted in Appreciation, Attitude, Encouragement, Faith and Work, Gratitude, Work, tagged , , , , , , , on October 4, 2012 | 1 Comment »

Are you so busy at work that you sometimes forget to thank those around you for their help? Or have you been on the other side where you worked your tail off and never received a word of encouragement or thanks?  We’ve all been in both of these situations.

Have less attitude and more gratitude in your workday!

There is so much to do during the workday. And in today’s economic times, we have to do MORE work in LESS time.  As a result, we often focus only on the tasks at hand never taking the time to thank those around us who have helped. Stop and think how much you appreciate being told “thank you” for something you’ve done, especially when you weren’t really expecting it. It feels good doesn’t it?  Conversely, imagine how you’ve felt when you bend over backwards and never receive any word of encouragement. It totally deflates your enthusiasm.

I recently read a quote that said “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” It’s selfish.  I don’t think any of us wants to be characterized that way.   Having a grateful attitude and expressing it is a small thing with a huge impact.  So, give it a try and see what a difference it can make!

 Suggestions for having an attitude of gratitude:

  1. Start with a grateful heart. “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1  Thes 5:18
  2. Don’t take others for granted. Think about what your job would be like if you had to do everything, from the smallest, seemingly unimportant tasks, to the largest.  Impossible, right?
  3. Just do it!  Sometimes I have such grandiose ideas for showing my gratitude that I never get around to expressing it. A simple, genuine “thank you” can go a long way in making those around you feel encouraged about themselves and their work.  “But encourage each other every day while it is “today.” ( Hebrews 3:13)
  4. Be intentional. Commit to have an attitude of gratitude for 30 days.  See what a difference it makes in you and in those around you!

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Changing Interruptions into Opportunities at Work

Posted in Attitude, Boss, Encouragement, Faith and Work, Jesus, Work, tagged , , , , , on September 24, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Have you ever had one of those days at work where you have more work than you can actually do?  And then something comes up that is totally unexpected and unplanned and throws a wrench into your plans? It could be another job assignment, someone who walks in your office who needs to talk, an unexpected phone call, or maybe a sick child.

Image

How do you handle interruptions?

I’m a type A person, and very task-oriented. And if I have something that needs to be done, it’s on a list.  Between my personality and my list, I’m a working machine. So you can imagine what my reaction often is when something unexpected comes up.  I’m sure I send out all the wrong signals – looking at my watch, my phone, acting perturbed, etc. Not pretty.

Today, it hit me.  Could these so called interruptions really be opportunities that God has placed in my day and He wants to see how I handle them? Ouch.

Do you have these same challenges? Are you SO focused on your work that you’re put off by God’s interruptions? Here are some suggestions to help you (and me) better handle interruptions at work.

  1. W.W.J.D – How many times do you read in the bible that Jesus would stop whatever he was doing to heal, to encourage, to show love. His day was full of interruptions, but it’s also where He had some of His greatest impact.
  2. Don’t ignore the small stuff. In Matthew 25:23 it says, “You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” If God presents a situation and I ignore it, how can He trust me with something bigger?
  3. Show compassion. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’’ Matthew 25:40
  4. God will redeem your time. “God will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

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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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Changing Your Attitude at Work

Posted in Attitude, Excellence, Faith and Work, Pride, Work, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 18, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

When school starts, I always have big plans to do things a little differently. You know, get back into a routine:  exercise more, eat better, spend more quality time with my family and my friends… I have great intentions, but life gets in the way, and before I know it, I wake up and nothing has changed.

Do you need a change of attitude?

Out with the Old and In with the New

It’s the same with our Christian walk. As Christians we are called to be different, but it’s far easier to stay the same rather than pay the price to change. In Ephesians 4:22-24 Paul writes “… to put off your old self, … to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

So, what are some “old” behaviors or attitudes that might apply in the workplace? How about:

  • Pride
  • Envy
  • Short Temper
  • Impatience
  • Careless Words
  • Swearing
  • Complaining

I don’t know about you, but some of these hit too close to home for me. It’s not that we intentionally try to act this way, but things happen and before we know it we react in an inappropriate way. The truth is, we are called to BE more like Christ – in other words, to ACT more like Christ.  We need to let go of some of our old attitudes and behaviors and make room for the new…in EVERY aspect of our life, including our work.

Is there some attitude or behavior that you would like to change about yourself?  Ask God to reveal what he wants you to change and then ask Him to give you the strength and discipline to make it happen. And don’t be discouraged, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph 4:22-24

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Try Sitting in a Circle

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Faith, Faith and Work, Leadership, Relationships, Small Groups, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

There are so many things that you can do to grow as a leader. To grow in your faith. Most of them are good. But what are the things that will have the most impact? A real, lasting impact?

I was reminded of an answer to that question this week as 62 leaders committed 60 minutes to sit in a circle. Well, actually they were sitting in a rectangle around large conference room tables. 62 men and women, in five different marketplace groups, from companies across northwest Arkansas invested 60 minutes to begin a journey. For 13 weeks, they will learn biblical leadership lessons from one of the great leaders of the Bible…Nehemiah!

I received an email from one of our WorkMatters Group leaders that met at 6:00a.m. yesterday! The anticipation these women expressed was powerful.

How encouraging to see all ten chairs around the table in the Harvest board room filled with women yearning to:

  • plug into a Bible study for the first time since college
  • meet other women in business
  • learn practical ways to have my faith be part of my life at work and not be separated from the rest of my activities
  • put God first even though I’m not a morning person and it won’t be easy as a single mom

Have you considered sitting in a circle with a small group of leaders that can create a lasting impact in your life and you in theirs?

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.  1Thessalonians 5:11

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Changing Your Work/Life Balance

Posted in Balance, Faith and Work, Family, Work, tagged , , , , , , , on August 9, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Ready for change? Ready for some help, for some inspiration in this ongoing, frustrating battle that leaders have with work/life balance?

Before posting this blog, I sent this same content as an email to a large number of workplace leaders that I know and love. After writing it, I knew that you should have it as well.

I’ve struggled with work/life balance issues most of my life. Since moving back to Arkansas 12 years ago, I’ve been blessed to manage my “problem” better – although leading a grueling, fast-paced non-profit with minimal resources has tested me. Without asking, I know that each of you have had seasons of fighting to balance your work and your life.

 This updated story of Urban Meyer’s work/life balance is powerful, exposing the real ongoing battle that leaders face. Wanting to do your work with excellence and win! But also wanting to love your spouse and your children.

Read this story in your quiet time early in the morning when you have time to absorb and reflect. Ask yourself some hard questions. Am I really being honest with myself? How many hours am I really working everyday? When I am home, am I really home? Am I scheduling specific events with my spouse (like date night) and kids every week? Ask your spouse and kids how you’re doing. Be willing to listen to what they have to say. Then listen to what God tells you to do.

And act.

There is a book mentioned in the article Lead… For God’s Sake. It is a powerful, provocative sports fiction book about the real purpose of your work and life. Urban Meyer ended up writing the forward after reading it.

God has given you incredible influence at home and at work. I hope you will use these resources to help you live your life at work with greater purpose and meaning.

We are passionate about helping you live out your life and your work in God-pleasing ways. I hope this is one of them.

David

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