A manufacturing plant in Kentucky had repeatedly been cited for safety violations. After each citation, some corrections were made, but the underlying causes were never dealt with. Conditions improved for a while, but then management allowed its safety standards to slip again, and more violations occurred. The result was an explosion that injured...

Jennifer owned a growing heating-and-cooling contracting service in Ohio. Over thirty years, she had built up a solid clientele by establishing a reputation for integrity and superior value. Then the town’s largest employer announced a plant closing that put one-third of the town’s population out of work. The effect on other businesses in town...

Sam was traveling through the West with his family, exploring the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Several times a day, his cell phone rang, and Sam answered the call to respond to questions from his staff, whether he was riding in the car, or viewing an attraction. As the trip went on, his family grimaced...

Reciprocity is a simple yet effective principle that will have a positive impact on any business. Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over... For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38, NASB). What a great word picture of giving a customer the...

The meeting was over, and once again Matt wondered what had gone wrong. After an hour and a half, nothing had been accomplished and all six attendees felt the time was wasted. Meetings are expensive—just calculate the salaries and benefits expense of everyone in attendance. Meetings can cost hundreds of dollars per hour, or more. Effective use...

Martha, a young account manager for an electronics manufacturer, struggled to make sales until her manager took her aside and explained that her use of “hip” expressions caused her to lose credibility with customers. “We are selling high-tech products that cost $5,000 or more, and customers don’t always understand the technology. When you...

Business owners and leaders sometimes struggle to balance the needs of work and family. The demands of the job can seem overwhelming, but you can keep your priorities in balance if you will treat your family the same way you treat your best customer. At the end of the day - and from an eternal perspective - which is more important, a customer or...