What Your Boss Wants

Master these old-school basics

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” -Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Congratulations! You got the job! Now what? If you’re just entering the work force, or changing to a new job, you wouldn’t be human if your excitement didn’t also contain a bit of apprehension. […]

Why Progress Is Not the Answer

All change is good? Eh, not so much

“How small, of all that human hearts endure, that part which laws or kings can cause or cure.” – Oliver Goldsmith We live in a technocratic age. There seems to be a handy solution to every problem — from the plots of 30 minute TV sitcoms, to the prescription medicine advertisements that sponsor them. If […]

That Thing You (All) Do

“Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Gimme a pen, I’m signin’! You’re signin’! We’re all signin’!” -Lenny Haise in That Thing You Do (1996) Yes, I quoted a movie from last century, but it’s one of my top five — you really should […]

Comparison Is The Thief of Joy

“But godliness with contentment is great gain” – 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV) The title of today’s post is a quotation attributed to American president Theodore Roosevelt.  The truth of this statement is so blinding, I am partly tempted to let it stand on its own.  If I did that, though, you might think I was […]

A Boat Is A Hole in the Water

“Dear friend, if you’ve gone into hock with your neighbor or locked yourself into a deal with a stranger, If you’ve impulsively promised the shirt off your back and now find yourself shivering out in the cold, Friend, don’t waste a minute, get yourself out of that mess. You’re in that man’s clutches!” -Proverbs 6: 1- 5 […]

Six Reasons You Should Consider a Job in Sales

“Nothing happens until something gets sold” -Ancient proverb It’s no secret that the  job market is tough and more competitive than ever.  There is a surplus of highly educated and ambitious college graduates vying for the most prestigious positions — and this is before one takes into account the number of people already working and […]

The High Price of Free – Part I

“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer— then goes off and boasts about the purchase.” -Proverbs 20:14 (NIV) I remember a business book published some years ago whose title was “Free, Perfect, and Now.”  The author’s thesis was that customers’ demands had never been higher, and that those who wished to attract and keep […]

Deliver Results in Every Circumstance

“You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” – Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) Your reputation is critically important. You earn it — a task at a time, a job at a time, a decision at a time —  over a period of years.  The tough part is your reputation is largely if […]

Who Dares Wins

“Do not dare not to dare.” ~ C. S. Lewis We live in the age of the Internet Tough Guy.  You know the one; he launches his attacks from the safety of his man cave, boasts of his prowess and his willingness to fight anytime, anywhere, but strangely cannot be found when it’s time to […]

The Fence That Me and Shorty Built

Here’s a trip back to the poetry corner.  If you’re discouraged about the kind of work that’s available to you currently, you might find this helpful.  Here’s cowboy poet Red Steagall: The Fence That Me and Shorty Built We’d picked up all the fencing tools And staples off the road An extra roll of “bob” […]