When it comes to changing jobs, the grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but often when we arrive, we see weeds, brown grass, and bare spots. We may change jobs thinking that all our problems are behind us and the new position will solve everything, only to be disappointed and disillusioned by what we find. Before jumping ship,...

A key issue for every business leader is making decisions, large and small. An easy trap to fall into, however, is engaging in endless discussions rather than moving to the decision point. Discussion and feedback have an important place, but if we focus too much time on dialogue, especially ineffective dialogue, we waste valuable time—our own and...

Bill and Becky operated a bakery and sandwich shop called Wholegrain Bakery. Customers lined up early each morning to purchase bagels, muffins, croissants, bread, and other goodies, but the bakery’s highly profitable specialty items—outstanding cakes and desserts—didn’t sell very well. Although they produced great products, Bill and Becky...

Mike was in hot water. He had ordered 25,000 sales brochures from the printer and now his boss, Peter, was livid: “I never gave final approval to order those flyers, and I’ve decided not to move forward. Just cancel the order,” Peter shouted. “You told me to work out the details and get the job done,” Mike responded. “I thought...

With all the advances in computer technology over the past ten years, many people now work at home or have established home-based businesses. As tempting as it may sound to work at home, it takes proper research and planning to determine if this is the best option for you. Working at home typically reduces office overhead expenses, shortens your...

One Saturday, Beth was running errands that included picking up dry cleaning and a picture that had been framed. At the dry cleaners, she found that the two suits she had dropped off had been misplaced. The counter clerk said, “Sometimes cleaning just gets misplaced. Come back on Monday, and we should have it sorted out by then.” At her next...

Firing an employee is one of the more gut-wrenching, painful, and distasteful management tasks. However, by embracing a biblical model for managing employee performance, you can reduce the number of terminations and ensure that every dismissal is necessary. When an employee’s performance is sub-par, first look at your leadership before you resort...