308 Establishing leadership by Kingdom Site Ministries

MODULE 308 ESTABLISHING LEADERSHIP Biblical Wisdom for Today Contact Person Dr. Mario Denton Crown Financial Ministries Marketplace Programme Director for Africa Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) CEO STRONG MESSAGE BUSINESS CONSULTANT Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. E-mail address: mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za and click on marketplace E-mail address: marden@mweb.co.za website: www.strongmessage.co.za Skype: mario.denton

Table of Contents Benefits from reading this book 1. Trustworthy leadership 3. Separate strategic leadership Planning from operational issues 3. Making decisions 4. E mail rules of the Road 5. The effective listener- a key to success 6. Communication: Developing the right Boundaries 7. Establishing personal Conduct and standards for employees on the job

Establishing Leadership Biblical Business Wisdom for Today By Steve Marr

Introduction- Benefits from reading this book! • Learn how to apply the wisdom of Solomon to every day business! • Learn how to use biblical business wisdom in your strategic goal setting! • Learn how to establish trustworthy leadership! • Realize that trust is built on a more comprehensive foundation than by only telling the truth! • Find the four basic behaviors that establish leadership trust! • Recognize the value of keeping commitment! • See how to be honest about mistakes and allow it to actually strengthen your leadership example! • Learn how to separate strategic leadership planning from operational issues! • Discover the difference between strategic planning vs. operational issues! • Learn how to maximize decision-making by requiring efficiency from employees! • Recognize that e-mail is a reflection of professionalism from the smallest note to the most important letter! • Discover tips on keeping e-mail a benefit without allowing it to become a weakness! • Become a master at effective listening! • Learn the boundaries in communication for effective leadership! • Understand how to use communication to make your point and have it be well received! • Become aware of your current leadership level and how its improvement will bring greater business success!

1. Trustworthy leadership Effective business leaders of today establish trust. We all like to see ourselves as honest, forthright and trustworthy. But King Solomon asked, “Who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6, NASB). We often believe that trustworthiness is defined only by telling the truth and not lying. However, genuine trustworthy leaders embrace demonstrate four basic behaviors: (1) follow-through, (2) readily admitting mistakes, (3) sharing the decision-making with others, and (4) responsibility for one’s own actions and results. 1. Follow-through means doing what we say we will do. We may easily develop the habit of making casual commitments. However, every time we fail to return a call or respond to a memo as promised or else fall short of delivering on a commitment, we have broken trust. Mosses wrote, “You shall be careful to perform what goes out of from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised” (Deuteronomy 23:23, NASB). Don’t make promises or commitments that you cannot keep. We need to be careful about what we promise, and develop the habit of counting the cost when we make a commitment. Good intentions are clearly not enough; just intending to follow-through falls short of the mark, and we need to hit the mark. We need to establish the habit of writing down commitments and develop an efficient follow-up system. Jesus gave us the standard, “Let your statement be ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, No’” (Mathew 5:37). When pressed to make a commitment, make sure that you understand what is

expected. If faced with a full plate, discuss your dilemma and be honest. Then you can either negotiate a rearrangement of your current commitments, or agree to complete the task at a later time. Adding one more obligation to an overburdened load will just result in another broken promise. When the pressure is on, it is far better to deal with the issue up front than to court certain disaster later. Colleagues and customers alike need to experience that we will consistently deliver what we promise. Honoring commitments builds confidence and trust. 2. We need to readily confess our mistakes. We all have shortcomings. Proverbs 28:13 states, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (NASB). Confession has several effects. First, confession is demonstrates obedience. Second, confession forces us to acknowledge what went wrong, and admit our part. By facing those issues head on, we are able to learn from each our mistakes. Additionally, as we own up to our responsibility each time, our colleagues also will develop a confidence in us that we have learned and will not repeat the same mistake. Finally, coworkers and employees build trust when they see and experience a management style that does not push the blame onto others. As we lead by example, others will feel safe in admitting their own mistakes. The result of honesty and accepting responsibility results in a transformed workplace. Just imagine the time and energy your organization can save by cutting to the chase, eliminating defensiveness, and focusing your energy on improvement. 3. Sharing decision making with others is a key element of trustworthy leadership. Before making an important decision, King David “consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader” (1 Chronicles 13:1,

NASB). King Solomon followed up, “Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days” (Proverbs 19:20, NASB). Try an experiment. Make a list of 10 items most necessary for a weeklong camping trip, (other then food) and ask five others to make an independent list. Then compare each list and formulate the best list. Invariably, the best list was will be the result of the group effort. The very act of asking for ideas and counsel builds confidence and trust. Not only will you reach better decisions, but those decisions will also be better received and supported by others. Sharing decision making is really sharing the power held by the owner or manager. Sharing power is a key step in establishing true leadership humility. It also develops pride-of-ownership by individual team members, employee responsibility, and loyalty.

2. Seperating strategic leadership Planning from Operational Issues A key challenge for business leaders is avoiding the temptation to become mired in operational details at the expense of addressing key strategic or planning issues. The first step is to realize that strategy issues are inherently different from operational issues. We can derive an important principle from the apostle Paul, who wrote, “We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by the waves, and carried about by every wind and doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14, NAS). In business, if we focus too much on day-to-day operations, in effect we become tossed about like a boat in a storm without a path to follow. Bill, the owner of a small bakery, operated a retail store attached to the bakery that supplied restaurants and other establishments with fresh, high quality breads, rolls, and desserts. As the business grew, he managed a staff of 22 employees, including

bakers, helpers, delivery people, and counter sales clerks. Bill worked many 15hour days, rarely taking a day off. His time was spent attending to every baking detail and delivery schedule while little time was devoted to addressing strategic issues. Bill owned two delivery trucks and employed two drivers to meet the demand. With the cost of the vehicles, drivers, insurance, gasoline, and repairs, the delivery costs soon escalated to $75,000 a year. Bill compensated by adding margin to his prices to cover delivery costs, and he micromanaged the delivery schedule to improve efficiency. When I suggested that he rethink his delivery system strategically, rather than focusing on incremental issues, Bill was able to make several quick strategic adjustments that had a major impact on his business. First, he added a delivery fee for small-order customers to cover his cost per stop. Next, he hired a local delivery service for customers farther away at a lower cost than using his own truck and driver. Finally, he made deliveries more efficient by contacting customers and negotiating changes in the schedule. Ultimately, Bill was able to employ one delivery truck full-time, and one part-time, reducing his delivery costs by $30,000 a year. By necessity, most business managers focus most of their time on working through operational issues, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine. However, they must also realize the importance of strategic planning and decision making, and devote adequate attention to those separate issues. When faced with an issue, first determine whether the problem is a strategic issue or an operational one. Did you know that the word priority wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used in its plural form until well into the twentieth century? Priority meant one item, not many. Today, because of the pace of business, we tend to forget the principle of priority as we try to focus on multiple objectives. Clearly, most of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the luxury of keeping just one project at a time on our desks, but we need to identify the one item that rises

above all others in importance, focus on that item, and accomplish that priority quickly and completely. Patricia’s travel agency was struggling last year with reduced cash flow, lower commissions, and fewer travel bookings after September 11. At one point, the agency was within four weeks of running out of cash. Several large commercial clients owed $130,000 for past travel, including some six-month-old charges. The agency was also losing $2,500 each month on fixed operating costs. Patricia was near panic, trying to collect old bills, pursuing new business, and looking for ways to cut expenses. For several weeks, she floated between these key objectives—and accomplished none of them. When she and I met, we identified her number one priority—cash flow—and determined that the best and quickest way to remedy the problem was to collect outstanding receivables. Each day, Patricia and her staff focused on collections, gathering information that clients needed to honor invoices. Over the next three weeks, they collected $115,000 in receivables, which allowed the agency make a required bank payment and continue operating. Next, Patricia turned her attention to increasing sales, and then to trimming expenses. However, if she had failed to focus intensively on collecting receivables as her top priority, nothing else would have mattered. She would have defaulted at the bank and been forced into bankruptcy. When the Lord gave Joshua instructions to possess the Promised Land, the conquest was not immediate. It required many years of warfare to take the land completely. With the Lord’s guidance, Joshua selected one target after another. Cities were vanquished one at a time. If the Israelites had attempted to conquer everything at once, the result would have been failure. Likewise in business we may see many objectives that need attention. But we must develop the habit of selecting one key objective at a time and focusing on it to completion. When faced with multiple battlefronts, if you are uncertain which battle to fight, it may be more important to pick one and get moving on it, rather than endlessly

agonizing over picking just the right battle. When Elijah challenged the people for not trusting in God, he said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?”(1 Kings 18:21, NASB). We must realize that not establishing a number one priority is the same as choosing chaos. When bird hunting and a flock takes off all at once, if we let loose with both barrels, we tend to miss everything. It’s better to select one bird, aim and fire, and then try for the second bird. After selecting your top priority, take time to explain the decision to your staff. Often we make the mistake of assuming that everyone knows what’s most important. Patricia continually needed to reinforce with her staff the priority of collecting past due bills before developing new business. One staff member had scheduled twelve appointments with new prospects during a week when a pile of old bills sat uncollected on her desk. Ongoing reinforcement is always needed.

3. Making decisions A key issue for every business leader is making decisions, large and small. An easy trap to fall into is that of 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 that of our colleagues. The prophet Elijah gave us a great example when he said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21, NASB). Elijah understood that once the important issues had been defined, it was time to make a decision. One method to facilitate the decision-making process is to separate meetings into three types: those for disseminating information, those for 9

gathering information, and those for making decisions. Whether meeting one-onone or with a group, if you want to reach a decision, make your objective clear at the beginning of the meeting. For example, you might open the meeting by saying, “We are meeting today to determine the date for launching the new product.” With that clear direction, each participant will be prepared to contribute to that decision. Encourage your colleagues to share their perspectives, but don’t allow a constant rehash of the same facts. Sum up what you have heard the others say, and ask if there is any new information, data, or perspectives that have not been shared. If some group members have been silent, ask them to concur with the facts presented, or share a different perspective. Then, with all the facts on the table, make the decision. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Take counsel, execute judgment” (Isaiah 16:3, NKJV). Follow Isaiah’s example and get to the action step. To maximize the effectiveness of decision-making meetings, you may need to send advance information to each participant. Be sure to let people know what decision you’re expecting to make, and establish a clear expectation that each participant will have read and understood the advance material before the meeting convenes. Tell them to come prepared with questions and perspectives that will help the group reach a decision, rather than merely engage in discussion. I have had cases where managers have come to a meeting without having read the material in advance, and they have tried to steer the meeting to a discussion of what’s in the material, rather than getting to the point of decision. In some instances, I have stopped the meeting and explained that because some participants have not read or studied the material, we will adjourn the meeting to another time. “Next time, folks, come prepared!” At times, you may not have all the information necessary to make the best choice. In those cases, identify and write down what information is needed. Either research the questions yourself, or assign the task to others, but set a time

when you expect to have the information. The apostle Paul wrote, “Refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23, NASB). Don’t waste valuable time in meetings without the necessary information. Another time-waster is discussing decisions that have already been made. Typically, all that is needed is clear communication of the decision. Unless you receive explicit feedback about why your decision was wrong, just move on. Some choices are clear. In fact, for most decisions we already have the necessary information, we simply need to use our judgment and move forward. Save your time and energy for the more difficult and complex decisions. Sometimes we may be tempted to procrastinate, to put off decisions while we wait for one more piece of information, or one more fact, before moving forward. King Solomon instructed, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecclesiastes 11:4, NLT). Likewise, God spoke to Moses and said, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and set your journey” (Deuteronomy 1:6- 7, NASB). Making decisions is a key responsibility of any business leader. By focusing on decisions rather than idle talk, we will move our businesses forward. When the Lord gave Joshua instructions to possess the Promised Land, the conquest was not immediate. It required many years of warfare to take the land completely. With the Lord’s guidance, Joshua selected one target after another. Cities were vanquished one at a time. If the Israelites had attempted to conquer everything at once, the result would have been failure. Likewise in business we may see many objectives that need attention. But we must develop the habit of selecting one key objective at a time and focusing on it to completion. Of course, we do not always have the luxury of being able to tackle just one problem at a time. Paul said, “I run in such a way, as not without aim” (1 Corinthians 9:26).

But if we’re constantly putting out fires, we’re running without aim and we’ll miss the target. Each month, select three to four key items that will make a 50 percent difference in your business. Schedule adequate time to achieve your top objective, and then plan the time necessary to finish the rest. When other demands clamor for attention, keep number one at the top of your list and don’t lose focus. Although this system sounds easy, I know that maintaining your focus is tough. But if you will select a key target and not allow distractions to interfere, you will move your business forward one strong step at a time .

4. E-mail rules of the road If Dickens were to have written “A Tale of Two E-Mails”, he might have concluded that “it was the best of communication; it was the worst of communication.” Electronic mail is cheap, quick, and easy, but it may also be perceived as impersonal and its ease of use may lead to sloppiness, lack of discretion, and inappropriate expressions of anger. What often spells the difference is a person’s willingness to observe some basic rules for e-mail usage. The first thing to remember is that every e-mail, no matter how short, is a reflection on you and your professionalism. Don’t be lulled into complacency by the casual nature of the medium. Make sure that your communications are businesslike in every respect. Think through everything, from the subject line to the overall tone. And don’t hit “send” until you are certain that everything you’ve said is exactly what you intend. E-mail should be used sparingly, and always with a specific purpose. Get to the point quickly—and stay there. Proofread and spell-check every message, no matter how short. Copy others only when you have a compelling reason, and

never use copies (or, worse yet, blind copies) to get others in trouble or to send your message to a long list of people who really don’t need to see it. Avoid sending negative messages or anything you wouldn’t want others to see. Consider that everything you send or forward may also be forwarded, copied, or posted on a bulletin board. As King Solomon once wrote, “God will bring every act to judgment, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14 NASB). E-mail is best used for short, one-subject messages. Most recipients prefer to deal with a single subject at a time, and short, to-the-point messages are easier to respond to. Consider sending short, separate e-mails for each topic, unless you know that the other person prefers a long laundry list. Quick and snappy typically works best “E-mail Ping-Pong” is a common “sport” in some offices, and messages can grow to several pages as the parties volley back and forth. A good rule of thumb is that after an e-mail exchange has gone back and forth three times without resolution or clarification, it’s time to pick up the phone or walk down the hall and meet face to face. Almost inevitably, you will end up on somebody’s broadcast e-mail list, or you’ll receive forwarded messages. Avoid the temptation to forward these messages to “everyone in your address book.” Be a responsible steward of your own work time and the time of others. If there’s no good business reason to forward a message, don’t do it. Beware of sending e-mails when you’re angry. Entire careers—from top managers to newly hired employees—have been derailed by an angry or inappropriate e-mail. The ability to hammer out a message, or a quick reply, and have it gone with one click, isn’t always a good thing. If an incoming message ruffles your feathers, don’t respond right away. Cool down first and then compose a reasoned response. Use the “draft” or “send later” feature to protect yourself from sending e-mails you might later regret. Depending on the message, e-mail is not always the best mode of expression.

Always deliver bad news, criticism, or other strongly worded communications in person, to avoid having your words be misconstrued. Face to face communication allows you to temper your words or rephrase your message if you see that it is not being well received. Personal contact can defuse anger and resentment that might otherwise grow into a major conflict. There’s no doubt that e-mail is an effective and efficient method for transmitting many types of business communication. If you can utilize the strengths while avoiding the weaknesses of e-mail, you will improve your workplace interactions and keep your career on track.

5. The effective listener-A key to success Clay ignored concerns voiced by his staff that customers were complaining about increasingly delayed shipments. He continued to brush off their comments until he lost his biggest customer. When he called the customer in an attempt to recover the lost business, the customer said, “I repeatedly told your staff that delivery times were becoming unacceptable—yet nothing changed. I was even told that you, the owner, had been told, but still nothing changed. We have decided to take our business elsewhere.” Marie, who processed health insurance claims for a doctor’s office, was experiencing ongoing problems with the computer system. She explained to the doctor that the old software was not operating well with the new hardware he had recently purchased, and that the system could crash. She also advised him to back up his data every day, but he ignored her comments. A few weeks later, the system crashed, data was lost, and the practice lost $4,500 on billings that could not be reconstructed. The writer of the book of Hebrews, exasperated with his readers, wrote, “It is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing” (Hebrews 5:11, NASB).

Keeping an ear sharply tuned to legitimate staff concerns is a key element of successful business management. In each of the previous cases, the manager was given fair warning of impending problems. If the concern had been heeded, corrective action could have been taken to avoid major problems. Effective listening starts with inviting listening opportunities. Make a point of asking your employees key questions that will draw out issues you may need to address. Superficial questions, such as “How’s it going?” will generally generate only a perfunctory response. Ask questions that will draw out information, such as: What feedback have you been receiving from customers lately? What do customers especially like about our product or service? Have you noticed any customer complaints about anything we do? Be quick with follow-up questions designed to draw out more information. When discussing on-the-job issues ask the following kinds of questions: Is there anything that makes doing your job difficult? How much time do you need to spend correcting mistakes or errors? What kind of mistakes? Have you noticed any equipment in need of repair? Sincerely asking for staff feedback creates several benefits. First, morale will improve. (We all like to be consulted and have our opinions valued; it’s a sign of respect.) Second, you will also gain valuable information that you can use to improve your business. Third, asking questions will help you stay closer to your business and better able to stay on top of the information. Soliciting feedback is only the first step. If you don’t also establish effective listening habits, you will cut off the communication that you need. When conversing with an employee, stop what you’re doing, establish eye contact, and listen. Focus not only on what is being said, but also on how it is being said. A

study revealed that the average person spends 65 percent of their listening time thinking about how to respond, rather than actually listening. Focus on listening first. Then, if necessary, take a moment to formulate your reply. King Solomon advised, “He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame” (Proverbs 18:13, NIV). Job said, “If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?” (Job 4:2, NASB). Be diligent to avoid seeming impatient. The paper shuffler who reads documents while conversing, or the e-mail surfer who clicks the keyboard, both send he clear message that they are uninterested in the discussion. Others may look around—at everything but the speaker, giving the clear signal that they are not listening nor responsive. Effective listeners focus on the speaker, lay aside all distractions, and repeat back what was said to ensure that the message was understood. If you are busy, establish a later time to talk when you can give the person your full attention. Our pride, ego, and arrogance can keep us from being open communicators, whereas humility will help to open the door of communication. The feedback you hear from your staff may be the difference between success and failure on the job.

6. Communication-Developing the tight Boundaries Communication is a key aspect of leadership, and striking the right balance between excessive withholding of information and excessive sharing is an important part of a leader’s responsibility.

Jesus modeled effective communication when He said, “I have told you everything the Father told me” (John 15:15, NLT), but also, “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now” (John 16:12, NLT). Jesus understood the balance of providing complete communication when helpful, but also withholding information when necessary. Considering several key guidelines will help to keep your communication on track. First, determine what information is helpful and what is not. Consider how a recipient would use the information. Many managers believe that knowledge is power, and because they want to keep that power to themselves, they commonly conceal information. The rule of thumb for effective communication is to ask yourself three key questions—Who needs to know? What do they need to know? and When do they need to know?—and communicate accordingly. Failure to share important information in a timely manner reduces the effectiveness of your staff. An air freight company that had decided to eliminate routes to South America delayed its public announcement for two months. Their sales staff continued to sell those routes, totally unaware of the impending change. Even if management had decided it was important to keep the decision confidential, they still could have directed their employees to deemphasize the South American trade, while emphasizing the Asian and European routes. The withholding of information caused a large misdirection of resources. Additionally, their salespeople felt embarrassed when the business they had signed up was abandoned. Employees who feel ashamed of their work will not stay loyal for long. The owner of a hardware store would not tell his employees when new and seasonal merchandise was scheduled for delivery. Consequently, sales clerks were unable to inform customers when to expect items such as snow shovels to

arrive—and the store lost customers. The reality was that the owner liked the power of being the only one in the know, but the result was poor communication to his customers. At the other extreme are managers who don’t know when to keep their mouths shut. Some are critical of company policy, or of their boss. Paul wrote that Christians “should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching” (1 Timothy 6:1, NLT). When we dishonor our bosses, we undercut the authority within our organization. Two likely events will follow: Employees will lose confidence in the company and in senior leadership, and morale will suffer. Also, if you mock your superiors, your subordinates will feel free to mock you, undercutting your leadership. Some managers deliberately share confidential information with the intention of hurting others, which only weakens the overall organization. Other leaders use poor judgment in sharing too many personal details. A manager’s staff is not an emotional support team. If you are going through a difficult personal time, such as a divorce or problems with your kids, sharing the facts of the situation with your staff may be warranted, but discussing your situation day after day will only undermine your authority and perhaps even ability. Personal support should come from your family, friends, and church, not your workplace colleagues. As a leader, you are the gatekeeper of information for your staff. One of your key responsibilities is to know when to open and close the gate. King Solomon said, “A truly wise person uses few words” (Proverbs 17:27, NLT). Effective communication requires selecting your words carefully—opening the gateway of effective communication regularly, while keeping the gate shut on all inappropriate discussion. Share everything that is helpful, keep other information to yourself, and be guided by Paul’s instructions: “Let everything you say be

good and helpful, so that you words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29, NLT).

7. Establishing Personal conduct Standards for employees on the Job Many organizations establish on-the-job conduct guidelines for their employees, and some companies enforce these standards even when employees are off the job. The key is to determine which guidelines should apply, clearly communicate those guidelines to your staff, and make sure that enforcement is consistent. In most states, workers have little right to privacy on the job, but check your state and local regulations before enacting a policy. Some business leaders are reluctant to impose standards of morality on their staff. The more important issue is to determine the kind of conduct you expect from your employees on the job, and then ask everyone in the organization to comply. King Solomon wrote, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34, nasb). Business leaders have the right, and the obligation, to appropriately control the behavior of their employees on the job. “Shun foolish controversies,” Paul instructed Titus (Titus 3:9, nasb). Applying Paul’s advice to the task of establishing guidelines, be sure to choose important issues that relate to job performance, productivity, or customer service. One manager made a big deal out of employees snacking at their desks. He forbade the practice, causing dissension among his employees. Granted, he had the right to make that decision, but it was foolish to make it such a big issue. It would have been better if he had simply asked that any messes be cleaned up promptly, or that employees refrain from eating in front of customers in a public area.

Internet abuse is the leading factor leading to dismissal on the job, according to the ePolicy Institute. Twenty-six percent of the companies they surveyed had fired workers for misusing the Internet. Viewing and downloading pornography was the number one problem. Companies have the right to install pornography filters and establish policies forbidding the visiting of “adult” Web sites. An employer has the right and responsibility to forbid access to pornography, gambling, and other such sites. One good reason to prohibit the use of company e-mails for graphic materials, aside from promoting a wholesome workplace atmosphere, is to avoid sexual harassment issues. E-mails that contain graphic “humor” or other objectionable material can and have become the basis for sexual harassment lawsuits. In addition to restricting Internet access to pornography and gambling, you would be wise to establish a policy limiting or eliminating personal Internet use during work time, which is a costly problem. Whether employees are surfing for pornography, real estate listings, or gardening information, a total of $138 billion per year is wasted in employee time as a result of Internet abuse. Because the problem is so prevalent, wise business leaders establish and enforce reasonable standards. No employee has a right to view or download anything other then business-related information on the job. Again following Paul’s advice to avoid foolish controversies, establish a policy that restricts personal use of the Internet and personal e-mails to nonwork hours, or a limited amount of time. Sending inappropriate e-mails is another key issue. Twenty-five percent of companies have discharged employees for inappropriate or explicit e-mail messages. Recently, the CEO of Boeing was dismissed, not for having an affair with a staff member, but for sending her explicit material via e-mail, in violation of company policy. Dress codes are often controversial but should be established. Employees who interact directly with customers should be instructed to conform to a dress-code standard. Employees who work in a factory or a warehouse may not need to

dress in slacks, but their jeans, shoes, and shirts should be clean and not tattered. Furthermore, employers can and should set standards for neatness, requiring collared shirts, and no jeans or shorts. Dress-code standards should also prohibit inappropriately tight-fitting clothing, short shorts or skirts, and tee shirts with sexually suggestive wording. One note of caution: If you decide to eliminate shirts that have pictures of Buddha, for example, be aware that the courts have determined that you need to be consistent and not allow any religious statements. It is also appropriate to manage personal language. For example, you can declare that swearing or any loud, abusive speech will not be tolerated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They do not compromise with evilâ&#x20AC;? (Psalm 119:3, nlt). We have a responsibility to ensure that our workplaces are a shining light to those who have accepted Christ, and those who have not.

Dig deeper and learn more (Optional) This section includes various PowerPoint support material for further inspiration and encouragement and relates to the material covered in this section ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name

Date of completion

308 A 308 B 308 C

Integrity Justice Answers To The Usual Excuses One Encounters

When

Witnessing

For

308 D:

Christ Characteristics of a leaders who relies

308 E 308 F

on Christ’s power Character Situational leadership

Acknowledgement Steve Marr consults with business and organisations bringing a national and international perspective to achieve improved vision, focus, quality, and management effectiveness in today’s competitive environment. Effective practical assistance is provided to the business person or ministry leader. Steve’s radio feature “Business Proverbs is heard on worldwide, including armed Forces Service radio For more information visit www.stevemarr.org Material adapted by Dr. Mario Denton Mario is the International Field Continental Programme Director – Market-place for Crown Africa, the Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) and the CEO of Strong Message Business consultancy. He is an international teacher and industrial psychologist and uses his strong academic and corporate background and his uniquely effective coaching to help people tap into their inner being; to utilise their strengths and expand their skills to make a difference in the workplace. He and his wife, Mariene, are based in Cape Town, South Africa, and are blessed with three grown sons.

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Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission. Regarding permission to reprint material from this material, please write to Dr Mario Denton: Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Progress Report James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV) Name and Number of Module ________________________________________ Participant’s Name: ________________________________________ The Biblical Truths (Principles) I learned from this module: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I intend to apply this Truth (Principle) in my business by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------________________________

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Participant

Date

Starting and sustaining a High Performance organisation requires time and money …

and a lot of it.

But … serving as the Leader of God’s business requires much more

We can help you through: • Educating your leaders. • Assisting with small groups in establishing direction for your organisation. • Doing workshops on your purpose for being in business, ownership, avoiding financial bondage and integrity in the workplace. • Delivering seminars on improving performance and achieving higher levels of significance. • Kingdom business teaching and prayer support. Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Contact Dr Mario Denton today to become a member of the Crown Companies Marketplace Coaching TEAM.

CROWN COMPANIES MARKETPACE SEMINARS AND MONTHLY FORUMS

1. Seminars and workshops: The following material is available: •

Biblical Business Integrity for success today

•

Building your team God’s way

•

Clarifying vision and mission

•

Committing your business to God: Understanding the DNA of Financial freedom

•

Creating a passion for excellence

•

Customer service excellence

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Developing balanced Goals

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Expanding your business potential

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Forming the leadership team

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Foundation of a Kingdom business

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Getting and keeping customers

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House keeping and safety

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Leading a company for Christ

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Leading a company with scripture

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Leading as servant

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Life changing small groups

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Managing your staff effectively

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Measuring what is important

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Praying the foundation for leading accompany

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Talent review by the book

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The role of encouragement

2. Material for monthly meetings: o

Doing Business God’s way

The Purpose of Profits in Business

Funding God’s work

Treating employees fairly

Compensation for employees

Following God’s Rule for the business

Patience, Fairness and consistency

Hiring decisions

Firing decisions

Selecting a manager

Protecting your business

Committing your business to God