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Jul 31, 2011
The North Wind and the Sun
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An ancient storyteller named Aesop told a fable about the north wind and the sun. It opens with a challenge about a traveler’s cloak. The north wind bets the sun that he can get that cloak off the traveler. The north wind begins to blow, but the harder he blows, the more tightly the traveler wraps his cloak around him. Then comes the sun’s turn. ... Read More + |
Jul 24, 2011
Setbacks and Mindset
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Ever hear of Bethany Hamilton? By age 13, she was a world-class surfer. That was before a shark, without warning, appeared and bit off her entire left arm. The loss of blood almost killed her. Isn’t that a clue to take up a new sport—on land? Not for Bethany. She loved surfing. What’s more, she believed God’s purpose in her life trumped even the... Read More + |
Jul 17, 2011
The Chance You'd Want
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Bob did not like Kate. People said she promoted herself more than her team. They said she was vain. Bob hated those qualities in anyone. And when he found himself teamed on a project with Kate, he was NOT pleased. Funny thing though: at work alongside her, Bob saw a different Kate. Those rumors, he realized, were flat wrong. Who started them,... Read More + |
Jul 11, 2011
Just Because: Is Your Business Stuck in Old Ways?
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At his new job, Barry saw something funny. The company used odd-sized stationery—about half an inch shorter than standard. When Barry asked why, from intern to executive came the same blank stare and a shrug. “Because that’s how we always did it.” Barry persisted, finally going to the company’s longest-term employee: Myrna. In the early days—the lean... Read More + |
Jul 3, 2011
Doors: One Door Closes, Another Opens
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He started in newspaper work. The Kansas City Star. But things quickly turned sour, and he was fired. Fired? Why? Because, his boss said, he lacked creativity. Well, the man fired that day was none other than Walt Disney. Mr. Creativity himself. And here’s another irony: years later, the company that Disney founded and built (on that creativity... Read More + |
Jun 28, 2011
It's No Sin to Get Knocked Down
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Carl Brashear was the first African American to become a U.S. Navy Master Diver. Born in 1931 to Kentucky sharecroppers, he only completed grade school. But that’s just the man on paper. In the water, Brashear also became the first amputee to certify, or recertify, as a military diver. On a mission to retrieve a hydrogen bomb off the coast of... Read More + |
Jun 17, 2011
We Sign Our Work
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In his book, In Plain Sight, Dr. Charley Gordon shows places in nature where God signs his work. For example, in the unexpected likeness of an oak tree and a brain cell. Or, in the matching mathematics of a grain of sand, a cyclone, and the cosmos. Michelangelo, Cezanne, Monet…All artists leave “fingerprints” in their brushwork. In God’s work, he... Read More + |
Jun 5, 2011
Camaraderie of Excellence
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The new boss was tough: short on praise…quick to criticize. He set high quotas, and he pushed people to meet them. In cubicles and emails, complaints ran high. Soon something else ran high: productivity. Followed closely by new self-respect. Raises and bonuses also rose. The group gained new stature. The annual review was a new day. Suddenly,... Read More + |
May 27, 2011
Tim McGuire
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Tim McGuire was editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. When he retired, he overheard someone trying to explain what he intended to do next. A friend said, “Tim’s going to write about spirituality and work.” “Oh,” came a cynical retort, “he’s going to write fiction.” After many years in my job, I can tell you that faith in the workplace is not... Read More + |
May 22, 2011
Open New Doors
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“I need a volunteer,” the boss said. Like everyone else at the table, Peter inwardly groaned: high effort…short deadline…pressure. Who volunteers for that? Answer: Peter did…half-heartedly. Then his pride kicked in, and he gave the work his best effort. It never grew easy or pleasant. But there’s something about throwing yourself into a task. ... Read More + |
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Daily Reflection From Laity Lodge
Just When You Thought...
Ever since I was young and devoured the Hardy Boys mysteries books, I have loved a good mystery. It can take the form of a novel, a movie, a play ... you name it. Part of what I love about a mystery... Read More +
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