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What Joe Paterno, The Titanic, and Christian Business Have in Common?

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In a little more than a couple of months, we will recognize the 100th anniversary of an incredible disaster. It was just before midnight on April 14th, 1912 that the “unsinkable” Titanic sank, taking with it the lives of over 1,500 victims. Though there are very few people alive today that were alive then, this is not an event that will soon be forgotten. It has been the subject of multiple movies, books, and innumerable lessons on pride.

joe paterno

Even so, I still there is something we can learn from this disaster, as it relates to Christian business and life in general. I have done some very quick “Google” research on this disaster and I think there are some points about which you may not know.

Details of the Titanic

The Titanic was built by 3,000 workers over a three year period leading up to its maiden voyage in 1912. It was built alongside two near-identical sister ships, the Britannic and the Olympic. At a cost of roughly $7.5 million in 1912 (roughly $400 million to build today), she weighed over 66,000 tons. She was roughly four city blocks long and ten stories tall. It took roughly 3 million rivets to put her together (this was before arc welding).

All in all, it is clear that a lot of time, energy, and money went into the construction of this feat of engineering. Unfortunately, the wonder it created did not last long as it sank on its maiden voyage, less than 5 days after departure. So what is the lesson here? What is the most likely cause of this disaster and how does that apply to us in business or life?

More Titanic Information

Well, what is not as well-known about the Titanic incident concerns its construction. Let me add some facts to the story and then we will analyze the lesson.

When the Titanic was under construction, steel was fairly new as a replacement for iron in constructing ships. Steel was much stronger and therefore preferred as material for the rivets that held the ship together. Unfortunately, due to several factors, there simply were not enough steel rivets available. Therefore, iron rivets were used in the less critical areas of the ship’s hull.

Short-Cut With Materials?

The problem was that the iron they used was not the top quality available. As a result, it contained high concentrations of slag. This slag, when exposed to icy salt water, can make the rivets more brittle and prone to fracture. This problem turned out to be critical when the Titanic hit the iceberg.

Original assumptions about the cause of the sinking caused experts to expect a large gash in the hull of the ship when it was finally discovered. Instead, they found six slits between the bow plates where the rivets had failed to hold. It turns out, when all the facts are considered, that the decision to use sub-par materials is most likely the cause of the loss of over 1,500 lives.

Joe Paterno

Joe PaternoSo what does this have to do with Joe Paterno? Even more important, what does it have to do with us as Christian business owners and leaders?

Joe Paterno was a great coach. There is no arguing that. He left a legacy of excellence that many will aspire to emulate. He turned many boys into men and brought immense success to the Penn State football program. He was an intense coach and deserves full recognition for his success.

Tarnished Career

But when Paterno made the decision, for whatever reason, not to apply the same intensity to the investigation of his assistant coach’s alleged crimes when they came to his attention, he made a critical mistake.

Call it a lapse in judgment. Call it an oversight. It really does not matter what you call it, it was a mistake Paterno wished he could undo. It was a mistake that has now tarnished an otherwise brilliant 62 year career.

Application to Christian Business

When you consider all that we have invested in our businesses – for most it is a huge amount of time, energy, and money. While maybe not Titanic proportions – it is a lot to us.

Yet, even if we are fortunate enough to last for decades and build a business that garners praise and renown for our integrity and adherence to our principles, it only takes one small decision to wreck it. It only takes one rivet of sub-standard quality to sink it.

While we are clearly forgiven when we make mistakes like this, we cannot undo the damage done. It is much like hammering nails into a fence post. You can remove the nails, but the holes remain.

Higher Expectations

God has given us a privilege and a responsibility as Christian business owners and leaders, but to whom much has been given, much is expected. We must be diligent to live up to His expectations. We cannot forget that we not only represent our own names and reputations, but we also represent Him.

I encourage you to remain diligent in your decisions and the way you operate in business. No matter how small the decision appears, do not give into the temptation to take a short-cut or compromise the truth. It is never worth it.

(For additional reading, go to Proverbs 4:10-27)

Have you seen an example like this during your business career?

Have you been tempted in this way and remained strong?

What protection do you have against this type of failure?

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Do You Have DNA Carriers?

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The material for the following post comes directly from the chapter titled “DNA Carriers” in the book by Bill Hybels called Axiom.

DNA

Your Own Business

Let’s play make-believe!

Let’s assume that you are going to start your own retail business! This will not be a business like any business you have seen before. It will be awesome! It will trump every other business like it for 100 miles…maybe even in existence.

Characteristics of the Business

Let’s talk about the characteristics of your business. People will be treated with honor and respect. Prices will be fair and service will be thorough. Communication will be clear – among employees and with customers. Follow up will be speedy. Christ will be honored in your business!

As you plan how these values will be lived out, you decide that you will give customers freedoms they have not experienced at other similar businesses. You will include home delivery of your products and will provide loaner products while you are servicing the customers’ products. Your company will make personal phone calls to customers to verify good service. People will feel warmly welcomed the moment they enter your business.

With your planning completed, you start the business with excitement!

Your First Employees!

Then you hire your first batch of employees. They don’t carry the same dream. They don’t have the same level of passion. They don’t understand your frustration when they forget to greet a customer or make a follow-up call.

So, what is the problem? Are the employees the problem? Is your dream the problem?

What else could be the problem?

The Problem: DNA

Consider the following…You are the ONLY one carrying the DNA you want for the company!

Great Leaders know that you cannot merely assign tasks to be checked off. Other people do not “get” your dream by contact. More is required to “infuse” the DNA throughout the company!

Great Leaders do the following with their people…


    1. Take time to explain “What” they feel deeply about
    2. Take time to explain “Why” they feel deeply about it
    3. Show teammates “How” to live that out
    4. Appeal to the employee’s desire to be a part of something bigger
    5. Make a hero out of those who rise to the occasion

Their Choice, Your Influence

Sure, the employee has the final decision…“Will I or won’t I live out all that it means
to be a part of this organization?” They can certainly choose to follow your lead or not. You cannot force them.

However, effective leaders challenge and inspire their staff to become bona fide DNA Carriers. If you want to be an effective leader, you need to commit to the time and energy necessary to graft your DNA into their bloodstream. If you do this, your business can be all you want it to be.

Do you have any DNA Carriers in your organization?

How do you think you can improve your situation?

What needs to be your next step?

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Are You Doing God’s Work or God’s Will?

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Have you thought about this before? Is there a difference between doing God’s work and doing God’s will? If so, what is it? Is it really that important anyway?

I think there is a huge difference and I think it is critical to know what it is.

God's will

Let’s first take a look at Scripture to see what it says about this.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
– Matthew 5:16

Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
– Matthew 6:1

Confused?

If you only looked at these two verses, then you could get confused! Which is it…do deeds before men or not?

Notice in Matthew 6:1 a brief phrase that makes all of the difference. The phrase, which describes the motive for the deeds, is “to be seen by them….” Jesus is telling us that we should not do His work with the motive of being seen, and honored, by men.

Is there a similar indicator in 5:16? Take a look at this phrase, “that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Instead of having a motive of being seen by men, the desire here is to bring praise to the Father. That is why these deeds are encouraged.

Difference Between God’s Will and God’s Work

The whole difference between doing God’s work and doing God’s will is in your motives.

If you do God’s work for the purpose of having people see you and think highly of you, then you are not in God’s will. God tells us often (Amos 5:21-23; Isaiah 1:11-15; Psalm 51:16) that He hates our rituals and sacrifices when they are not genuine. He does not want us to do hundreds of hours of charity work and give millions of dollars to the church unless our motives are right.

If this is the case, and Scripture certainly makes it clear that it is, then how do we determine the right motives so we are in God’s will?

Determining Right Motives

Great question! Fortunately, I think I have the answer for you! Let’s go back to the Bible…

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

Do you see that last phrase? It says that “All of the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Based on this, I think it is safe to draw a connection between these commandments and our right motives. If our motives match up with loving God and loving others, then I think they are good. If not, we need to beware.

Having established this, what are your motives in business? Do you approach business for your own purposes or for God’s? Have you thought about the results God expects from your business? Do you think they are eternal or temporal? Do your motives match up with His desires?

Have you thought about your motives as they relate to your work?

Are you doing more of God’s work or God’s will?

What do you need to change first?

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Unrealistic Expectations: “You’re Just Not That Good!”

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You know how you can learn big ideas in the most mundane situations? If you pay close attention to life around you, you can usually pick up on truths that God is dying to share with you. It happened to me once when I was playing golf with a business associate, John, several years ago. It had to do with expectations.

Golf Frustration

expectations

John was telling me of another time he was playing golf with a friend of his. John had not been playing as well as he would have liked and his behavior was showing it! After several bad shots, John slung himself back into the cart with clear frustration. Bill finally spoke up.

“John,” Bill said with a pause, “You’re just not that good!”

John was stunned, he tells me later. But then it hit him what Bill was saying. See, Bill was trying to help John recognize that going to the golf course once a week did not give him the right to get upset over not-so-great shots. Bill knew it would take much more work and dedication than John had given so far before he could rightfully get upset at his less-than-stellar results.

Expectations vs. Commitment

John wanted to see exceptional results from less-than-exceptional commitment. Like many of us, his expectations were unreasonable when he considered what he had put into the game.

Now, how do we apply this at work and with our faith?

Simply put, we need to match our expectations with our commitments.

You could start with your expectations and let them lead you to the commitments you need to make. Or you could begin with your commitment levels and then determine reasonable expectations from them. You could even use one method for certain areas of your life and then switch to the other method for the rest.

It really is not important which one you use first. The key is to make sure they match. High commitment levels and low expectations will likely cause you to fall short of your potential. High expectations and low commitment levels will probably create frustration as it did with John.

LIFE Planning

Soon, I will be sharing with you the methods I use to determine my expectations and commitments during my own personal LIFE planning each year. My intent is not to show you the only way to do so, but simply the way I choose to do it.

If you already have your own plan, I hope you can find something worth adding to your own method. If you have never done this before, I want to give you some ideas that can get you started. Either way, I strongly encourage you to take time to plan your year.

If you do not fill your schedule with your own priorities, other people will fill it in with their own!

Are your expectations reasonable in light of your commitment levels?

Where do you need to change your commitment or expectations?

What can be your next action step toward making this happen?

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Ministry Action: Gospels in the Lounge

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Several weeks ago, I did a post on Christian Ministry in Business. I mentioned that I would be following up in the future with ministry actions that our company takes. So far, I have posted about several examples listed below:

Other Ministry Action Posts

ministry action

    Newsletter article
    Christ-centered TV ad
    Christ-centered message at company Christmas party
    “Merry Christmas” on business windows
    New Testament in every glove box

Another Ministry Action Idea

Today, I would like to tell you about another idea that you may be able to use in your own business. This is a very simple idea that costs very little.

ministry actionOur business has three separate buildings with three separate service departments (one for each franchise group – Honda, Ford, Chrysler). In each of these buildings is a customer lounge that includes leather club chairs and sofas, laptop workstations with free WiFi, flat screen TV’s, and complementary refreshments. These lounges are very comfortable and are frequently full of customers getting maintenance completed on their cars.

As most waiting areas do, we offer various magazines and newspapers for customer use. We also have brochures for vehicles, accessories, and warranty protection. Up to this point, you are probably thinking that there is nothing abnormal about our customer lounges.

Pocket-sized Gospel of John

Well, the part that I wanted to tell you about is the way we offer God’s Word as a part of this experience. We also have a small display case full of pocket-sized Gospels of John. We have one of these display cases in each of the lounges.

We included a sticker on each of the displays that says, “Please Take One!” in an effort to encourage customers to take one to read or share. Inside each gospel is a simple plan of salvation along with a phone number to call for more help.

Pocket Testament League

We order these gospels from The Pocket Testament League. The league has been around since 1893 and has given away more than 110 million gospels in its history! You can order the gospels for free, but they ask for donations to support the ministry. We donate $1 per gospel, or $30 per box of 30 gospels.

One cool feature of these gospels is the variety of cover designs they offer. Currently, they offer 50 different cover designs that are all very attractive. You can choose from so many themes that I cannot even begin to list all of them here. You just have to take a look yourself to see which ones fit your needs!

Pocket Testament

Above is just a sampling of the 50 or so covers they offer. While we have not yet done it, they also offer custom covers for orders over a certain volume. This organization is so flexible!

Inexpensive Results!

As I said earlier, this is a very inexpensive way to spread the gospel message in your business. The plastic displays may have cost $3 each and the gospels themselves are just $1 each. In 2011, we had roughly 200 gospels taken from these displays. I do not know what the results are beyond this, but I do know in Whose hands they rest!

Give this a try in your own business!

Does this ministry action encourage you to do something similar?

What are some other ways you could distribute these gospels?

What is holding you back from signing up and ordering your first box right now?

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Must Do: Personal Goal Setting With Employees!

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This past Saturday morning, I participated in what is likely the most powerful meeting I have seen in my history with our company! I know those are strong words, but I can back them up. In fact, if you asked any of the other participants, they would confirm it for me. The purpose of this meeting was to allow everyone in our Sales Department to share their own personal goal setting results for 2012.

personal goal setting

Brief History

Before I go into detail about what made the meeting so powerful, I want to give you a brief history of what led to it. Back in October, as I have mentioned often in this blog, I attended the Catalyst Conference. I learned more during this conference than I have at any other I have attended.

personal goal settingToward the end of the conference, every attendee was given a cardboard cut-out of a “call-out” like you would see in a comic strip or cartoon (see picture at left). We were told to write on this cardboard call-out any commitment(s) we were making as a result of what we had heard during the conference. Then, at the end of the last session, we were all to hold up our call-out commitments for everyone to see.

Applied to Work

Because I thought this was a great idea, I brought a blank one back to work with me. We had duplicates made and gave one to every employee in the sales department. Everyone was told to come back a week later with their personal and professional goals written on the cards, ready to present them to the group. We gave examples of what they might write, but left it wide open.

All week, our sales managers worked with the salespeople in planning their performance goals for 2012. They also helped the salespeople think about their personal goals, asking questions to help prod them to think bigger. We encouraged them to “Get A Bigger Frying Pan!” as it related to their performance as well as how that could impact their lives outside of work.

Exceeded Expectations

I have to be honest, knowing that many of these people had never spent any time planning out their income, performance, or personal goals before, I was not expecting much. I was hoping for a few bright lights to make the exercise worthwhile. Even then, I was not convinced I would not be disappointed. My expectations were not reflective of the quality of the people, just their lack of experience with this kind of thinking.

As I alluded to at the beginning of this post, I was flat blown away. Folks, I simply cannot describe to you the power I saw in this exercise. This is one of those times where my vocabulary and lack of professional writing skills fails me (and you)! I just cannot do it justice.

Genuine Personal Goal Setting

What I witnessed was a group of 25-30 co-workers pour their hearts into sharing with the group what their real desires were for the new year. I saw souls bared and masks removed. I saw people looking to others for true acceptance and encouragement, seemingly without fear of rejection. I saw real, raw life goals come out in virtually every single presentation.

One young lady shared that she had been in a bad car accident over a year ago and only recently began driving again due to severe anxiety and fear. Her goal: to make enough money this year to buy a car for cash…not only for the purpose of having a car, but to overcome the fear and put it behind her.

Another young man has been unable to be involved at all in the life of his 5 yr old son until the past few months. His goal: to make enough money to be able to take that son on vacation for the first time ever.

One of the older salesmen has set a goal for increased income so he can better support a local family of 14. The unusual part is this: he is not related to them. He simply wants to give back out of his abundance.

Use This Idea!

personal goal settingI could go on and on, but I do not have the room here. Trust me that I witnessed the early signs of some lives changing in significant ways. I must encourage you in the strongest words possible to take this idea and implement it. It is simple and virtually free, but the effects can be monumental.

I cannot wait to report back on these goals next year!

Have you ever done personal goal setting like this with your employees?

What kind of results do you think you would get?

Why would you not try this idea?

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Why Am I A Business Owner?

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business ownerDon’t hold me to the exact numbers, but it appears that less than 5% of the population will ever own a business with employees. When I think about that, I am amazed that God has counted me among that small group. The more I think about this fact, the more I realize that there is a lot of responsibility that comes with this opportunity. I want to take a closer look at this picture.

Because I am guest posting today for Tom Tarver over at his blog “A Curious Band Of Others,” you can read the rest of this post by clicking on the link below. Make sure to give Tom your comments on this post! Also, be sure to check out other posts on his blog! I especially liked the one called A Christmas Classic?

Here is the rest of my post…Why Am I A Business Owner?

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Goals: Get A Bigger Frying Pan!

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It is the first of the year and I hope you are thinking about what goals you want to accomplish in 2012. I hope you are making plans to do something new, make something better, or to stop doing something – maybe all of the above!

Goals

The Frying Pan

I want you to read this brief story and then answer the questions below.

    Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman; the other wasn’t.

    Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

    The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked.

    The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan.”

So what is the point of this story? How does this apply to the first of the year?

Well, I think there are a couple of points to be made.

Goals Too Small?

First, let’s assume your mindset is the frying pan. When opportunities or goals are put in front of you, do you throw them back or dismiss them because they are too big for your current mindset?

Is someone asking or expecting more of you than you have given before? Maybe you would like to go for it, but you are afraid because you have never done it before?

Faith Too Small?

Or, second, maybe your faith is like the frying pan. Maybe God is showing you a path that scares you because your faith is too small. Maybe you see what you should be doing differently, but you do not have the confidence that God will protect you and see you through it.

Whether it is a problem or possibility that you are facing in your work, personal, or spiritual life, I encourage you to get a bigger frying pan this year. Stretch your mindset and pray for stronger faith. Step out of your comfort zone and see what happens! You may just surprise yourself!

Are you comfortable with your 2012 goals or are they stretching you?

Are you ready to get a new frying pan in a specific area of your life?

What is holding you back? What are you going to do about that?

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My Top Posts For 2011

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In case you missed any of these, I thought I would share my top posts for 2011.

posts

1. Why I Decided To Walk Away From The Family Business…

    This one is close to my heart because it is truly what started all of this. Interestingly enough, this post received almost three times as much traffic as #2. It was certainly a turning point in my life – one I will never forget.

2. Reason 2 of 5 To Run Your Business According To Your Christian Faith

    In this post, I look at how the Greatest Commandment(s) relate to our business purposes. This really hits at the core of what drives my efforts in business.

3. Pursue The Gifts You Have, Not The Ones You Want!

    This is a great post about embracing our God-given gifts. This post received more comments than any of the others on this list.

4. Why Acknowledge Christ In Christmas?

    As a result of a friend sharing a video with me, I ran a Christ-centered TV ad leading up to Christmas. I posted about this video and the bigger issue of acknowledging Christ in Christmas.

5. Taking Action: Owners Manual For Life!

    Here I describe one of the various methods our company employs to do ministry in the course of doing business. I also explained how I was heeding my own advice to just take action!

6. “Go Make Yourself Useful!”

    Jim Collins heard these words from Peter Drucker many years ago, but they have stuck with him. If you read about the context of the conversation, I believe you will feel the same!

7. 10 Reasons For An Exit Interview (With Purpose)

    Many leaders fail to execute exit interviews on a consistent basis. In this post, I share some reasons for a Christian business leader to reconsider this practice.

8. Reconcile And Forgive Immediately!

    This was the fifth post in a series on character issues for leaders. I confessed my own struggles in this area as well.

9. Why Do You Need An Inner Circle?

    Without a doubt, my inner circle has had more influence on my growth than any other system I have put in place. I strongly recommend you do the same.

10. What is Christian Ministry?

    This sounds like an easy question, but I believe too many people have the wrong answer to it. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Did any of these impact you?

What was your favorite? Why?

What was the top post on your blog?

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Vision Leaks

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The material for the following post comes directly from the chapter titled “Vision Leaks” in the book by Bill Hybels called Axiom.

vision leaks

Tell Them Again?

I told my wife that I loved her on my wedding day. Do I need to keep telling her after that? I told my children when they turned 10 years old that I expect them to participate in the household chores. Should I have to tell them again? I am sure you have your own examples of similar situations. This is especially true in a Christian business. The bottom line is that vision leaks!

Vision Leaks

Imagine that everybody in your company has a bucket and you have poured your vision for them into that bucket. The bucket is now full of your vision. That should be enough, right? There should be no need for further filling. You should be able to move on to the next idea, right?

Wrong. You see, those buckets leak! They leak vision from small holes in the bottom. They lose vision from people running around and spilling your vision wherever they go. Whether you like it or not, that one-time filling of their bucket is not enough. For them to keep enough vision in their buckets to stay on track, you are going to have to constantly refill and top off their buckets.

You may think that is unfair. You may think that is someone else’s job. You may even find your own bucket leaking and cannot see how you can possibly have enough to spare. Regardless, the filling must go on if the vision is to continue.

Vision Opposition in a Christian Business

This is especially true in a Christian business. Unfortunately, the vision of a Christian business is in direct opposition to normal business vision. While traditional businesses look at the monthly, quarterly, or even annual picture, the Christian business considers the eternal picture. While traditional business considers the benefit of the stockholders, a Christian business considers the benefit of everyone with whom it comes into contact. When your vision is so opposed to the normal mindset, it is even more prone to leak.

Prevent Empty Buckets

So let’s take a look at some ways to prevent empty buckets.

1. Acknowledge that vision leaks. If you do not first acknowledge that leakage is a problem, then you will never go any further to correct it.

2. Accept responsibility. If you do not accept responsibility for the maintaining the vision buckets, then no one will. If you cast the vision, you must maintain it.

3. Assess the leakage. Take the time to ask your leaders about their current grasp of the vision. Ask people on the front lines about their focus. It will likely become very clear fairly quickly where the vision levels currently stand. Keep in mind, this is not a one-time thing. Due to continuous leakage, this is an ongoing responsibility.

4. Overcommunicate the vision. Use various methods to do this, but do it. Tailor your message to the audience you are addressing. You should use different language and examples when talking to your top leadership versus your entry level employees. At the same time, maintain high expectations for both. Here are some examples of some ways to communicate your vision.

  • Regular articles in the company newsletter
  • Monthly devotions to all employees with vision topics
  • Monthly lunch & learn meetings with Bible based videos
  • Targeted messages at company gatherings
  • Vision-based recognition awards

5. Recognize “Heroes” of the vision. Catch employees doing things that fit the vision and publicly praise them for it. Give them a small token gift or reward for their actions. Encourage others to follow their example!

6. Spread the vision DNA. This is especially more critical as your company grows beyond a handful of employees. As growth happens, you cannot be in enough places at once to maintain the vision on your own. You must appoint DNA carriers to help you spread it. These are people that are completely bought in to your vision and can teach it to others. Charge them with helping you keep the buckets full. However, keep in mind that DNA carriers still have leaky buckets as well!

7. Keep your own bucket full. While you are likely the person carrying the bucket with the fewest leaks, you cannot assume your bucket will always stay full. You must schedule time alone on a regular basis for the purpose of refilling your own bucket. From daily quiet times to quarterly retreats, there are various ways to accomplish this. Whatever your method, just make sure you do it!

How do you keep the vision buckets full in your company?

When is the last time you refilled your own bucket?

What action step should you take right now to strengthen your company’s vision?