You Know You’re A Bad Boss When…

April 16th, 2008

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant? as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” (Matthew 20:26-28)

This morning in a devotional I read the above verse. Then I read a fun article in the Syracuse Post-Standard that shared in a Jeff Foxworthy-like manner, ways in which you know you’re a bad boss.

I found it interesting how almost each of their points that showed you to be a bad boss showed the opposite of servant-hood. See if you agree:

You know you’re a bad boss:

If you prefer to email your employees rather than face to face meetings, even though your office is within 10 feet of their desk…….you just might be a bad boss.

If you treat your employees like your 12 year old daughter, you are definitely a bad boss.

If you believe that your way is the only way a job can be done, you’re a bad boss.

If you observe your employees sharing the phone number of a good employment attorney, you might be a bad boss.

If you copy and paste text from last year’s performance appraisal into this year’s, you’re most assuredly a bad boss.

If your employee cuts and pastes your picture into a cartoon with hunting trophies on the wall, you just might be a bad boss.

If you see a copy of “How to work for a J3rk” on your employee’s desk, you might be a bad boss.

If your employees have a mirror on their desk to make sure they see you approaching, you are likely a bad boss.

If you have an “open door” policy, but your office is usually empty, you’re a bad boss.

If you leave to play golf at 3, but write someone else up for doing the very same thing, you’re a bad boss.

If you have ever been quoted “if you don’t like it, become familiar with the words “you want fries with that”, you just might be a bad boss.

If you have ever referred to your employees as “worker bees” you’re a bad boss.

If you want to read about a terrible boss I had that led to something really cool, go here.

GTG

April 15th, 2008

A friend of mine named Stu uses a phrase with me and others regularly, “Glory to God!” He even signs his emails and notes with “GTG” at the bottom.

Some may find this strange, but if you know Stu, he means it. He is a great example.

I witnessed some other great of examples of this over the weekend at the Passion Conference Molly and I attended in Atlanta.

It seemed that every time after Louie Giglio or Francis Chan spoke, they would get off the stage somehow before the crowd could applaud for them. They did not want the adoration and the applause because they wanted it to go to God.

The Chris Tomlin Band, David Crowder Band and Charlie Hall’s band were the same way. The spotlights would go off of them at the end of their songs so that the focus and applause was not on them. Very cool.

I have to admit I am one who likes applause. When I was growing up, I liked being praised more by my parents than corrected. When I played basketball, I certainly liked hearing claps rather than boos. When I write or speak, I like to hear that people liked what I had to say. This saddens me but it is true. That is why Stu’s example and the things I witnessed this weekend were so powerful to me.

26:8

April 14th, 2008

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for you;

Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Isaiah 26:8

We returned yesterday from Atlanta where we attended the Passion Conference. Passion is a movement started by Louie Giglio to minister to college students. These conferences are all about developing leaders within that age group. We were with 9,500 mostly college-age kids (see picture above). Yes, I felt really old, but the conference was incredible!

At the beginning of the weekend, they mentioned that Isaiah 26:8 (shown above) has been and will continue to be the inspiration behind Passion. They exist to make Jesus famous.

Wow! A pretty simple statement, but what a great mission statement! They exist to make Jesus famous.

I have really been thinking a lot about this all weekend. I thought about all the times I have done things for other reasons, especially to please myself (which is most of the time!). I am going to try to keep this mission statement at the forefront of all I do.

Will you join me in doing this yourself? What would happen if we lived our lives with that singleness of purpose, to make Jesus famous? What would happen if we did this in all areas of our life, even at work? We could change the world!

Father Daughter Trip

April 11th, 2008

Today, my 17 year-old daughter Molly and I, along with friends Bruce and Alana are heading for Atlanta for the Passion Conference.

Passion is a college student ministry started by Louie Giglio. He and Francis Chan are scheduled to speak and Chris Tomlin and the David Crowder Band are the musicians.

I am very excited. I’m not sure Molly feels exactly the same way. However, I am praying and believing for God to “rattle our cages” and to draw us near to Him and to each other!

Common Sense

April 10th, 2008

Don’t you love it when you see people use common sense? It is extra special when you can see a leader use it in an arena where it is usually lacking…in politics. Some may read the following article and cringe. Don’t get me wrong, I am not necessarily condoning all of his actions. I am not for inhumane treatment of people, even prisoners. However, I believe this man is doing some things right and he is definitely using common sense! Read this story about Sheriff Joe which was recently emailed to me:

Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.

The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior.

They give great classes for anyone who’d like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million.

Teresa and I adopted a Weimeraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.

The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.

I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas.

He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetables and food, doing all the work and harvesting by hand. He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer. It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6 – $8 for the Holidays, and plant it later. We have six trees in our yard from the Prison.

Yup, he was reelected last year with 83% of the vote.

Now he’s in trouble with the ACLU again. He painted all his buses and vehicles with a mural, that has a special hotline phone number painted on it where you can call and report suspected illegal aliens. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement wasn’t doing enough in his eyes, so he had 40 deputies trained specifically for enforcing immigration laws, started up his hotline, and bought 4 new buses just for hauling folks back to the border. He’s kind of a “Git-R Dun” kind of Sheriff.

TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY: Sheriff Joe Arpaio (In Arizona) who created the “Tent City Jail”: He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them. He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights Cut off all but “G” movies.

He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects. Then He Started Chain Gangs For Women So He Wouldn’t Get Sued For Discrimination. He took away cable TV Until he found out there was a Federal Court Order that Required Cable TV For Jails So He Hooked Up The Cable TV Again Only Let In The Disney Channel And The Weather Channel.When asked why the weather channel He Replied, So They Will Know How Hot Its Gonna Be While They Are Working ON My Chain Gangs. He Cut Off Coffee Since It Has Zero Nutritional Value. When the inmates complained, he told them, “This Isn’t The Ritz/Carlton…If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Come Back.” He bought Newt Gingrich’s lecture series on videotape that he pipes into the jails.

When asked by a reporter if he had any lecture series by a Democrat, he replied that a democratic lecture series might explain why a lot of the inmates were in His jails in the first place.

More On The Arizona Sheriff: With Temperatures Being Even Hotter Than Usual In Phoenix (116 Degrees Just Set A New Record), the Associated Press Reports: About 2,000 Inmates Living In A Barbed-Wire-Surrounded Tent Encampment At The Maricopa County Jail Have Been Given Permission To Strip Down To Their Government-Issued Pink Boxer Shorts. On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached 138 Degrees Inside The Week Before.

Many Were Also Swathed In Wet, Pink Towels As Sweat Collected On Their Chests And Dripped Down To Their PINK SOCKS. “It Feels Like We Are In A Furnace,” Said James Zanzot, An Inmate Who Has Lived In The TENTS for 1 year. “It’s Inhumane.”

Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: “Its 120 Degrees In Iraq And Our Soldiers Are Living In Tents Too, And They Have To Wear Full Battle Gear, But They Didn’t Commit Any Crimes, So Shut Your Damned Mouths!”

Way To Go, Sheriff!

Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes – not live in luxury until it’s time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can’t afford to have for themselves.

Pride Before The Fall

April 9th, 2008

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride. It is something that I admit I have an issue with.

Others seem to as well.

I am a Detroit Tigers fan. I have been since I was very young. My grampa would pick me up several times each summer to head up to Tiger Stadium to watch the “boys of summer.” It was great fun.

That was in the early ’70s and they were pretty good back then. From that point on I was hooked. Then I lived through some very tough years. Until their great year in 1984, it seemed like we weren’t out of April and I would already be saying, “Wait till next year!”

So when the Tigers are contenders that is exciting.

This past off-season, the Tigers’ front office made some brilliant moves and acquired some all-star players to bolster their already talented team. Most experts were predicting them to contend for the World Series and some were even saying they were the best team in baseball.

I, along with other Tigers’ fans, was excited.

We are now 7 games into the season. The Tigers still have a very talented lineup, in fact they have the second highest payroll in all of baseball behind the Yankees. However, the Tigers are the only team in baseball without a win.

0-7. Pitiful.

I think the Tigers may have been reading their press clippings. Once again, another example of the pride before the fall which is a great example for all of us.

Are You An Adder Or A Subtractor?

April 8th, 2008

I am on the Christian Emphasis Committee at my local YMCA. We had our monthly meeting yesterday afternoon. Doug, our chairman led the meeting off with something he read in a book from John Maxwell.

According to Maxwell, those who build others up, who encourage people and make others better can be called “adders.” They add to the lives of others.

I like that term, “adders.”

Taking a look on the opposite side of the fence, I suppose those who make excuses, who don’t keep their commitments and talk poorly of others could be called “subtractors.” They take away from the lives of others.

So are you going to be an adder or a subtractor today?

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

Integrity and Getting Ahead

April 7th, 2008

On Friday I talked about integrity in leadership and referenced an article I had just read. Well, I failed to mention something very interesting. The article also had this to say:

For twenty years, Chinese researchers sought to understand why the United States was the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world. They analyzed all aspects of the United States, including its political, economic, monetary, and social systems. The researchers concluded that the United States was the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world because of its Christian values. (See Gleanings from April 2007; http://strategieswork.com/publications/gleanings/2007/2007-04.htm.)

As stunning as this conclusion is, it is even more impressive when you realize that the conclusion was reached by atheists.

Is that cool or what? Sometimes it is hard to act with integrity, especially when you see others without it getting ahead. It’s very nice to actually see something like this which proves what we know deep down, that the true way to get ahead is by acting with integrity and other Christian values.

Leadership With Integrity

April 4th, 2008

This morning in my men’s group, we did a Bible study on integrity and its importance in leadership. We had some incredible discussion and I hope we were transformed.

When I got to my office, I read an article that talked about calling evil good in the workplace. It talked about seven of the ways we do this today:

1. Greed is good. This is a famous statement from the movie Wall Street. The sentiment expressed is that money is the bottom line and therefore the driving agenda of business. Even though we should be good stewards and make a profit, ultimately success—from a biblical worldview—is not denominated in monetary terms, but in the degree of alignment with the will of God (John 17:4; James 4:13–17).

2. Lying is an acceptable tactical tool. A study found that 93 percent of workers use lying as a tactical tool to accomplish their objectives. This means that truth is subordinated to results or, as is commonly stated, that the end justifies the means. John 8:32 states that the truth sets us free from the bondage of sin. Given this reality, the opposite must be true, namely, that lies put us into bondage to sin. A person in bondage to sin will not prosper (Psalms 1).

3. Pride is a sign of strength. A popularly regarded teaching is to never apologize because that would be a sign of weakness. Pride was the original sin of Satan and of Adam and Eve in the Garden. The opposite of pride is humility. When the question was posed, What does the Lord require of man? one of the key virtues was humility (Micah 6:8).

4. Cheating on expense reports is a perk. Most companies reimburse employees for expenses incurred during the course of business. Many employees discern how closely these reports are monitored and take the liberty to fudge and pocket a little extra cash. This practice is an injustice to companies and is an example of unjust weights and measures that God detests (Proverbs 20:10).

5. Deception is a competitive advantage. In an aggressive workplace, it seems that everyone is looking for a competitive advantage. For those who believe that values can be compromised for the sake of profit, truth is frequently sacrificed. Solomon exhorts us to buy truth and to not sell it, which means that truth is to be highly valued and not to be compromised. (Proverbs 23:23)

6. Stealing is an entitlement. Most workers view companies as wealthy and stingy. In other words, workers many times assume that companies make a lot of money but fail to properly compensate their workers. Hence, these workers feel entitled to rectify this inequity by stealing. Worker theft includes stealing company resources, failing to properly use time, and failing to develop and utilize talents. In addition, workers steal whenever they place personal agendas ahead of the organization’s interests (Titus 2:9–10).

7. Self-centeredness is self-protection. Another common assumption of workers today is that “no one is looking out for me so I have to look out for myself.” This creates a narcissistic environment in companies, which is counterproductive. To perform well, a company must function as a team, which requires selflessness, not self-centeredness, on the part of the workers (Matthew 16:24; 1 Corinthians 12).

Why do we do this? Why do we try to justify evil behavior and make it “not so bad?”

In our discussion this morning we talked about how almost all of us do this in one way or another. The topic of the speed limit came up and I think every one of us in the group squirmed in our seat and admitted that we speed from time to time (“But everyone else is doing it…”).

From a Biblical perspective, sin is sin. Though speeding is more acceptable than say, adultery; in God’s eyes, it is still sin.

Can I be honest with you? I think this stinks.

It sure would be easier if God would give us a sliding scale on the severity of our sins. Then I wouldn’t feel so much like a sinner.

If that were the case though, I would probably feel like I don’t need God as much as I do. Thankfully God knows what He’s doing!

Workplace Bullies

April 3rd, 2008

Did you see this? The senate democrats have introduced a bill to outlaw bullying of workers by bosses in the workplace. (To read the article, click here).

My first reaction is that this can’t possibly work. How will they determine what bullying is? Where will they draw the line? To me, any legislation like this would be a very slippery slope that would eventually hurt businesses.

Before you think I am pro-bullying, you must know that I suffered at the hands of a workplace bully for over a year and a half. In fact, it was so bad it led me to write Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders.

I am anything but pro-bullying. I am just not a believer in government trying to fix things like this as I believe that creates more problems.

I am a firm believer that as leaders, we need to follow the ways of the great leaders of the Bible. The likes of Jesus, Moses, David, Joseph and Paul (and many others) can teach us much.

The fact that this legislation is even being discussed is sad. But it indicates there is a definite need for leaders to lead in a godly way.