507 Talent review by the Book by Kingdom Site Ministries

Module 507 TALENT REVIEW BY THE BOOK By Mario Denton

Contact details: Cell: +27 (0) 82 882 9903. E-mail (w): mario@crown.org.za E-mail (H): marden@mweb.co.za Web (w): www.crown.org.za Web (H): http://www.strongmessage.co.za Mario Denton was born in 1955 in the province of Cape Town, South Africa and has a solid Christian praying and committed family background. He came to Christ when he was 16 years old. Dr Mario Denton is the study leader of 160 MBA research projects, published 8 books, two case studies, a chapter in book and published 6 international articles and delivering papers at 32 conferences world-wide. He is an industrial psychologist, international teacher and acting as visiting professor, two counseling diplomas and two masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degrees, (M Econ and MBA) and completed his PhD as well as DBA in Organizational Behavior and Business Administration. He has presented People Management practices 44 times consecutively to MBA students and trained about 2000 participants of which 300 MBA students in Emotional Intelligence. He is currently the Crown Financial Ministries Marketplace programme Director for Africa as well as the Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International)

Mario uses his strong Christian, academic, corporate background and his uniquely effective coaching to help people tap into their inner being to utilize their strengths and expand their skills and to make a difference in the workplace. He teaches people management, leadership, emotional and spiritual intelligence, and organizational behavior and change management. He is an optimist who possesses a passion for people and tutoring and a real love for life. He has devoted his career so far to people management and facilitating complex and perpetual change. He attended the Haggai international training in Maui, Hawaii 2004, the Faculty Development training in Singapore in 2005 and is actively involved in training at the local Haggai group in Cape Town. Mario is married with Mariene since 1979 and has three sons; Du Wayne married to Zani, Desmond and Marinus. To God all the Glory.

“I fall, I stand still … I trudge on, I gain a little … I get more eager and climb higher and begin to see the widening horizon.

Every

struggle is a victory.”

- Helen Keller

How to work through this book Read through each section and reflect on those questions and learning points and make a list of your own experiences. Answer the questions and discuss them with your coach, mentor or accountability partner. C2C: Challenge to change yourself in areas where you need some growth. "In the end, everyone is our teacher - our friends, our family, the stranger on the street.

Every experience is a challenge, and there

is always a lesson hidden in it. Every thought that bubbles up in our minds can teach us something about ourselves, if we are able to learn." - David A. Cooper Just be honest with yourself. The simple fact remains: the stronger and more radiant we are, the more we can serve as a positive influence in the world. The more happiness we bring into the world, the better it is for everyone. Happiness (or love) serves as a master key to open every doorway to social progress. Enjoy it!

“I always felt sorry for people afraid of feeling sentimental, who are unable to weep with the whole heart. Because those who do not know how to weep do not know how to laugh either.” - Golda Meir.

Carpe diem – make the most of your opportunities today. God bless

Purpose of this book The purpose of this book is fourfold: 1. To first of all understanding the DNA of stewardship and how flows into

talent review

2. To take you through a systematic way of doing a talent review God’s way by working through the following areas of talent review namely •

Buying your talent: Choices in staffing

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Building of your talent: Choices in training and development

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Borrowing new talent: Choices in Contracting for talent

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Bouncing your talent: Choices in shrinking the workforces

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Binding your talent: Choices in retaining talent

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Boosting your talent: Choices in promotion

3. To reflect on questions to ponder and to identify areas for improvement in your talent review process 4. Lastly to equip you with the necessary tools in order to do a significant biblical way of talent review

PART ONE: The DNA of Talent Review In understanding the DNA of Talent review we first need to understand God’s economy, that the Lord Owns anything, the role of faithful managers, the wisdom of good counsellors, integrity, the blessing of work and learning contentment

God’s Economy God’s economy and man’s economy Isaiah 55:8 say: “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways

my ways,’ declares the Lord.” There are two economic systems in the world: God’s and man’s. Scriptures give enough detail regarding God’s economy to reveal that it usually contradicts man’s. That is not surprising.

The difference between God’s economy and man’s economy The most important difference between God’s economy and man’s is the nature of God Himself. This statement, as elementary as it sounds, has profound implications. How? In God’s economy, Christ, our Lord, occupies the central place. But to a man who doesn’t have God’s perspective; this economy requires a huge leap of faith. Why? The fact that God is invisible, operating as Spirit in a supernatural invisible Kingdom, makes it impossible for man to know Him by the same means he knows physical things. No one without a supernatural connection to God can know Him or understand how He operates. “The spiritual man makes judgments

about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). When we have Christ’s mind, we know that God is the Lord of our lives, and we understand the following: The way we manage our staff reflects our relationship with God Luke 16:10 says: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with

much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” When we are in close fellowship with Jesus Christ, we obey the Word of God, and He is at the centre of our staffing decisions. Patience and self-control, as part of the fruit of the Spirit, are evident as we faithfully manage what He has placed under our responsibility (1 Corinthians 4:2). God’s Kingdom is a priority in our life, and we trust Him to provide “all these things…as well.”

On the contrary, when we are irresponsible in the way we manage our staff, we demonstrate that God is not our Lord and that the Holy Spirit does not control our life.

The Lord owns it all God, owner and Lord of everything God is the Creator of the universe, and He has never transferred the ownership of His creation to man. Deuteronomy 10:14 and Colossians 1:17 confirm our statement. If we fail to recognise God’s ownership, the principles of management are incomplete and begin to unravel. Unfortunately, the world’s system consistently opposes this truth. The media, and even the law, say that we own everything we have. We need a radical change in our perspective. God is the Lord of the universe Let’s carefully review some of the names and attributes of God. He is Creator, Almighty, Everlasting, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Unchanging, Lord of lords, and King of kings. The power of the Lord is incomprehensible for human beings. Astronomers calculate that there are more than 100,000 million galaxies in the universe, each containing more than 100,000 million stars. The distance between one galaxy and another is measured in millions of light years. Even though our sun is a relatively small star, it could contain more than one million earth-size planets. Temperatures at its core exceed 20 million degrees. The magnitude of God’s creation — just in the universe we see — is overwhelming. God is the Lord of the nations Let’s examine the role of the Lord and His position over nations and people.

What does Isaiah 40:21-24 say about it?

God is the Lord of the individual God is not a distant and uninterested “force”; on the contrary, He is involved with each of us. What does Psalm 139:3-4 say about it?

Our heavenly Father knows

us and loves us more than any other person, and He wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. God is the Lord of

your organisation, your staff, your possessions

and wealth The Lord is sovereign in the universe. He distributes possessions to whomever He chooses and in the amount He chooses.

What does 1 Chronicles 29:12, 14 say? What do Job 1:20-22 and Matthew 25:14-15 teach us about this? How does God distribute material goods? How does God’s way of distribution affect how we see those who have less or more than we have? God is in control of His creation

What do 1 Corinthians 29:11 and Psalm 135:6 say about God’s control?

The

Lord is in control even in difficult situations. Consider Isaiah 45:6-7. God allows difficult situations for three reasons: To accomplish His purpose You can remain peacefully confident knowing that our Heavenly Father is in ultimate control, having the ability to use everything for good in your life and the lives of those around you. What does Genesis 50:20 say about it? To develop our character A holy character is something precious in the eyes of the Lord. Quite often it is developed through the experience of hard times.

What do the following Bible passages teach?

Romans 5:3-4 1 Peter 1:7 God strengthens us through trials. To correct His children When we are disobedient, there is no doubt that God, our Father, will discipline us through hardship and loss so we will abandon our sin and participate in His holiness.

What is the teaching of Hebrews 12:6, 10-11? God cares for His children God is both predictable and unpredictable. He is predictable in His faithfulness to provide everything His children need. But He is unpredictable in how He will provide, because He uses many different (and sometimes amazing) means to provide for us. God is the Lord who provides No matter how ordinary or extravagant the method He uses to give us what we need, we can count on His provision because He is absolutely trustworthy. The Lord promises that He will provide for our needs. Matthew 6:33 say: “ But

seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” The same Lord who fed the children of Israel with manna in the desert for forty years, and fed five thousand people with only five pieces of bread and two fish, has promised to supply our needs. We need to stop thinking that we are the “providers.” It is God, Jehovah-Jireh, who really provides for our needs. Let’s put aside our arrogant attitudes because everything we have has been given to us by God’s grace. God helps us to distinguish between needs and wants

It is important to understand the difference between a need and a want. Needs are necessary to satisfy the basics of life: food, water, clothing and shelter. Wants are everything else. Therefore, we should not say, “I need a computer.” Rather, we should say, “I want a computer.” The moment we understand this difference and apply it to our lives, our stress goes down and we are beginning to learn contentment. Psalm 34:9-10 says: “Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack

nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” What is the message in the following passages? Matthew 6:31-33 Philippians 4:19 How shall we apply this principle? If we want to be true followers of Christ, we should give Him control of all of our goods. That is the advice that Luke 14:33 gives us: “ In the same way, any of you

who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” When we renounce ownership of our possessions, we recognise God as the owner of everything. Conclusion We can live with happy assurance if we trust in His promise that He will always provide for our needs — sometimes even in an incredible, unpredictable way!

Faithful managers Introduction

Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the word manager as “one who manages affairs or expenditures as of a household or client.” Some Bible translations use the word “manager,” others use “steward.” It is the highest authority after the owner and indicates a level of trust and responsibility given by the owner. Owners or managers? Psalm 8:6-8. Psalm 8:6-8 tells us that God has made us rulers or managers over His creation. What a big responsibility we have! Me, a manager for God? I didn’t know! Nobody told me! Many would say, “When I received Christ I knew He gave me eternal life, but I didn’t realise He also made me the manager of His goods.” What do I have to do? As God’s managers, we need to: •

Acknowledge that God owns it all. We give God all of our material things including money, time, family, education, career, and even our future.

•

Acknowledge that God is our Lord and Master. We testify that God is the Lord of our life and all we have. But our testimony is not just words; it must be supported by facts. This attitude is crucial if we want to experience true financial freedom.

If we acknowledge that God is our Lord, we give Him everything we have, and He shows His power, fulfilling His promise to provide everything we need— physical, material and spiritual. But for this to happen, we must understand and accept the Lord’s conditions.

Read Deuteronomy 5:32-33 and state the main idea : Although it is easy to say, “I place everything I have in God’s hands,” it is very difficult to do it. We are used to thinking everything is ours to do with as we please without regard to God’s will or direction.

Let us be faithful managers in our organisations We’ve already seen that God is the owner of everything and that he has given us the responsibility of being His managers. Since He has given us this trust, we must be faithful to manage it according to His wishes.

What does 1 Corinthians 4:2 say about it? How do I become a faithful manager? •

We must be faithful to God with what He has placed in our hands, whether little or much. Matthew 25:14-15 tells a parable about a man entrusting his property to his servants, giving to “each according to his ability.”

When

the master came back and settled accounts with his servants, he congratulated the servants who managed his things faithfully (Matthew 24:23).

The Lord rewards faithfulness regardless of the amount we

have been given to manage. Our faithfulness with a small thing is a big thing to God. •

We must be faithful to God in all aspects. God requires us to be faithful managers.

God knows us completely Luke 16:2. Nothing do or we ever think is hidden from the Lord. Our past, present and future are all an open book to Him. There is a saying, “The one who knows you better is the one who loves you more.” That is the Lord; He knows us and loves us deeply. He also expects us to be responsible with what He gives us. The Lord holds us accountable According to Luke 16:2, what did the rich man do? God will settle accounts with each of us. Picture yourself at that time. When the hard questions are asked, you won’t even need to answer because every motive, word and deed will be revealed to speak for itself. The way we live during this short time on earth determines how we will live in eternity.

What is the message of 2 Corinthians 5:9-10?

The Lord wants us to be faithful so we may share His happiness The Lord told the faithful servants: “Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21, 23). Our faithfulness to the Lord brings us into more intimate communion with Him and His eternal, abundant joy. This faithfulness has little to do with our spoken promises; it is either proven or disproved in our daily management. God wants us to learn to be content Contentment is deep satisfaction, a wonderful feeling that comes when we accept God’s provision and thank Him for it. This is the opposite of being driven by appetites that can never be satisfied for more than a moment. We can trust God’s promises and faithfulness when we understand that He owns it all, He controls every situation, and He promises to supply all of our needs. Three requirements of faithfulness Do not squander what belongs to God (1 Corinthians 4:2) If we squander what God has entrusted to us, He will take away the privilege of being His managers. Be faithful, even in small things (Luke 16:10) How can you tell whether a salesman is ready to do a good job with an important client? When you see the service he provides for a small client. Be faithful with the possessions of others (Luke 16:12). Our faithfulness with the possessions of others, will determine the trust that God would have in us: “And if you have not been trustworthy with

someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?” (Luke 16:12). It is easy for us to be careless with this. Are you faithful with what belongs to others?

Conclusion God is faithful to us and longs to reward us when we honour and worship Him, being faithful with what He has entrusted

The Wisdom of Good Counsellors Introduction God urges us not to trust only in our own resources but to look for the advice of others. Why? Because God has gifted people differently so that they can help each other effectively. He provides people who have experience and skills to help us in the area of finances. Look for advice Proverbs 10:8, 19:20 Two attitudes that prevent us from seeking advice •

Pride. Many cultures view seeking advice as a sign of weakness.

•

Stubbornness. This is characterised by the phrase “Don’t confuse me with the facts; I’ve already decided.”

What do the following verses teach? Proverbs 10:8, 19:20 Why don’t we look for advice when we need it? Do not depend exclusively on facts The best decisions require analysis of facts, counsel of others who are qualified, and sensitivity to what the Lord says. Sometimes God’s will requires us to go in a direction that is contrary to our desires, our logic, or the advice of others. 14

Discerning His voice from our own wishes is not always easy. Maintaining an attitude that chooses His way over our own is crucial. Numbers 13 and 14 provide a good example. Moses sent 12 spies to the Promised Land. They all returned with the same facts: Canaan is a prosperous land flowing with milk and honey but inhabited by giants. How they interpreted those facts, however, differed greatly. Only Joshua and Caleb had the faith to believe exactly what the Lord told them to do: go and take possession of the land. The other spies put more faith in their own senses, allowing fear to overcome obedience. They did not have enough faith to take what God wanted to give them. As a result, they suffered for forty years in the desert until that entire generation died. Today’s businesspeople say: “If I pay my required taxes, I’ll go bankrupt,” or “if I don’t bribe the authorities of my country, my projects cannot advance.” Many use “pirated” (illegally copied) music and computer programmes because they are very expensive. They rationalise that it is the only way they can afford them. Those are giants in our lands — facts we cannot deny. But God is bigger than these facts. In His grace He can bless us and give us victory in spite of the giants.

Have you ever suffered the consequences of not seeking the Lord’s advice? If so, describe what happened. Priority sources of advice The Scriptures Although it is wise to listen to experts and professionals, the first place we should look is the Bible (Hebrews 4:12). Use it as the first filter when you have to make a decision because it reveals God’s will for us. Your spouse

If you are married, the first person you should consult is your spouse. This provides accountability, demonstrates love and respect, and acknowledges that financial decisions will affect you equally. Valuing the fact that husbands and wives have different perspectives on financial issues means that you understand the balance God intended in marriage. Women often have a wise intuitive nature that can shed light on a man’s tendency to focus only on facts. And sometimes he may focus on only some of the facts — and perhaps not as objectively as he thinks. When God designed the wife to be a suitable helper (Genesis 2:18), He recognised that men alone are incomplete. When men fail to listen to their wife, they offend not only their wife but also God’s plan. Responsibility for decisions still rests with the husband as the leader in the family (Ephesians 5:22-23), but the husband who listens carefully with an open heart will make better decisions. Wives who make financial decisions should consult with their husbands and respect their leadership in the family.

What usually happens when we don’t listen to our spouse? Parents Proverbs 6:20 say: “My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake

your mother's teaching.” Our parents have the advantage of years of experience; they know us very well and wish what is best for us. We should seek their advice, even if they are not Christians or faithful managers of their money. If there is a conflict between the advice of parents and a spouse, the spouse’s advice has priority. This is part of what it means for a man to “leave his father

and mother and be united to his wife” (Mark 10:7). In your opinion, what are the advantages of asking for advice from our parents? Professionals and friends with experience The best decisions come from following the best process. That includes getting advice from the wisest and most experienced people available to us (see the example of Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 16:23). If you want to make an investment in

real estate, get advice from the best real estate agent you can find. If you are buying a car, have a trustworthy mechanic check it out and give you his opinion before closing the deal. Many counsellors Proverbs 15:22 say: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they

succeed.” Everyone has limited knowledge and experience; we need others to give discernment and alternatives we would not otherwise have considered. Maintaining a small group of people who love and pray for each other is a great support that also offers the benefit of counsel and added security. When you face large and difficult decisions, consider gathering a group of counsellors. Their combined ideas — even their disagreements and resulting discussion — can provide valuable insight. Clarification often comes as people with different perspectives each supply a different piece of the puzzle. Include your pastor among your counsellors, especially when facing major decisions. The Lord’s advice The most important source of advice is God. During the process of gathering facts, researching the Bible, and seeking the advice of godly people, we should persist in looking for the Lord’s direction. Isaiah 9:6 tell us that the name of the Lord is also the “Counsellor.” No truth stands apart from God. Proper interpretation of facts requires His perspective. Assuming that we are wrestling with a decision that is not clearly addressed in God’s written Word, we continue to seek guidance through the work of His Spirit in us. He knows the future and is unaffected by competing interests or time pressure. When you are in a hurry, under pressure or confused, go to a silent place and pray to the Lord. The world may be yelling, “hurry,” but God commands you to “wait” on Him. Avoid bad counsel Psalm 1:1

A bad or evil person is one who lives without caring about God. Stay away! Never look for advice from fortunetellers, mediums or spiritists. The Bible says:

“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:31). We must also avoid anything they use to predict the future, like horoscopes and any other occult practices. When you seek advice When you look for advice, give the counsellor all the information he may need. Do not try to manipulate him to tell you what you want to hear, hiding important data. When you face a major decision like a change of job or buying a house, go someplace where you can quietly read the Scriptures without interruption. Pray and ask for the Lord’s will. Be careful when choosing your counsellors. Make sure they are strong enough to give you honest advice, even if they think it is not what you want to hear. Words for the counsellor Counselling others can be a very frustrating experience. What steps should you take? After praying, use your skills and understanding to tell the truth to those who ask for your advice. Then leave the results to God. Sometimes people will not act on your advice. Don’t worry about it. They may not be ready yet. You can rest in the knowledge that the Lord is in control. Always be discreet and keep what you have heard confidential. Conclusion When confronted with a decision, our first action should always be to look to God through the study of His Word and prayer. Then, after asking for the advice of our spouse, our parents and the help of faithful friends, we may benefit from the additional counsel of experts. Because everyone has limited knowledge and experience, we need others to help us make optimum decisions. That is the way God designed His body, the church, to function.

Integrity in the workplace Introduction The Lord requires absolute integrity in all details of our daily life. We cannot be half honest. Our environment, however, pressures us to go against God’s Word. It rationalises a lot of dishonesty as common, even necessary — certainly not sin. We must be constantly on guard to not fall in the trap. Let’s discover what God wants and commit to live before Him in the healthy fear that supports obedience. He always has our best interest in mind. Integrity Synonyms for integrity are: honesty, soundness, wholeness, authenticity, and purity. We will focus on the concept of honesty. Is there integrity in today’s workplaces? Many people find it increasingly difficult to be honest in what has been called “the age of robbery.” Common practices vary from culture to culture and from time to time, but the fallen nature of man has always prompted him to take advantage of opportunities to help him. Most people try to limit their dishonesty to what seems normal around them; others limit it only to the extent they fear getting caught. Neither of these standards is acceptable to God. Integrity in Scriptures Practicing “situation ethics” is in direct opposition to the standard God has given us in the Scriptures. What do the following verses say? Proverbs 12:22 Proverbs 20:23

Why God requires absolute integrity Exodus 20:15-16; Proverbs 4:24-26; Mark 12:31. We cannot be dishonest and love God (Exodus 20:15-16; John 14:15; 1 John 4:20). Any time we are disobedient and dishonest, we are not demonstrating love toward God. Instead we are acting as though He didn’t exist! Our dishonest behaviour shows we don’t believe He can meet our needs even though He has promised to (Matthew 6:33). So we decide to take things in our own hands and be dishonest.

Why can’t a person be dishonest and love God at the same time? We cannot be dishonest and love our neighbour (Mark 12:31) Lack of integrity also violates the Second Commandment: “Love your neighbour

as yourself.” Every time we are dishonest, we are stealing from our neighbour. Dishonesty always hurts someone. The victim is never simply a corporation or a government; it always ends up being a person. Whether we know or care about the person is irrelevant. God knows and loves the person — good or bad — and longs for the person to know Him. Two additional reasons we need to maintain complete integrity: •

Our integrity gives credibility to the Gospel. When we are honest in money matters with those who don’t know Christ, we demonstrate God’s character and care. It may be exactly what they need to open their hearts to Him. Scriptures say: “…become blameless and pure, children of God

without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:15). How does our dishonesty affect that? And how will we feel about it on the day it is clearly revealed for all to see?

•

Integrity helps us remain in the centre of God’s will. (Proverbs 4:18-27). When there is integrity, it is easier to make decisions. How does Proverbs

4:18-27 apply? Our path will grow increasingly bright, as we are completely honest. This is a great help in making important decisions. Many possible paths are quickly eliminated because they don’t meet the standard. God uses this to help confirm His direction for us. An event in Abraham’s life challenges us to be honest, even in the smallest things. Genesis 14 tells us that the king of Sodom offered Abraham all the goods Abraham recovered when he rescued the people of Sodom. But Abraham answered: "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of

heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal” (Genesis 14:22-23). Just as Abraham was not willing to take even a thread or sandal thong, let us commit to not steal a postal stamp, a photocopy, a clip, and a long-distance call. God’s children should be honest even in the smallest things that seem unimportant. How to defeat the temptation to be dishonest Galatians 5:16-17, Philippians 2:4; Proverbs 16:6 By the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17) Dishonesty is clearly the desire of our sinful nature. It is in direct conflict with the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and empowers us to live above our old nature. By practicing the Golden Rule (Philippians 2:4)

“Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). This verse could also be translated as “watch carefully” for the interests of others, and don’t think only of your own benefit. By maintaining a healthy fear of God (Proverbs 16:6) When we talk about a “healthy fear” of God, we’re not implying that He is a celestial tyrant who waits for every opportunity to punish us. On the contrary, He is a loving father who disciplines His children for their own benefit. Nevertheless, discipline — to be worth anything — is painful. If we realise that God loves us enough to discipline us, the desire to avoid pain should help us pursue honesty. What to do when we have been dishonest (James 5:16) Restore our fellowship with God

What does 1 John 1:9 say about this? After our fellowship with Christ has been restored, let’s confess our dishonesty to those we have offended, “Confess your sins to each other” (James 5:16). Return any property dishonestly acquired (Luke 19:8). If we have acquired something in a dishonest way, we must return it to its rightful owner. Zaccheus told Jesus that he would pay back four times what he had stolen from anyone. Restitution is taking responsibility to correct a wrong. It is also a clear expression of regret that paves the way to restoration. God requires honesty from leaders The Lord holds leaders to an especially high standard because of their influence. Dishonest leaders produce dishonest followers.

When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, suggested the criteria for Israel’s leaders, three of the four described character. “But select capable men from all the people — men who fear God,

trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain — and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens” (Exodus 18:21). Every leader — in business, should be an example of honesty. There is no other way leaders can require it from those under their authority. Conclusion If we love God, our attitude and actions must show it. When they do, we give credibility to the Word of God. If society pressures us to be dishonest, let’s show with our behaviour that we will not go with the flow of sin. Let us be “like stars in the universe” that point to a better way — God’s way.

The Blessing of work Introduction Most people spend at least 100,000 hours of their life working. Much of that time is marred by dissatisfaction with pay, pressure of responsibilities, and fear of job loss. The Bible offers great insight into our work, including how we can become much more fulfilled in it. God, the Bible, and our work Genesis 2:15, Exodus 34:21 God Before studying the lesson, answer the following questions:

Do you think the necessity of work is a consequence of sin? How did the entry of sin in the world affect our experience of work today? God’s purpose in work is greater than you may have thought. •

Work was instituted by God before sin. What does Genesis 2:15 say about it?

The first thing God did with Adam in the sinless Garden of

Eden was to put him to work. •

Work was created for the benefit of man. Many people believe work is a curse, a consequence of sin, but the Bible paints a different picture. Work was created for our benefit. It definitely became harder after the fall (Genesis 3:17-19), but its purpose remains beneficial for us. Work develops us in many ways, which is why God declared in Exodus 34:21: “You shall work six days.”

The New Testament adds a practical reinforcement: “ if anyone will not work,

neither let him eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). It refers to those who don’t want to work, not to those who can’t work because of disability or some other factor beyond their control. What is work’s purpose? It develops us in many ways and adds meaning to our lives as our efforts contribute to the lives of others. As a worker builds a house, the house is also building the worker as the process refines his skill, diligence, ability and judgment. Work also develops our character as we learn perseverance in tasks and patience with people. The Bible The Bible gives dignity to all kinds of work and doesn’t raise any profession above another. God’s servants were employed in a variety of careers. David was

a shepherd, a warrior and a king; Luke was a doctor; Lydia sold fabrics; Daniel worked for the government; Paul made tents; Amos harvested figs. And even Jesus learned and performed a trade as a carpenter. There is dignity in every kind of honest work. God’s part in work

What do the following passages say about it? Genesis 39:2-3 Exodus 35:30-35 Psalm 75:6-7 We know Joseph was faithful to do his part; here we see that God was responsible for Joseph’s prosperity. Second, we see that God is the giver of our abilities. We work to develop them, but it is God who gives us the aptitude. Third, we discover that God is the one responsible for exalting men — some translations render it “raising,” “lifting,” or “promoting.” As surprising as it may be, our boss is not the primary determiner of our promotions. This truth should motivate us to work at the top of our capacity since God knows exactly what our capacity is. Much of our frustration in work comes from not understanding God’s role in it. When we do our best to please Him, we should not fear helplessness at the hands of an unfair employer. God is there, and He keeps the books that count. Our responsibility in work Although we work for men, the Bible says we should do it with all our heart as though we were working for the Lord because ultimately it is Christ we are serving (Colossians 3:23-24). What is our attitude at work? At the beginning of the day we should ask ourselves, for whom am I working? What do these passages teach us? Ecclesiastes 9:10 Proverbs 12:27

The Bible teaches us to do our job with diligence and excellence. As followers of Christ, our work reflects on God and should never be equated with laziness or mediocrity. The Bible also teaches us to balance our work with rest. That is why Exodus 34:21 commands resting on the seventh day. And we should never allow our work to be so excessive that we neglect time with the Lord and with our family. Employer’s responsibilities Ephesians 6:7-9

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters [employers], treat your slaves [employees] in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him” (Ephesians 6:7-9). Workers should be treated fairly and with dignity. “Masters [Employers], provide

your slaves [employees] with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1). Communication with employees is very important, and you cannot have good communication without listening carefully. Attentive and sensitive hearing is a clear expression that you care about others. Investigate their complaints. When they are legitimate, take appropriate steps to solve the problem. Communicate what you expect from employees, and treat them with the kind of respect that Paul describes in Philippians 2:3-5. Malachi 3:5 warn employers about unfairness in paying their employees. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 requires employers to be sensitive to the needs of their employees and to pay on time.

What do you think are the most important responsibilities of employers?

One

of the most important responsibilities of employers who are followers of Christ is

to reflect Christ in the workplace. Employees are keenly aware of hypocrisy. They can be influenced positively or negatively by their perception of an employer’s faith. Employers who really care about the welfare of their employees and respect them enough to speak the truth in love find opportunities to share the gospel in an effective way. This is the greatest reward possible for both the employer and employee. Employee’s responsibilities Daniel 6:4, 10, 21 Attitudes that characterise a responsible worker Daniel is a model of the attitudes every godly employee should have. In the blank space following each verse, write the attitude shown. Daniel 6:4 Daniel 6:10 Daniel 6:21 Trustworthy, neither corrupt nor negligent (6:4), praying consistently (6:10), nor innocence (6:21) are a few of the specific attitudes mentioned. There is no account of Daniel seeking revenge against his co-workers in spite of their betrayal and attempts to kill him. It is rarely easy to find a good job, but we should pray about it, remembering God’s role in our work. And when we have a job — even if it is not the one we would like to keep long term — let’s be like Daniel, faithful, honest and praying regularly.

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether

he is slave or free” (Ephesians 6:7-8). Remember that the Lord is always watching. If we neglect the job He has given us, He is not likely to provide a better one; He may even take away the one we have. Let’s do our work as unto Him. Work is God’s plan for man Work, listed as the Fourth Commandment, is an integral part of God’s plan for us: “Six days you shall labour and do all your work” (Exodus 20:9). Unfortunately, our sin not only made work more difficult but also warped our perspective on it, making it less appealing than God’s design. •

Work as a daily struggle. Sin’s entrance made work a burden (Genesis 3:16-19). It is also an occasion to sin if we are not honest with the time we dedicate to the tasks entrusted to us.

•

Work as a misplaced priority. Work should rank high in our priorities, but it should not come before God or the welfare of our family. Neither its challenges nor its rewards should become ends in themselves — a form of idolatry that Solomon recognised as meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11).

•

Work as a means of exploitation. Any time we use people for our own ends without regard for their dignity and needs, we disobey God’s plan. We can do this whether we are employers, supervisors, or merely coworkers. Our commitment to God’s second great command, “Love your neighbour as yourself” will keep us from exploiting others in this way.

One other issue we should mention that relates to this: regardless of the cultural norms around us, we should never discriminate against or mistreat those from a lower social standing than our own. They are created in God’s image, and He loves them as much as He loves us. Remember how closely Jesus identified with the poor. Let us be very careful not to offend Him by offending those whom our culture may deem unimportant or unworthy of respect. Let us live in the heart of Philippians 2:3-4.

Conclusion A job is not only a means of earning money but also of developing our character and advancing God’s plan in our life. On the other hand, we remind employers of the principle proclaimed by the Lord: “The labourer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7).

Learning contentment 1 Timothy 6:8. In 1 Timothy 6:8, Paul says, “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content

with that.” Consumerism has created a culture that interprets the verse this way: “If we can afford the most expensive restaurant food, wear the latest fashion clothes, drive a new luxury car, and live in a nice house in the most exclusive area of town, then we can be happy.” But when you examine the lives of people who have all these things, you discover that many of them are still not happy. They continue in pursuit of a new list of “needs.” Materialism is extremely deceptive, leading people to believe that happiness is based on the acquisition of something they don’t yet have, and that more is always better. Contentment in the Bible The word “contentment” is mentioned seven times in the Bible; and six times it refers to money. In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul wrote something very important about this issue; he said that he learned to be content. No one is born content; everyone must learn to be content.

The doctrine of contentment says we must learn to be happy in the economic position God has placed us. This is not promoting complacency or resigning us to the status quo; it is learning to accept God’s provision for today with gratitude and joy. God’s provision, the “blessing of the Lord,” is a wealth unclouded with the troubles caused by fear and greed (Proverbs 10:22).

How do you think you can reach contentment? Never equate contentment with laziness. We should always be improving ourselves as we strive to become more like our creator. God has made us in His image and given us potential that always exceeds our present level of accomplishment. Contentment doesn’t exclude ambition that is properly motivated. God wants us to work diligently and to be better managers, always remembering that nothing should ever take His place as highest priority in our life. Lifestyle The Bible doesn’t prescribe a single lifestyle for everyone. Today, as in Bible times, the Lord places His children strategically in every social and economic level. Several principles should influence the lifestyle of followers of Christ. 1. Have an eternal perspective.

2. Don’t wait for better circumstances to serve. Have you ever felt the need for something you didn’t have before you could serve effectively? We don’t need wealth or status for God to empower our service.

3. The Lord may reduce our management privileges and responsibilities if we squander the resources he has given us (Luke 16:1-2). Do you squander money?

4. Do not base your lifestyle on comparisons with others. Many people suffer by trying to keep up with their neighbours. If you are wealthy, base your lifestyle on the conviction that the Lord wants you to know contentment that is not determined by how much you could spend.

5. Never spend a penny “in the flesh,” but enjoy freely what you earn (1 Timothy 4:4 and 6:17-19). All we have belongs to the Lord, and we should spend it to

please Him rather than for selfish purposes. Before making an investment, take your time in prayer.

6. Be careful that your lifestyle doesn’t offend others (Romans 14:13). For example, if a business is going through a time of crisis and all employees are suffering a reduction in salaries, it would not be prudent for the owner to buy a sports car.

7. Answer this question: How much is enough? Establish a maximum level of income that you believe God would approve for supporting your lifestyle. Determine that if you ever exceed that level of income, you will donate the rest and seek opportunities to serve as a volunteer.

8. Make an effort to live a simpler life. Everything we have demands time, attention and money to maintain. Too many possessions can place such demands on our time and money that they damage our relationship with the Lord and with our family. Although God does not call everyone to lead a simple life, we must maintain the priority of time with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:3-4).

9. We all participate in meeting the needs within the body of Christ. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15; Acts 2:44-45 and 4:32-35). Help supply the needs of others in your congregation.

10. A financial empire takes a lifetime to build, but it is worthless if we don’t serve Jesus Christ. Leslie Flynn says: “Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, had an astronomical annual income of literally millions. He lived in a palace that took 13 years to build. He had space for 40,000 horses. He sat on an ivory throne covered with gold. And in spite of it all, he declared, “Meaningless!

Meaningless!... Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). Are you sacrificing your intimacy with the Lord in the pursuit of wealth?

11. We are in a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 tell us that we are in a war. The devil’s mission is to prevent us from serving Christ.

12. Do not be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). We are constantly influenced by effective advertising that promises satisfaction and a wrinkle-free life if we will purchase their product.

We all are tempted to buy things. The desire can lead us to justify unwise purchases. Don’t forget to seek wise counsel and the Lord’s direction before every important purchase. Conclusion Whether we have much or little, we should pursue contentment by being grateful for the Lord’s provision.

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing Lets start this session of buying new talent first by saying: GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH LIFE "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 He has created each one of us for a special purpose. The entire CAREER DIRECT ™ Guidance System is rooted in the belief that we were not created randomly. God created you with a divine and eternal purpose. Your work is an essential part of God's plan. "Behind the word VOCATION is the notion that every legitimate kind of work or social function is a distinct CALLING from God requiring unique, God-given gifts,

skills, and talents.“ (Dr. Edward Veith, Dean School of Arts and Sciences, Concordia University). God calls us to consider carefully where we are going in our vocation. ...our calling...and not to make decisions based on the world's values or rules. Knowing how God has designed us to fulfill our calling can help us find our calling. When Christians discover how God has wired them up for work –– and then seek employment in careers and occupations where their natural talents and Godgiven attributes come into play –– they will be more contented, more joyful, productive, and excellent in their work. Meaningful work is much more than just a need to keep busy or bring home a paycheck. Don't waste your God-given gifts, talents, interests, and abilities. Don't gamble away your future. Don't work beneath your capabilities. The earlier you establish a good hiring policy, the sooner your organisation will benefit from having the best people in positions where they can add the most value. Staffing bring people into your organisation and is seen as one of the most important people management practices. Bringing in inadequate people can have a ripple effect on all the other people management practices in your organisation. Staffing therefore involves three major processes namely the expanding the candidate pool, hiring the best candidate and orienting them to work. To be truly effective in these buying of talent review, business requires a diversity of gifted individuals. Romans 12: 4-5. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of another Start with evaluating your organisation’s future staffing needs and identify the skills and competencies you need for each position. Hire then candidates that closely fit the bill. Balance your team by thoughtfully and prayerfully matching

up the needed skills with a variety of gifted individuals. Proverbs 24: 5. A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power. Interviewing candidates is often not what it is intended to do. When interviewing candidates you have to match the requirements of the job with the candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills and experience. Romans 12: 6. Since we have the gifts that differ according

the

grace

given

us,

let

each exercise

them

accordingly. Ask questions that will determine the compatibility. Match well and hire wisely for maximum business success. Proverbs 3: 23. Then you will walk in your way securely, and your feet will not stumble. Question to ponder on: Describe the results you have experienced when you have hired someone at hand rather than patiently searching for the best possible match It is crucial that you do the organisational match by asking the following questions around the personal scorecard of the new applicant. Personal mission #

What is the candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy of life?

Why are he or she on this earth?

What are his or her overall life objectives?

For what reason does the candidate live? What are his or her your deepest aspirations?

Personal vision #

Which values and principles lead him or her to this path?

What are the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-term ambitions?

What do the new applicant wants to achieve?

What does the new applicant stand for?

What does the new applicant believe in?

What are the new applicant’s ideals?

Which key roles does the new applicant want to fulfil?

Critical success factors #

Which factors in the person’s personal mission, vision, and key roles are essential to the realisation of his or her personal objectives?

What are the person’s most important competences?

Personal objectives #

Which measurable short-term personal results do the candidate want to achieve?

Personal performance measures and targets #

What makes the candidates personal objectives measurable?

What are his or her targets?

Personal Improvement action

Which improvement actions does the candidate need to do to achieve them?

How do the candidate see to it that he or she learn continuously?

Sit down with your panel of interviewers and establish the following •

Are this person content with who he or she are becoming?

•

Do this person have a quiet centre to his or her life?

•

Have this person prayer life improving?

•

Are this person’s humility genuine?

•

Is obedience in small matters built into this person’s reflexes?

•

Do this person have joy?

There is still a strong tendency today in orgnaisations not to appoint older people, but orgnanisations need to maintain their profits with experience people. Titus 2: 2. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love in perseverance. Don’t only hire workers and overlook those because he or she seems too old. Bring in the stability factor in the workplace as mature staff can coach and mentor staff to be more productive. Proverbs 27: 17 Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Show what employees get from working for your company and advertise this value proposition to current and potential employees. An employer of choice or desirable company to work for are organisations that identify and value talent within their organisation and implemented processes and benefits to build motivation and dedication to retain top talent. Great places to work for are places

where employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with.

It is important to fill your positions with the best talent available and be impartial. Proverbs 2: 9. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. Create an impartial workplace with a clear job accountabilities document together with a clear understanding of the competencies and qualifications for each position. Then seek employees

whose character, competence and chemistry fit the job and climate of the company. Proverbs 28: 21. To show partiality is not good Character and competence are the two primary ingredients of companies of excellence. Arthur Schopenhauer reminds us that: “men best show their character in trifles,

where they are not on guard. It is in insignificant matters, and in the simplest habits, that we often see the boundless egotism which pays no regard to the feelings of others, and denies nothing to itself.” God’s idea of character is summarised in Psalm 51:6: “[He desires] truth in the inner parts…” God puts a high premium on competence and excellence. After completing His creation, He “saw all that he had made, and it was very

good.” (Genesis 1:31a). The Lord said ...'Do not consider his appearance...The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart...’ Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment...We don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look (I Sam. 16:7b; John 7:24; 2 Cor. 5:16 b –Msg)

Seek evidence for the following during your interview: •

Will the candidate go the extra mile in getting the job done; even when it means no one else will know about it?

•

Will the candidate attack everything he or she does with fervour, performing at the highest level possible?

•

Will the candidate follow through…until the job is completed? With excellence? Whatever the cost?

•

Will the candidate make every effort to stay current in his or her profession? Or is it business as usual?

People are not impressed by facades or manipulation, but by authenticity and by those who are genuinely other-centered. Character is not a matter of outward technique but of inner reality. The attributes of faith, goodness, knowledge, selfcontrol, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love flow from the life of Christ that has been implanted within us. 2 Peter 1: 5-8 Seek evidence also for the following five pillars of integrity during your interview •

Fear of God

•

Honesty

•

Trustworthy

•

Excellence

•

Servant’s heart (Humility)

It is important to see if the candidates truly understand the current business climate (Esther 1: 13. Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times.), your competitors and how to attract and keep new customers. You have to ask questions that reveal the candidates’ knowledge and competency. Proverbs 26: 10. Like an archer who wounds everyone, so is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by. One of the most important and toughest thing to do in selection, is to appoint a business partner. Amos 3: 3. Do two walks together unless they have agreed to do so? Don’t make decision on emotion or temporary convenience. 38

Build your decision around a common purpose, compatible values and agreement in writing on key issues. Establish the common business philosophy in writing. Proverbs 29: 24. He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life; he bears the oath but tells nothing. 2 Corinthians 6: 14. Do not unequally yoked together with unbelievers? For what fellowship has righteousness and lawlessness. When two oxen of unequal strength are yoked together, the pair will travel in a circle. Don’t ignore this piece of biblical wisdom. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it. Proverbs 15: 16. Talk right from the beginning about your code of ethics I. "I am the Lord your God...you shall have no other gods before Me”. Show proper respect for authority. •

Has your business become your god?

•

Has your career become more important than God?

•

Are you willing to say No to your job in order to say Yes to God?

•

Has your absorption in your work blocked out the still, small voice?

II. "You shall not make for yourself an idol”. Have a singleness of purpose •

Have you replaced God with things?

•

Are material things- the tangible here and now- more important than God himself?

•

Does your identity or self-worth come from God himself?

III. "You shall not misuse the Name of the Lord your God”. Use effective communication in work and deed. •

Whose name do you revere more than God’s? 39

•

How about your own? Or your company’s name?

•

Do you defend God’s name as vigorously as your corporate image?

•

Are you as offended when God is slighted as when you are put down?

IV. "Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy." •

Provide proper rest, recreation, and reflection. No work on the seventh day. Are you, as an act of faith, laying down tools once per week so that time can be focused on God?

•

Are you encouraging employees, suppliers, contractors, customers to spend time with God each week?

V. "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long..." Show respect for elders. •

This one comes with a promise … a God–guarantee.

•

What does it say about multigenerational and family businesses?

VI. "You shall not murder." Show respect for human life, dignity, and rights. Have you in your competitiveness, killed someone’s reputation? •

Have you called anyone an idiot?

•

Have you failed to look after the health of someone in your household?

VII. "You shall not commit adultery." Maintain stability of the sexes and the family. •

Have you been “mentally trying on” other peoples’ wives or husbands?

•

Have you been “checking out” anyone in the office? 40

•

Have you been faithful to your company?

•

Have you cheated on a partner?

VIII. "You shall not steal." Demonstrate the proper allocation of resources. •

Are your software licenses current?

•

Have you infringed a copyright, stolen intellectual property, or failed to acknowledge source?

•

Have you taken time, money or possessions from others?

•

Have you unfairly charged a customer? Have you dishonored a return policy, or voided a warranty?

IX. "You shall not give false testimony." Demonstrate honesty and integrity. •

No slander, no half truths, no words behind someone’s back … a clean mouth all around.

•

Have you spoken evil of someone in business?

•

Have you failed to speak good of someone when others spoke evil?

X. "You shall not covet." Maintain the right of ownership. • Real estate, wife, business … all off limits. Don’t even go there, don’t even want to. •

Have you looked at what others said, ‘I wish that were mine!’

To often the filling of key positions are in a crisis and a proper succession planning are not in place. Have a succession plan in your business. Succession Planning, like a relay race, has to do with passing on responsibility. To continue the analogy, each leg of the race must be run to beat competition and the transfer of responsibility must be swift and sure. Drop the baton and you lose the 41

race. Make a mistake in the selection of a new chief executive and you lose millions. You lose your reputation, you lose your competitive position and you lose talented executives.

No one will stay in the saddle forever. Matthew 25; 21. His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master. Make plans and prepare for others. Your legacy may depend on how well you plan your departure. Proverbs 22: 9. Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men You have an effective Succession Planning system if: #

You can fill positions without delay and without going outside

You can fill positions with confidence

Your choices prove to be quite successful

Talented individuals donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quit very often

Management succession levels exist when

80% from within is been appointed

Senior employees not longer than 5 to 7 years in key position

1 ready-now back-ups for every key position

2 pipeline (25 -35 years) for every key position

Development appraisal annually

Criteria for Top Performers

Always meet available objectives

Do more than what is expected from them

Overcome obstacles by ingenuity

Are replaced with difficulty

Are generally acknowledged as exceptional or experts/authorities

There will be a tendency for other organisations to want to â&#x20AC;&#x153;stealâ&#x20AC;? them

Accomplishments #

List your accomplishments

Reasons for success

Unusual difficulties you had to overcome

Things that you have learned

What did you particularly like

Negatives

What results have not come up to your expectations and the reasons for this

The organisations human resources review process should take place once a year. Managers at all levels in an organisation prepare for the review by completing prescribed forms having to do with various questions about personnel. Each manager then has a discussion with higher-level management. Out of these discussions come the plans for the development and movement of personnel. Filling key strategic functions is an opportunity to ask those senior individuals more about their spiritual legacy that they want to leave behind. Think also about your own spiritual legacy when your life is over one day

When your life is over, what sort of legacy do you want to leave?

Will those left behind have seen Jesus in your life?

Will your family members have been impacted by your walk with Christ?

Will those in your sphere of influence, particularly those involved closely with you in the marketplace; have been encouraged to know Christ because of your investment in their lives?

Will your legacy only be buildings, or achievements, or organisations, leaving an inheritance or even financial contributions, or will it be souls transformed by Christ for eternity?

Always check properly before the candidate accepts the job offer that they understand the mission statement and the organisationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; products and services. Look for genuine agreement, excitement and interest. Proverbs 30;27. Lastly prepare well for youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the employee. John 14: 2. Establish a proper induction and draw up an induction checklist. A little time invested in training today will save you hours of correction later. The rod and reproof give wisdom. But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

Reflection on part two: Buying Jesus said, "a wise man...built his house upon a rock" (Matthew 7:24 NAS) Hiring the

best

staff

key

foundation

build

your

business.

Do not rush the interview process when hiring staff. The best way to prevent firing a person is by not hiring the wrong person. Outline job requirements clearly to prospective staff Ask questions to determine if the person has the skill, interest, and attitude for future job success. Hire rock solid staff for business success. Now reflect on the following questions

•

Do you hire employees who are just like you?

•

When hiring does you match the candidate with not only the job, but also the organisation?

•

Have you done an age analysis? Do you hire young workers, overlooking someone because he or she seems too old?

•

How impartial are you in your decisions to hire and promote equity?

•

As a believing Christian, would you enter into a business partnership with a non-Christian?

•

Do you have a succession plan in place for your business?

Senior staff members do operate on very specific principles and working through the following questions can be an eye opener to understand the real heartbeat of such persons in the organisation 1. To begin with, could you share with us the vision and purpose of your organisation? 2. Do you operate on principles? Could you give specific examples? of how that impacts your organisation? 3. Can you point to a couple of examples of how those principles have served you and your organisation well during tough times? 4. Your organisational motto is. Can you elaborate on that?

5. Could you share with me how your faith has affected your career? 6. Tell us the first thing you do every morning at the office and what your habits are throughout the day.

7. As a leader, I often find myself learning more from the mistakes and challenges in my life rather than the successes. Can you share some of the mistakes or big challenges that you have faced and how you overcame those? 8. What other CEOs do you admire? 9.

your

opinion,

who

the

greatest

leader

who

ever

lived?

10. We have a lot of young leaders who look to men who have “been there and done that.” What counsel would you give young executives who really want to build a great and enduring organisation?

11. How do you want to be remembered, both personally and professionally?

12. How do you want your employees to remember you? 13. If you could live your life over again, what two things would you do differently? The above questions will help understanding what type of business style operates in the organisation Thus will have a deep impact re the way you do your selection. Do you have a MBA or a KBA way of doing things? See diagram below and assess yourself

MBA way Our company Performance first

KBA way His company Servant’s heart 46

How much can I make? Personal success Pleasing man Living in daily fear Short-term gain Uncertainty Profit over principle Whatever it takes Stress-crisis Anxiety

How much can I give? Helping others achieve Pleasing God Living with hope Lasting legacy Trusting God Principle over profit Right purpose Contentment Patience

Source: Jim Dismore What type of boss are you? Appointing people is not only about seeking information form the new applicant but also to release what type of person his senior will be. Thinks about the senior of the new applicant and reflect on the following questions: i 1. By his attitude and actions do he draw staff to or repel them away from Jesus Christ?

2. Is he a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lone Rangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or does he seeks to develop meaningful relationships 3. Have he determined to live before God with singleness of heart and mind? 4. Is his responsibility to function as the head of your household in the manner prescribed by Scripture a top priority? 5. Do you viewed him as part of the problem or the solution? 6. Do he by his pride, cause divisions? Or does he, through his humility, foster unity?

Case study: The Chick-fil A case Website www.ckick-fil-a.com 1. Truett Cathy started the business in 1946 in Georgia Atlanta. 2. Close on Sundays was born out of their spiritual convictions. 3. Being the only restaurateur in America still in business for more than 60 years. He said: “Everyone else who was running a restaurant when I started is either out of business or dead” 4. The company enjoyed steady growth ever since and double digit sales increases, more than 1000 restaurants. Family ownership versus private company- A public corporation concentrates on profits while a private company concentrates on its people. 5. Cows are the most visible marketing tool urging consumers to “Eat Mor Chickin” 6. The organisation has the lowest management turnover rates in the quickservice restaurant industry

The learning points #

A major commitment between success and failure is commitment, refusing to give up easily or become discouraged.

Driven by two guiding principles: 1. To Glorify God by being faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. 2. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

Don’t need to be a Christian to work for the organisation. “We only asked our employees to conduct business according to biblical principles, and usually that is not a problem”

“My mom and dad have been wonderful models for us. When we have come to important crossroads in our lives, we have been able to reflect on how they made their choices

Their sales are higher in six days than their competitors.

Truett Cathy taught Sunday school for 13- years-olds for more than 45 years.

“ I have never seen any conflict between biblical principles and good business practices”

The Cathy children often heard their father stress the importance of clearly defining what he called the ‘three M’s”: Who will be your master in life, who will be your mate, and what will be your mission.

Note from his children: “That is our challenge to carry on the principles and transfer them to the following generation”.

The longest journey begins with the first step in his book: It is easier to succeed than to fail.

God put within each of us the quest for success. If He had not, we would still be cooking over an open fire.

If your personal life is in order, it is easier to keep your business life in order too.

Formal dedication ceremonies for each new restaurant include a prayer by a pastor from that community.

A volunteer half-hour Monday morning devotional meeting is attended by many staff members.

After six decades Cathy sees no reason for compromise: “I believe the Lord has honoured our commitment, in spite of our fierce competition”

Food for thought and some further action: What have you learnt from this case study?

Application Now that you been through this part on talent review book namely the buying of new staff, answer the questions below. Look at them again from time to time and see how you are progressing. •

What should you keep on doing and do more of?

•

What should you do differently?

•

What should you stop doing or do less of??

•

What should you do faster?

•

What should you do better?

•

What should you start doing?

Let's explore the above questions again. The first question, “What should you keep on doing?” focuses on your strengths in talent review. It helps you to sustain and maintain what you already do well. Too often we do not value or celebrate our talents and very quickly focus on what we have to change. Continuity positively reinforces your strengths and builds on them. The second question, “What should you do differently?” helps you to refine, polish and improve what you already know how to do, but want to execute at a higher level. The third question, “What should you stop doing?” can have a profound effect on your performance. It focuses on ridding you of ‘bad habits and negative behaviours’ – those practices that prevent you from being all you can be.

This is where the power of the fourth question, “What should you start doing?” comes into play. This question also addresses those areas of your life that you may be neglecting, causing an imbalance in your life. Taking these questions to heart is the first step towards radically changing your organisation – for the better! List the things that you need to: Let go Maintain ………………………… ………………………

Initiate …………………………

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Practical tools, further reading and support material to assist you doing the buying section of talent review 1. Competency based interviewing questions 2. Job accountability form 3. Career direct profile 4. Competencies based per position

Part Three: Building of staff: Choices in training and development Hiring the right people as indicted in the previous section is critical. Your competitor is also doing rigorous recruitment and selection and the differentiating factors then are how you utilise your people in your organisation. Building means unleashing talent by focusing on their training and development. Ths section address the following: 52

Who should attend these training and development programmes, who should present it, and what should be the contents and best way of delivering it

How will this programme change the participants

What the various forms of training and devlopment will be

What the role of coaching, mentoring and personal development will be

Staff training is often overlooked and a neglected function as employers often see it as a cost factor instead of an investment. Training often takes time and energy. Become more productive by investing in your employees. 2 Corinthians 9: 6. Now this I say, whom shows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who shows bountifully shall also reap bountifully No serious athlete would expect to progress very far without a coach . Coaching concentrates on where a client is now and what he/she is willing to do to get where he/she wants to be in the future . Coaches are trained to listen, observe and customise their approach to the individual client needs They seek to elicit solutions and strategies from the client They believe the client is naturally creative and resourceful The coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has. It is important that everyone must work continually to improve his or her performance and enhancing his skills. The most successful in business are life long learners. Proverbs 22: 29. Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men Performance appraisal - A blessing or a curse? During the eleven years of lecturing for MBA students of the module People Management, the author has regularly been asked to consider the above. The

comments of the students, who have discussed this aspect, are very similar. It is evident in their answers that: •

Performance appraisal has declined

•

It is not being applied as well as in the past and becomes more political the higher you move up in the organization

•

It is more of pain than a pleasure and that many people have been harmed by it

•

It is unilateral and could easily become a farce

•

It is incredibly paper-driven.

Numerous forms have to be completed,

because the Human Resources department requires the information •

It tends to be an event rather than a process

•

It is confrontational and very subjective

•

It is regarded as arrogance if you do not accept the outcome.

These are important issues. We are quick to state that people are the only assets that appreciate in value the more they are used, but then we use outdated systems to measure their performance. International research has found that an organization’s people management strategies are a very important driving force in competitiveness, but that the organisation’s performance strategies are not sufficiently in line with its organisational strategy. Can we allow the process of performance appraisal to be a vague, obscure process? Performance management should be the following: It should be an ongoing process supported by an effective and simple system that focuses, firstly, on development and secondly, is implemented as the responsibility of management.

It manifests itself in formal and informal

interaction between the manager and subordinate and forms the basis of the interface between line management and HR management. It also forms the basis for other decisions regarding the management of human resources. 54

The features of an effective performance management system include the following: •

It focuses on the process.

•

It is client-driven.

•

It is balanced.

•

It provides operational feedback.

•

It tracks performance.

•

It is a catalyst for process improvement.

•

It improves performance.

•

It is an integrated system.

•

It facilitates organisational learning.

•

It identifies the main causes of problems.

Staff members should be asked the following questions on a quarterly basis:

What do you regard as your most important achievements?

Taking these achievements into consideration, what are the reasons for your success?

Did you have to overcome unusual problems in order to accomplish these achievements?

What have you learnt during the past 3 to 6 months?

What in particular did you like during the past 3 to 6 months?

The position that one holds always has negative/frustrating aspects. Which aspects of your work did you enjoy during the past 3 to 6 months?

Why?

Remember Colossians 3:24

Knowing, with all certainty that it is from the Lord and not from men that you will receive the inheritance, which is your real reward. God

the

great

rewarder;

our

reward

not

from

man.

God watches all things and will reward you, so continue to be faithful and you will be rewarded! Our prayer Lord, I recognize that You are the One who rewards us. I will not look to the rewards and accolades of man, but I will look forward to the REAL rewards, which can only come from YOU! Amen.

Look at every possible way to increase your knowledge, skill and experience. Identify the three weakest areas of your job performance and develop a plan too address it. Proverbs 4: 7. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding Finding a mentor for yourself. Luke 2: 52. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and men. A mentor must have at least three qualifications: Spiritually maturity, extensive business experience and a Holy Spirit temparent full of the fruit of the spirit. Proverbs 2: 3. For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding Training and development is an ongoing process and may I encourage you to think about these questions with your spiritual mentor, journal them and meet regularly.

THE PAST #

List the greatest blessings from God this past year: in your family, your work, and your personal life.

What was your greatest trial? What have you learned from it?

List in order the best of your answered prayers.

What events or circumstances do you not understand? (God has a longer time frame of reference than you have and He is very patient to train you.)

List a specific lesson the Lord taught you this year.

PRESENT 1. What is the Lord seeking to teach you now? 2. What are you now praying for? A. Your mate B. Your marriage C. Your children D. Your grandchildren E. Your co-workers F. Your business associates? FUTURE 1. What is a priority this new year regarding your: A. Personal life and walk with God B. Your family C. Your work D. Your ministry as you are in the workplace? 2. What prayer goals will you begin? What is God saying to you these days? Is He calling you to a deeper relationship with Him? 3. Can you set any goals regarding: A. Your daily sharing Christ in your actions and words B. Your giving back to Him some of His resources that He has provided you

C. Your mentoring of others D. Your deepening time with your family? 1. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

You need to understand the purpose of your job very clearly. In one paragraph, describe the major purpose of your job in your organisation where you are involved i.e.: Why it exists and its expected end results. Your statement should answer the following questions: Why was this job created? What is this job’s unique contribution to the organization or your ministry where you are involved? What would not get done if this job did not exists? Describe the major objectives of your job, and not the tasks/duties that arise from these accountabilities. Only list the most important accountabilities and the key performance indicators.

Type 1 coaching: Resolving Problems •Client Problems •Walk-ins

•Broken promises •Aimless complaints •How to do? •Standards for perfection •Mistake repeats Type 2 Coaching: Building a competence •Performance reviews/ assessments •Skill improvement •Someone not open to feedback / change •Disorganised •Over-commitment •Unassertiveness Type 3 Coaching: Fundamental change •Requested help •Up or Out •“Fast track” •Employment Equity •Life purpose •Primary relationship •New Role •Major Investments So don’t fail to invest in your people. Although training is expensive studies shave shown that on the job training make workers between 10 –35% more effective, loyal and committed. Proverbs 8: 10. Take my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather tan choicest gold Learning from subordinates. This is correct and although sometime painful but they often have the clearest view of how they also perceive things. Proverbs

8: 33. Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Listen to them and don’t become defensive. Open your mind for constructive feedback. Ecclesiastes 1: 18. In much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. Be open for new ideas and assess where you can grow personally. Proverbs18: 15 Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact they look for them. Evaluate your processes, review your procedures. Implement what you hear. Proverbs 27: 25. When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in. A lot have been said about coaching and mentoring bust as managers you need to seek outside counsel from time to time. Zephaniah 3: 2. It is lonely on top and often isolates Seek out those who can challenge you and downplay constructive criticism. Proverbs 15: 22. Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed Don’t be a stumbling block in your staff’s development. Proverbs 9:9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning Lastly is good to empower your staff so that they can represent you. Philemon versus 17. It then you regard me as partner, a accept him as you would me. Supervisors are often unwilling or unable to pass the ball to others, but you will never grow as a manager until you learn how to train up staff to be effective as you are. Master the art of developing great staff. Proverbs 25: 13. Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him Do you develop the best staff for your business? In talking about sowing seeds, Jesus said, "...Others fell on good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty" (Matthew 13:8, NAS).

Jesus talked of seeds falling on rocks, or in a thicket where they couldn't grow. When developing staff, select those with the best attitude, sprit, and ability and pour you into them. MARKS OF A WISE MENTOR Paul took a young half-breed teen-age lad and invested in him for the better part of two decades. Tender in spirit, strongly influenced by two women in his youth, with a bent toward melancholy, Timothy was eons apart temperament wise from Paul, the warrior, pioneer. Yet Paul saw in this young man a future leader, which of course he became. David, while fleeing King Saul attracted around him a band the 'losers': All those

who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. (1 Sam. 22:2) â&#x20AC;˘Over the years, he was able to develop these unlikely men into mighty warriors, who became the very stronghold of his kingdom. (See 2 Sam. 23:8-39) The tendency in mentoring is to clone others into our likeness as we run them down our track and interpret the will of God for them along the lines He has led us. Secure mentors flex with circumstances. They are not in a hurry. Nor do they force conformity. The reality is that people struggle with their marriages, get into debt, and simply have to learn some lessons in life the hard way. In a word, your mentoree probably is not on your timetable as it relates to his development. Secure mentors keep their cool and are willing to wait, flex and intercede, as God does His work in their lives. He sins who hastens with his feet. (Pro. 19:2b NKJ)

God, in choosing men, never seems to be in a rush. Before commissioning Moses, the Lord orchestrated 40 years of tempering in the desert. He dealt similarly with newly converted Paul.

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. (1 Tim. 5:22) (See 1 Tim. 3:6,10) Many younger adults are starved for exposure to people their senior in order to glean from their wisdom and experience â&#x20AC;˘Believe it or not, you have great wisdom, understanding and knowledge to impart to younger generations in helping them make the right decisions on the road ahead.

Establish solid training and identify key concepts to share. Assign additional responsibility, and then monitor delivery of service. Your training efforts will than bear fruit and build your business.

Reflection Are you regularly improving your work skills Who will rise in the organisation? Where will the managers of the future come? What kind of people will they be? What will their values be? What kind of education and training should be used? Do you have a mentor to help you become a more effective manager?

Just How Teachable Are You? Ask yourself the following questions: Do you normally think that your ideas concerning issues are the best? What are you doing to improve the accuracy of your self-image? • For example, do you actively seek objective feedback or evaluation by people you respect spiritually? People who are willing to risk telling you what you need to

hear.

Do you seek counsel (and honestly evaluate it) before making significant decisions? What are you doing to improve the accuracy of your self-image? • For example, do you actively seek objective feedback or evaluation by people you respect spiritually? People who are willing to risk telling you what you need to

hear.

Do you seek counsel (and honestly evaluate it) before making significant decisions? Is your Bible study application-orientated or information-orientated?

Do you have a questioning mind? Do you seek to learn better ways of doing things? Am I reading quality material that challenges, enriches and expands my life? •When was the last time someone made a personal observation about my life, which resulted in a corrective change? Did you express to him your appreciation for his observation? Or did you harbor resentment, or seek to justify myself? Are you a good listener or do you normally spend the 'listening' time thinking of what I’m going to say next? Are you a careful observer of life, seeking to learn from the lives of others? Do you 'connect the dots' as to the causes and effects in people’s lives? Or do you just go along, never asking the question, 'why?'

Do you look to people who are in a position to realistically evaluate my walk with God for spiritual counseling and mentoring? By definition a disciple of Christ is a learner or a pupil. A student is not above his

teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40) It is impossible to be a disciple of Christ and possess an unreachable spirit! The Psalmist cried out, Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths, and King Solomon reminded us that a poor, yet wise lad is better than an old and

foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. (Psalm 25:4, Ecc. 4:13

NASB)

Practical tools, further reading and support material to assist you doing the buying section of talent review Part four: Borrowing talent: Choices in contracting for staff

Borrowing means that an organisation need not to own all the human resources it uses. Using consultants, contarct workers and temporary workers wisely can

bring in new ideas into your organization. A clear contract is indeed necessary with clear detail on expected outcomes and processes for delivering those outcomes. The performance need to be closely monitored Make sure that you assignment permanent employees with the consultant so that acknowledge transfer into the organization at the end of the project do happen Recommendations For The Successful Contracting Of Consultants Into Organisations Given the rapid rate of change facing modern organisations and the constant move towards more technologically based workplaces and improved systems it may be concluded that there will be an ongoing demand for highly specialised skills that are most readily available from external consultants. Therefore, the issue that must be addressed is how to contract successfully with consultants. The following are suggestions for organisations contracting with consultants: 1.

Establish a clear reason and purpose for hiring consultants.

Analyse the talents already available in your organisation before hiring consultants.

Get personally involved in selecting which people you require from the consultancy in order to meet your needs.

Clearly contract and control the costs and the duration of the assignment.

Maintain control â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you and your managers are responsible and should remain in charge.

Ensure that you are happy with the performance of the consultant. If something is wrong, deal with the situation immediately.

Value the feelings of your employees. Your staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion of the consultants and contarct workers will impact on whether or not the engagement is successful.

Make someone from within the organisation accountable for measuring and monitoring the consultantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; process.

Do not allow consultants to extend their brief and tamper with processes that are working.

Further ground rules for contracting with consultants and contract workers are: •

A point of contact must be established. This means establishing a person in the client system that is responsible for dealing with the consultant.

•

The role of the consultant must be clearly defined (e.g. is the consultant to play the role of an expert, a process helper or some other role).

•

The fees must be agreed on at the beginning of the contract.

•

A schedule of activities and objectives must be agreed on.

•

The client and the consultant must agree on the anticipated results.

•

The client and the consultant need to agree on operating ground rules, such as the point of contact and confidentiality.

Remember •

Where possible, limit the consultants’ involvement to areas requiring specialist knowledge;

•

Linked to the above, managers within the organisation should as far as possible be responsible for the implementation of projects. Consultants add most of their value at the analysis and design phases.

•

Managers within the organisation should not hand over projects to consultants, but should work with consultants in a partnership.

Consultants need to be aware of the following critical issues, which should serve as red flags when contracting with organisations: •

The level of commitment to change within the organisation. (If the client system is not really committed to the change programme, the programme may be doomed to fail.)

•

The degree of leverage or power to influence change. (A lower-level manager inviting a consultant into an organisation may be committed to change, but may lack real capability to influence the system.)

•

The client’s manipulative use of the consultant. (Where there is conflict or an internal power struggle in an organisation, the client may wish to involve the consultant as a weapon against other factions or individuals within the organisation system.)

Where consultants identify one or more of the above issues, they need to decide whether or not to enter into a contract with the prospective client. Don’t just accept any consultant and do as various as part of referencing

Why did you choose the consultant? What was the extent of their involvement? What training materials did they use? What follow-up did they do? Are you satisfied with the work they did? Were they dependable? Were they available when you needed them? How did in the organisation react to them? Did you have any major conflicts with them? Would you hire this consultant again?

From the above, it is clear that managers and consultants need to share accountability for the consulting contract. Managers should not simply hand over to consultants, withdraw from the process and them blame the consultant when things go amiss.

Outsourcing is also a possible as it helps you to focus on your expertise but you still need to mange the contract carefully Does every part of your business contribute? •Jesus said, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away..."

(John 15:2 NAS) •In every organization, something will not be successful, or is no longer effective. Examine your product line; check out all your activities. Ask the question, is each doing what it is designed to do? Is this function now necessary or, effective? Every organization has opportunities for improvement. •Eliminate the weak areas and re-channel your resources into more successful ventures. Your business will grow with the redirected efforts

Reflection

Part five: Bouncing of staff: Choices in shrinking the workforce This is al about making sure that the organisation is the correct size.. Choices for cutting back the workforce depending on various circumstance Involuntarily downsizing like Performance problems Lets look at a couple of terms

Rightsizing •Can involve reducing the workforce •Eliminating of functions/unnecessary work •Reducing Expenses •Redesigning systems and policies •Require upsizing (increasing workforce)

Re-engineering •Changes the way work processes are carried out •Strategy to redefine business processes •Strategy to reduce business processes •Workforce reduction may also be part •Today IT is usually central of business process

Rethinking •Both broader & more fundamental than rightsizing 69

•Strategy: identifies & refocuses core mission •Rethinking ask the questions? •What is our Mission? • Is it still the right mission? • is it still worth doing? •Rethinking is necessary in periods of great change

Delayering •Is the number & size of management levels •Removing one or more layers of management between the head and the front or operational lines There is a few myths when in rightsizing and downsizing needs to be take notice off One: Companies that downsize get leaner Two: Layoffs make business more productive Three: New & better jobs created in place of those lost Four: Downsizing makes companies more profitable Some best practices •Implement form top down, but also from the bottom up. •Universal across-the-board downsizing processes, as well as selective, particular downsizing processes. •Managing the transition for employees who lost their jobs, as well as the transition for survivors. •Targeted elements inside the organisation as well as system relationship outside the organisation. •Created small, semiautonomous organisations, as well as large integrated organisations. •Emphasised downsizing as a means to an end, as well as the end in itself.

Did downsizing also happen in the Bible: So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." - Judges 7:5 Would you ever take on an army of 100,000 with only 300 men? Sound preposterous? I agree. However, this is exactly what happened with Gideon. It was bad enough that he began with 10,000 against 100,000, but this was too many men according to God. He would not allow Gideon to fight with this many soldiers, because the temptation would still remain to believe that it was the strength of his army that won the victory. God told Gideon to pare down his army to a mere 300. This would ensure that God would receive total credit for the victory. This is a law in the Kingdom of God. All glory must go to Him. "Announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained" (Judg. 7:3). Now there are 10,000 men left but that was still too many. God gave Gideon an interesting selection method for the 300 as he took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, "Separate those who kneel down to drink from those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog" (Judg. 7:5b). What was the significance of this? Those soldiers who kneel down to drink and cupped their hands were soldiers who were more aware of the enemy around them compared to those who lapped. Those who kneeled were men who were on constant guard to the danger around them, keeping their eyes up and looking about them. The others could be easily picked off.

If you and I are going to be one of God's elite, we must be battle ready. We must be sensitive to the spiritual dangers around us. We must be trained to go about our business while, at the same time, discern when the enemy of our souls is prowling about seeking to destroy us. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Beware of the spiritual dangers around you. (Daily devoting by Os Hillman) Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deal with dismissal Acting fairly and humanly toward employees is one of the most important responsibilities of an employer. But an employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility to an employer is also important. If you have been diligent to correct problems and employees are unwilling to respond positively, you are doing them a disservice by keeping them. If they have made poor career choices, the sooner they make a change, the sooner they can flourish Too often owner or managers allow grievances to build until they become intolerable, then they unload on an unsuspecting employee who should have been corrected long before. It is vitally important to communicate early and clearly People problems almost never get better when left alone. In time the problems usually compound. Galatians 5; 9 tells us: A little leaven leaves the whole lump. When you allow dissenters, thieves or slackers to continue uncorrected, others are encouraged to follow their example We should lean more toward forgiveness than seeking retribution sins against us. In business this means that we should build people who are repentant for their misconduct and show evidence of truly wishing to change overlooking simply tolerating dishonesty; that becomes an unintentional encouragement. of it. Proverbs 29; 12 teaches us that if a ruler pays attention to falsehood all his ministers become wicked. In scripture; hard work and diligence are encourages; laziness is condemned. Proverbs 18: 9 say â&#x20AC;&#x153; He who is slack in his work is

brother to him who destroys. Establish policies that promote hard work and choose employees accordingly Discipline those who are not faithful/ if your reasonable efforts are not rewarded by improvements, the only solution may be to remove the problem employee. Before dismissing incompetent employees, first determine if they have been placed in inappropriate positions. Sometimes a change in job responsibilities can solve the problem. Establish a correction period and tell the employee exactly what it means. More serious action is going to follow if there isn’t significant improvement. Detail the minimum requirements in writing and document the meeting in the employees personnel file. If the employee does not improve sufficiently, the immediate manager should meet with the employee to discuss the necessity of dismissal. Once you reach the end of the process and decide to dismiss, complete it quickly and requite the employee to leave the business environment. Provide adequate compensation in the form of severance or extended pay and if appropriate assist the terminates employee or secure other employment Question to ponder about: What have you’re learned about dealing with difficult people in light of God’s love for them Measure job satisfaction at least every 12-18 months in your organization. Make sure if the employee fit their profile of the job. Romans 12: 6. Since we have gifts that differ accordingly to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly. . Spent the necessary time to define each person’s job accountabilities. Proverbs 19: 2 It is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and be who makes haste with his feet errs. Career complacency is real career plateaus do happen and the work is not challenging many more. Joshua 18: 3. So Joshua said to the sons of Israel: How long will you put of entering to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you. So look forward in your business to create opportunities, generate continues growth and enhance your progress. Proverbs

24: 33-34/ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, then your poverty will come as robber and your want like an armed man . Are you proactive in your job? Often, events will occur that will shape our business or job. Those who watched computers emerge in the workplace, but failed to act, paid a big price in lost business and productively. Look at the events that are shaping your marketplace, and changing customer needs and desires. Take action to meet changing customer demands, before a competitor does and takes your business away.

Solomon wrote, "He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap" (Ecclesiastes 11:4, NAS). Do you move quickly to cut your losses on poor business ventures?

John the Baptist preached, "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees." (Matthew 3:10 NAS) Not every venture will succeed. Establish a plan, and measure expected results. If your plan fails, act quickly. Notice the scripture, the axe was ready to strike. Don't waste time when a failure is clear, move quickly and use resources in more fruitful ventures. Cut your losses to maintain business success; proverbs 20; 13. Do not love sleep, lest you become poor; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with food. Are you satisfied with your current business operation believing all is well? Jesus

said "...every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit". (John 15:2 NAS)

Even a productive fruit tree requires pruning to allow the energy of the tree to be channeled to fewer branches. Examine in detail your office or production processes. Question every step, ask if the step can be simplified, or eliminated. Complex processes have been simplified as much as 75%. The key is an objective review of the work. Prune your processes and redirect energy for business success. One more time: Does every part of your business contribute?

Jesus said, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away..." (John 15:2 NAS) n every organization, something will not be successful, or is no longer effective. Examine your product line; check out all your activities. Ask the question, is each doing what it is designed to do? Is this function now necessary or, effective? Every organisation has opportunities for improvement. . Proverbs 14: 4. Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much increase comes by the strength of the ox Are you adaptable in your business? Joel 3:10. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Learn how to adapt and overcome obstacles. Don’t get stuck with yesterday’s ideas. Keep abreast of new trends in your business Read new business books and alert yourself of new practices. Don’t rest on your laurels Learn to adapt quickly and maximize business efficiency. Translate your ideas into action steps. Start somewhere now and begin to adapt your business for future success. Proverbs 27; 24. Riches are not forever. Do you confront staff when mistakes are made?

Jesus said, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him" (Luke 17:3, NASB).

When a staff member steps out of line, we are compelled to tell them. When the person repents, by offering an apology and by changing the behavior, we offer forgiveness. •Follow up and verify that the person heard and acted on the message. If the same issue comes up again, repeat the instruction, and issue a warning. Saying, "I'm sorry" 100 times is not the same as a change of behavior. Insist on true change. Do you endeavor to keep staff in line with just jawboning? •Scripture instructs, "A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he

understands, he will not respond" (Proverbs 29:19, NIV). •When staff slip up or fail to follow through, start with appropriate verbal correction. If the negative behavior persists, follow up with a warning - and a stated consequence. If the problem continues, apply the stated outcome, and issue an additional warning with a stronger consequence. If the staff person fails to change, move to the final consequence: discharge. As you follow through, staff will change, and dismissal will be rare. Don’t cut wood with a dull ax and the secret lies in knowing when to stop and sharpen the blade. Take also a decisive action to stay motivated and accept no excuses for not increasing your efficiency and effectiveness

Dealing with Difficult People Focus Verse: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who

persecute you.” (v. 44) Every work environment contains people who are difficult

to deal with (bosses, co-workers, or customers), some more so than others. From time to time, we all face the frustrations of dealing with difficult people in our work, and we need to learn to handle those situations in a godly way. We can learn from how David faced his difficulties with King Saul.1 David was a young man, but he was already a famous hero for defeating Goliath. He was so famous that women sang songs about him, and Saul became jealous and suspicious of him (1 Sam. 18:7-9). Samuel had told Saul that because of his disobedience, he would lose his throne to a man “after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). Saul suspected David was that man. In a desperate attempt to hold onto his kingdom, Saul decided to kill David. With an army of men, Saul pursued him all over the countryside. David was innocent of any wrongdoing, and yet he was mistreated. How did David handle the situation in a godly way? He turned the problem over to God. David said, “The LORD therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand” (1 Sam. 24:15). He allowed God to be the judge of the situation. We can trust Him to deal justly (Jer. 9:24). He can handle the situation much better than we can. David didn’t seek revenge; he didn’t take matters into his own hands, but relied on God to vindicate him (1 Sam. 26:24). Paul tells us not to “repay evil with evil” to those who mistreat us but allow God to judge (Rom. 12:17-19). David didn’t take revenge even when he had the opportunity (1 Sam. 26:8-11). David sang, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22). In fact in Psalms 52, 54, 56, 57, and 59, David cries out to the Lord about his problems with Saul, “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God” (59:1). According to today’s passage, we are also to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We are to forgive others as Christ forgave us (Eph. 4:32). As Jesus did on the cross, we are to ask God to forgive them (Luke 23:34). God is merciful; it is part of His nature to forgive (Jonah 4:2). Remember, you don’t deserve forgiveness either (Rom. 5:8). As I pray, I must ask forgiveness if I am holding a grudge (Matt. 5:21-24). I know that I have forgiven the other person when I no longer have a desire for revenge, even if that revenge would only be to have the last word. Only God is truly able to forgive completely (Mark 2:7); ask

for His empowerment to forgive and act lovingly toward the person you feel has mistreated you (Rom. 12:17-21). As we do good toward those who have wronged us, we “overcome evil with good.” ACCOUNTABILITY: How have you felt frustrated or mistreated at work, and what did you do about it? What could you have done differently? MISSION: Read Matthew 5:21-24. Is there anyone you need to forgive or from whom you need to ask forgiveness? Who? Contact the person this week. SUPPLICATION: Pray for someone with whom you have difficulty working with. Pray for God’s grace for them and for Him to supply their needs. Notice how your attitude toward them becomes more loving and how their attitude toward you changes as well.

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

5. Binding Choices in retaining talent

It is all about retention of your staff. You cannot afford your highly talented people to leave the organisation and you have to assess what you can do to fully engage your staff. True pay for performance systems give a clear indication to high performers. You can also put those people on high value challenging assignments. This could include sabbatical development opportunities and support Ever

lose

star

performer

who

felt

unappreciated?

•The Lord related, "I know the plans I have for you...to give you a future and

hope" (Jeremiah 29:11, NASB). •We need to tell star staff members that we appreciate their work. Further, we must also tell them the future plans and hopes we have for future promotion, salary increases, and benefits. •Explain to key folks how they fit in, and

the

important

roles

you

see

for

them

the

future.

Don't assume they know how you feel. Tell them and follow through. Express appreciation; share your hopes and dreams with staff, for great long-term staff relations. Questions to ponder Do you know how you staff are dong? Proverbs 27: 23-24. Know well the conditions of your flocks and pay attention to your herds, for riches are not forever. If your employees are dissatisfied, how will they serve the customers of the organization? Pay attention to employee morale. Complacency can be deadly especially when business is good Get out of your office and see how you staff is doing. Model a positive attitude and research

indicate that happy employees will lead to satisfied customers. Proverbs 15: 13. A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken

Let me close with a couple of strong messages 1.

Fumigate your offices from the corporate viruses that are making people

sick and not helping them to connect with their passion. 2.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t send any person on any course/programme if those participants

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complete the following questions at the end of the programme. As a result of attending this programme what do we as an organisation or you as an individual have to do more of, less of, differently, faster and better. 3.

Destroy performance appraisals now and replace it with purposeful

coaching conversations. 4.

organisational

balance

scorecard

without

personal

balanced/wellness scorecard will never rise. It is like flying an aeroplane with only one engine or one propeller. 5.

Discrimination is out but bullying in the workplace is in. Check the dark,

toxic wild side of each leader. It is their and often managers wearing masks to cover that up 6.

Stop putting people on quick fix programmes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; programmes is a process

not a programme. Learning is not about input but it must have components of reflection, commitment, application and feedback. 7.

Send all your managers on a management simulation annually.

Why

should those 747 Boeing pilots do a simulation test before they can renew their licences every year? 8.

After strategy your next most important process is the one on talent

review. As they say: Get the right ones on the bus and get the wrong ones off. Do it annually or someone will throw you off the bus

9. Be tough on people and tough on standards.

Not rude.

It is not

operational excellence only or playing softball. You have to be smart on both. 10.

Let those management consultants run if they put interventions forward

that is not helping to grow the business. Find out who are coaching those consultants 11.

12.

Ask twice per year two questions as a manager: (i)

What will you do if you are in my position?

(ii)

What is stopping you from delivering your peak performance?

Do an engagement/commitment survey every 12 months and raise the bar

of excellence. The difference between low and high tide is 1,2 metres. 13.

You are a knowledge capital thief if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t share your wisdom in a

coaching 14.

Be careful for those cowboys who joined the fastest growing consultancy

of coaching other people. Sit regularly and discuss those things that you need to stop, let go, maintain and initiate. 15.

Chase those seagull recruitment agencies away who act like postmen and

just dropping names for you as they often playing chest with a few players in the market. So to remain and employer oc choice and looking after yout atlent in your organization you have to keep the following basic business minimums in place 1. Reflect Christ in your business practices . What is the culture in your office environment?

When the pressure is on, how do the non-

Christian employees view the veracity of Christianity among the Christians?

Does the company culture reflect kindness, fairness,

excellence and discipline? Are the non-Christians able to see Christ in the attitudes and methods of operation? 2. Be accountable .

Are your books available for scrutiny?

Have you

invited a credible person to look over your shoulder at how you handle

company finances? Is there a gray line between company and personal expenditures? 3. Provide a quality product at a fair price . How many times have we purchased a product only to find inferior materials and workmanship? Are you committed to delivering high grade products and service? 4. Honor your creditors .

That means, treating your creditors as you

would want to be treated if you were in their position. Delayed payment is thievery and manipulation of other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s money. Does the company pay their bills on time and not over-leverage their credit? 5. Treat your employees fairly . A close friend of mine worked for a Christian businessman for several years after completing his education. This particular businessman is known around town as a Christian, and has quite a ministry in the area. But this friend states that he consistently under pays his employees, and over charges customers for services rendered.

Other professionals in the city have confirmed these

questionable practices. 6. Treat your customers fairly . Recently we re-did our kitchen. The counter people came days later than promised, put in one of several sections and then disappeared for a week. We had to badger them to return and finish the job. A close brother in Christ who, along with his partner have been exceedingly successful in their business recently he sat in my office and passionately stated that their business was all about the customer and the employees. He and his partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal needs were strictly secondary to meeting the needs of the customers. I stand amazed at how God continually protects and blesses them. +The six key ideas are derived from Business by the Book Larry Burkett, Thomas Nelson, 1977 pages 16-26

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

6. Boosting Choices in promotion

Promotions help people to move on and giving signals to the rest of the organisation. You need to spell out the criteria for the new job very clearly careful discussion sis necessary as well as carefully analysis of the potential and performance of each short list candidate Past performance is still the best indicator of future performance. Luke 16:10. He who is faithful in very little things is faithful also in much. Do those staff Have established a reputation for meeting deadlines and honoring commitments Do they always tell the truth? Do they sound the alarm when problems arise? Has the quality and quantity of their work always met or exceeded expectations Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t succumb a pressure to fill an opening by promoting someone whose performance has been inconsistent. Proverbs 25: 19. Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble. Another thing is to use your star performers are to ask them to help with mentoring and teaching. 2 timothy 2: 2. The things, which you have heard from me â&#x20AC;Ś these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Before promoting assess if the person can grasp the big picture. Make your expectation clear when you promote someone into higher job. Deuteronomy 3: 28. Charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of his people. Discuss the personal conduct attendant to the job. Be wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. After promotion you need to carry on with

encouragement and that they need some extra support in the beginning. Proverbs 8: 33Heed instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. Pray for the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction in the promotion. If prayer could have been unnecessary for anyone, surely it would have been unnecessary for Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. However, it was one of the dominant habits of His life and a frequent theme in His teaching. Look for people upon whom the blessing of God rests. Genesis 39: 5 says: The lord blessed the Egyptians an account of Joseph; thus the lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field Do you pay workers fairly?

Scripture teachers "...the worker is worthy of his support" (Matthew 10:10 NAS) An employer is entitled to a good days work from each staff member. However, you

need

Determine

do a

your

part,

wage

and scale

insure

fair

for

wages

are

each

paid.

job.

Then make sure you place each staff member into the correct salary range. You will hold onto the workers you need to build your business. Staff needs to be held accountable for providing the quality products and excellent

customer

service

you

direct.

Performance reviews have to be objective and impartial. 2 Chronicles 19: 7. The Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality. To remove subjectivity from our decision-making we need to set up clear written objectives for every job. Communicate these requirements clearly. Proverbs 29: 14. If a king judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forevert1lo Look also for opportunities to improve you star performers with unique development opportunities. Proverbs 113-14. How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding for its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold.

Read Leviticus 19:35-37 and Amos 8:4-7 Focus Verse: “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or

quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” (Lev. 19:35-36) God commands fair dealing among His people. He expects that we will give others their money’s worth in what we produce, and that we should receive our money’s worth from others. It is of great importance to God that His people have the reputation of dealing honestly and giving people their money’s worth. Christians should produce the highest quality products and services in order to honor God and to benefit their recipients. Employers are expected to treat their employees with fairness (Col. 4:1). They are to pay them adequately, and on time (James 5:1-4). They are not to mistreat or threaten them (Eph. 6:9). Workers are to serve their employers and customers as if they were serving the Lord (Col. 3:22- 25), and to be worthy of their wages (Luke 10:7). Tom Lutz says that workers should rightly be expected to produce at least as much or more value to their companies than what they are paid; they should “go the extra mile” (Matt. 5:41). And they are to perform all work assigned honestly and with the proper attitude as if they were doing it for Christ Himself (Eph. 6:5-8; 1 Tim. 6:1-2). Our excellent work is a reflection of the excellent God we serve (1 Pet. 2:12). People are satisfied when they feel they have been treated fairly, but they hate it when they feel they have been cheated, and God hates it too (Prov. 11:1; Amos 8:4-7). People have respect for excellent workers. According to Paul, our excellent, faithful work “adorns the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10). The quality of work is not neutral; it either makes the gospel more attractive or it detracts from the gospel message (Rom. 2:17-24). The quality of your work makes a powerful statement about who you are and what you believe. The excellence of your work speaks louder than what you say about Christ. It sets the foundation for your witness. What is your true motivation for your work? Do you attempt to do your work with excellence so that God will be glorified and others will benefit, or do you just go for the money and do just

enough to get by? Your goal should be to glorify God through the excellence of your work and to produce the maximum benefit to His creation. In The Call, Os Guinness writes about Justin Martyr who grew up near Galilee. Martyr wrote that plows made by Jesus and Joseph were still in use over a century after Christ’s death. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus gave such attention to quality in His work? Obviously, He worked with great diligence to produce something of lasting

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

HEARTBEAT QUESTIONS

1. What are the skills, gifts, talents and competence you bring to the team? 2. What is stopping you from delivering peak performance, and why? 3. What are the conflict areas you believe, that if the team could only talk through these conflict areas, would improve peak performance? 4. If there were any message you would like to give to this team, what would it be? 5. What is complicating your work life right now? 6. What keeps you awake (at night) about the ministry? 7. What inspires you/makes you tick about the ministry? 8. What are your dreams/ fears that you have for the ministry? 9. What would you like to be remembered for? 10. Discuss your unfolding strategy: The things (top priorities) that the team need to: Let go? Stop? Maintain? Initiate? •

If you could change anything in the team, what would it be? 88

•

(Yourself, team, organisation)

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

FURTHER PRACTICAL APPLICATION: DOING YOUR TEAM SWOT ANALYSIS

•

What is GOLDEN about your team?

•

What do your team do well, what makes them stand out and what are the team known for?

•

What are your team assets? What are your advantages/credentials?

•

What looks a bit RUSTY inside your team in terms of way of doing things?

•

Where are the team not focused right now? Where are they loosing your edge?

•

What can the team do better? What is done badly? What could be improved?

•

Where is the BLUE SKY and opportunities in your team?

•

What new needs of the people could the team meet?

•

Are there opportunities to cooperate with other like-minded people? What could be developed?

•

Where are the RED ALERTS in your team right now?

•

Where is the team vulnerable? What problems are the team currently having that may develop into crises?

•

What current opportunities may soon disappear and never come the teams way again?

•

Where are you “under pressure”?

•

What obstacles do you face in the team?

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

Accomplishments:

Refer to your last 5-7 years. What would you say are some of your more important accomplishments? We would be interested in operating results and any other accomplishments you consider important. Write down 4 to 5 accomplishments:

Considering these accomplishments, what are some of the reasons for your success?

Were there unusual difficulties you had to overcome in making these accomplishments?

What two or three things do you feel you have learned over the last 5-7 years?

What did you particularly like about the last 5-7 years?

There are always a few negatives/frustrating issues about a position. What would you say you liked least about your work experience the last 5-7 years?

What

outcomes

results

have

not

come

your

expectations? We would be interested in things you planned to accomplish, but failed to do so. We sometimes call them disappointments. 8.

What are some of the reasons for this?

I am interested in how you do your planning. What planning processes have you found useful? In what way do you feel you have improved in your planning in the last few years?

10.

What are some examples of important decisions or recommendations you are called upon to make?

11.

How do you stay in touch with potential problem areas?

12.

Most of us can think of an important decision that we would make quite differently if we made it again. Any examples from your experience? What is the biggest boner you can recall?

13.

Describe some important goals you are working towards at present? What potential problems/opportunities can result from your activities?

. 14.

Would you tell me about a recent instance when you felt particularly angry or confronted? What made you feel angry? How did you react? What was the outcome?

16.

Can you give some examples of poor performers that you have had to manage? How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome?

17.

What major problems have you had to resolve in your job? How did you go about it (look for involvement of staff in reaching a solution)? What was the outcome?

18.

Give me examples of when things have gone wrong and you have missed important deadlines. What control procedures did you have in place?

19.

Have you made any substantial changes in the structure of your component? If so, note what, why, and results. If not: any contemplated?

20.

What assignments are you reluctant to delegate. How much extra time do you put into your job per week? What keeps you from delegating more?

21.

Most managers master one function and then another. What function, or two, do you feel you have mastered and which function, or two, are you still working on?

22.

What did you do to prepare for this interview/assessments?

23.

List and

discuss

three

dominant

frustrations that you are

experiencing and enduring at present. 24.

Which three â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;joysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; give you particular job satisfaction?

25.

If you could start again with a different career, what would it be?

26.

Let us talk about standards of performance. How would you describe your own? What would your subordinates say? What would your boss say?

27.

What

have

you

done

to manage the performance of your

subordinates?

28.

How do you think your subordinates/teammates would describe you as a leader?

29.

What things do you think contribute to your effectiveness as a leader?

30.

From an opposite viewpoint, what do you think might interfere with your effectiveness as a leader?

31.

In what respects do you feel you have improved most as a leader during the last few years?

32.

What kind of leader gets the best performance out of you?

33.

What do you do regularly about communication?

34.

Some executives are quite deliberate about doing things to motivate their organisations to achieve optimum performance. Do you have any examples of how to do this?

35.

What do you do about the development of your staff and other personnel?

36.

What have you done about your own development in the last few years?

37.

What kinds of pressure do you feel in your job? Tell me about them?

38.

What do you do differently under pressurized situations?

39.

Have you encountered any health problems? What do you do about your health?

40.

Which three things in your life would you most like to change and why?

41.

Most of us can look back upon a new idea, a new project, or an innovation we feel proud of. Would you describe one or two such innovations you are particularly proud of?

42.

Discuss what â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;successâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; means to you?

43.

What working conditions bring out the best in you?

44.

What

working

conditions

have

negative

effect

your

performance? 45.

How do you feel about your progress (career-wise) to date?

46.

What are your aspirations for the future? Have these changed?

47. We sometimes compare the assets and limitations of our products with competition. Let us do a related thing with your career. Thinking of your competition for jobs to which you aspire, what would you say are your main assets, your strengths and what would you say are your limitations? 48.

What else would be helpful to your continued growth?

49.

What are the areas in which you need development so that you can get ahead in your career?

50.

Anything else that you would like to bring to our attention.

So take the staff that is in your organizations and maximize their performance. Performing Miracles With Your Staff by Os Hillman ============================

But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it. Exodus 4:17 What is the staff God has put into your hand? Is it being a builder? Is it being an office worker? Is it being a doctor? Moses' staff represented his vocation as a shepherd. God had something in mind for his vocation - to perform miracles. And awesome miracles He did! God turned the Nile river into blood with the touch of the staff. He turned the staff into a snake. He parted the Red Sea with it. These are just a few of the miracles God did with that staff. When we yield our talents and abilities to the Lord, God can perform miracles through them. First, Moses had to yield what He had in his hand to God. Only after this took place could God use that staff. As long as Moses held onto it, God could not and would not perform miracles through it. Until we come to this place with our heavenly Father, we will fail to see miracles performed in our work. He delights in showing His power through us. When we become an open vessel, we can expect to see things happen. Have you given your staff to the Lord? Offer it to Him and see what He might want to do through it. Your life will never be the same.

Part two: Buying of new talent: Your choices in staffing

Closing comments

Let me close with some business prayer affirmations #

In all my way I acknowledge you Father and You direct our ways. I walk in the light of the Word

The word of God shall not depart out of my mouth. I meditate therein day and night

I am a doer of the Word and put your word thirst

Father, In the name of Jesus, we come before You to proclaim Your promise in 2 Chronicles 7:`14: If my people, who are called by My Name shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Father I ask you to give me a complete understanding of what you want to do in my life and I ask you to make me wise with spiritual wisdom

I roll my works upon You Lord and You make my thoughts agreeable to Your will

I have the mind of Christ and hold the thoughts feelings and Purposes of His heart

Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path

Every where I go, I plant seeds of love

Father your words are a top priority for m

Father thank you for cleansing me- spirit, soul and body.

I fix my mind on whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious

My life shall glorify the Father

Search us, O God, and know out hearts; try us, and know our thoughts today. See if there be any wicked way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting

Forgive us our sins of judging inappropriately, complaining about and criticizing our leaders. Cleanse us with hyssop and we will be clean; wash us, and we will be whither than snow. Touch our lips with coals from Your altar that we may pray prayers that avail much for all men and women everywhere

Father what you have promised, I will go and possess, in the name of Jesus

As your Word is taught we ask you to cause people to open their spiritual eyes and ears that they might turn from darkness to light

Father you have given me a spirit of power and of love and a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control

I can do all things through Christ Who give s m strength

You are my light and salvation-whom shall I fear or dread

You are the Refuge and Stronghold of my life

I let go of all unforgiveness, resentment, anger and bad feelings toward anyone

I thank you that You watch over your word to perform it

I bring every thought, every imagination and every dream into the captivity and obedience of Jesus Christ

Keep me well balanced in my friendships so that I will always please You rather than pleasing other people

I commit my works the plans and cares of my business to You

Therefore, I will walk in paths of uprightness. When I walk my steps shall not hampered- my path will be clear and open; and when I run, I shall not stumble steps

Father I trust in you with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways I acknowledge You, and you will make my paths right

Today I am a new creation for I am in Christ the Messiah. The old has passed away

We plead the blood of Jesus over our property all staff members, every telephone contact every person who enters our doors

In the name of Jesus, I submit to godly wisdom that I might learn to control my tongue

I am not conformed to this world, but am transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Lord helps me to walk through the process of surrending my all to You. I exchange rebellion and stubbornness for a willing and obedient heart. When I refuse to listen, anoint my ears to hear; when I am blinded by my own desires, open my eyes to see

Father, Your son Jesus said that whatever I ask for in prayer, having faith and really believing, I will receive. Lord, I believe; help my unbelieve

I clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility gentleness and patience

In the name of Jesus, I took authority over my thought life

It is well with my soul, for You have redeemed me. You have called me by my name

You have good things reserved for my future. All my needs will be met according to Your riches in glory.

I renounce every manifestation of pride in my life as sin; I repent and turn from it.

I am bringing all my energies on this one thing: Regardless of my past I look forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which You are calling me upon to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for me

Acknowledgements and sources

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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

100

Name

Date of completion

507 A

Talent review

Progress Report James 1:22-25 â&#x20AC;&#x153;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.â&#x20AC;? (NIV) Name and Number of Module ________________________________________ Participantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Name: ________________________________________ The Biblical Truths (Principles) I learned from this module: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I intend to apply this Truth (Principle) in my business by: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------101

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------________________________

_______________________

Participant

Date

Crown Companies Legacy Leaders Providing mature business leaders an opportunity to continue to use their skills productively for the Glory of God. Do you desire to pass on the baton to business leaders to transform their business? Legacy leaders are business leaders who have a desire to continue to use their skills productively to mentor and coach and train the other business leaders as well as training the next generation of business leaders for the glory of God

102

Crown Companies exists to equip and encourage business leaders to operate their business and conduct their personal lives according to Biblical principles Legacy leaders •

Are experienced in business

•

Understand and are committed to the vision of CROWN Companies

•

Have implemented biblical principles in his or her own personal life and business

•

Are mature in the Christian faith and are of proven character

•

Have a passion to see other business leaders succeed as determined by God’s standards

Legacy leaders may possess: •

The capability to be an encourager, coach, mentor and discipler.

•

The ability to provide wise business counsel to other business leaders

•

The time and or resources to come alongside other business leaders

Teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90: 1 Legacy leaders serve in a wide variety of capacities, including: •

Mentoring individual business leaders

•

Working with groups of business leaders

•

Serving as a ambassador for CROWN Companies your church and community

•

Traveling abroad to assist in business leaders in other countries

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others for eternity?

103

How can you serve the Lord as a legacy leader and begin sharing all that the Lord has entrusted to you? 1. Pray now where the Lord will use you in the lives of other business leaders to impact the Kingdom of God for His glory 2. Contact Crown Companies at mario@crown.org.za or the Crown companies office at 3. Visit our website at www.crown.org.za for more information, tools and resources and become a member to enjoy the support, counsel, fellowship of other members and extensive material that are available

Crown Companies: Reclaim the workplace for Christ Is the vision of your church also to bring the people of your community into a life -transforming encounter with the Kingdom of God? The workplace is a key battle ground for achieving the above vision. Mature and equipped believers should live their faith in the workplace. But many need help in understanding what that means as well as support in carrying it out If you want to live your faith in the workplace, we helping to make it more effective of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

104

Kingdom on earth, then we at Crown Companies want to come alongside you with support and equipping you. Our mission and intention is to develop flexible training programmes and processes to assist you in this regard Imagine a workplace where ….. •

There were biblically-based, explicitly defined values

•

Ethics and integrity are paramount

•

Love and servant leadership governed relationships

•

Pursuit of excellence was the norm

•

Collaboration was sought but obedience and commitment to final decisions wee followed

•

Selfish ambition was nonexistent

•

Accountability was enforced – in a supportive manner

START WITH A WORKPLACE MINISTRY IN YOUR CHURCH Equip your workplace leaders to become ministers Helping them to become sensitive to the lost Help the workplace leaders of your church get a vision for joining God in the workplace ministry

Crown Companies: Become the business leaders God intended you to be Sometimes it is a matter of survival but you have to become the business leaders God intended you to be.

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The purpose of Crown Companies is to help business leaders: •

Draw closer to God

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Establish a committed and vibrant relationship with the Lord

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Develop deep, meaningful relationships with like-minded peers

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Learn what it means to run a company for Christ

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Help other workplace leaders to do the same

This is accomplished through •

Monthly leadership groups

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Workplace conference

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Materials and resources and Training on our website

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 Search the untold riches of the Bible to find scriptural perspective for operating a company as a steward of Christ with like-minded peers and colleagues. Join a small group facilitated discussions relevant to •

Sales and marketing strategies

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Effective time management

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Cash flow and profit

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Planning goals and implementation

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Motivating people

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Problems solving

For my thought are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55: 8-9 START WITH A SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA

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Do you need someone to pray with you – someone who understands the pressures of running a company, someone who cares? Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za

And I say unto you, “ Ask , and it shall be given to you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ‘. Luke 11: 9-10

Crown Companies: Every believer a minister in the workplace Common dilemmas in the workplace •

Isolation: Feeling the pressure of being responsible for many people

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Need encouragement but rarely received it

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Need people that they can honestly communicate

Equipping the workplace You have an opportunity to make a difference in the workplace God has called you. Meet monthly with other business leaders to receive instruction and training from other top business speakers on how to integrate your Christian life into your business 107

Form a small group of leaders who serve one another in a well-informed, support group where burning issues like the following can be discussed •

Develop a strategic plan tailored for each member’s business

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Developing an action plan for ministry

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Developing your company’s mission and vision

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Product and service excellence

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Giving back to the Lord

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Long term financial planning

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Building a high performance team

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Hiring smart

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Sharing your faith in the workplace

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Problem solving

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Customer service

START WITH A LIFE-CHAINGING SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za

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