Jesus’ Favorite Pronoun Is WE!

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Love your neighbor as yourself 

Matthew [22:39] 

In an age where pronouns are hotly debated and discussed, the pronoun WE seldom comes up. Yet in our lives and especially our business lives, WE is most important. Almost everything we do in business and life is related to combining our efforts with someone else, whether a customer, friend, co-worker, subordinate, or supervisor.  

Every effort in these exchanges requires a sense of goodwill towards those with whom we work. Goodwill towards the other person we associate with is a vital part of being successful. However, goodwill is also a surrendering of our individual needs to a team effort of accomplishment—surrendering what we want to a combined effort of collaboration of team goals.  

While we may accomplish something by ourselves or dictate the actions to someone else, our efforts will always be less without the genuine commitment from and to those with whom we work.  

I have a friend with whom I work, named Bill, who consistently demonstrates this attitude. When we work together, he is very concerned about doing his part. For example, recently, we collaborated on editing and preparing my next book. Bill was apprehensive about making sure he knew my deadlines and what his requirements were.  

As I laid out our goals, Bill added action steps that would make a better product. Not pushy or insistent, constantly probing to look for a better way. When Bill was sure he had the project understood and the timelines right, he agreed to proceed. I knew he would hit his timeline from working with Bill in the past, and the results would be far better than I expected.  

Bill called a few days before the deadline and asked if we were still on track to meet to discuss his work. The day before our meeting, Bill sent me his work to review. When I reviewed the material Bill sent, I was elated. Not only had he achieved what was expected, but many other things were also added that made the project so much better than if I had done the work myself. I remember sitting at my desk, amazed at what Bill had done.  

Later, when we met, Bill laid out how he accomplished his task. Telling me, he had found a person who was better than him at consolidating words, which made the book more concise and readable. He relayed how he had spent a few nights checking references and citations to make sure they were accurate. A process typically done when the project was completed. In our conversation, I could actually feel his total commitment to living up to his personal standards.  

Bill had complied with all the standards required by the pronoun WE. Working with Bill is always refreshing because he adds value and makes projects far better than what I usually envisioned. Bill’s commitment to WE inspires me to do the same with him. His commitment to WE sets a standard for whom and how I work with other people. 

Bill is a very committed Christian, and long ago, he surrendered to Jesus. Knowing all that he accomplished was through the grace of Christ. In turn, this surrendering moved himself from I to WE. And there are few Bible verses more important to Bill than love your neighbor as thyself. In all of Bill’s work and our relationship, he exhibits this trait.  

Bill lives this commandment not only as his duty but through his heart. We all know these people in our lives. When something needs to get done, they are always early in showing up. They add value in surprising ways. They surrender their needs for the overall good, and their reward is only with a job well done.  

It seems to me, we need more Bill’s in our business and personal lives. In a time of discussion about pronouns and which are best, I think we would all be better at what we do if We were our first thought. Try it out with your next engagement and watch the results become better than what we thought.  

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Four Ways Jesus Helps Create Customers Who Are Raving Fans!

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Work as if working for the Lord Christ.

Colossians [3:23]-24

Recently I received an email promotion that said I had won a free airline ticket. Immediately I opened the email to see how I had won a free airline ticket. Suspicious, I scoured the fine print and discovered I really hadn’t won a ticket. It was just a request to read more about the company and had a minimal chance of winning the ticket. In return, I would have to fill out a lengthy form, which asked for things like a phone number, my address, and email address. Quickly, I deleted the email and thought to myself, why be so deceptive?

It probably seemed like a good idea to the company, hoping to land new customers. In reality, it likely turned off a lot of potential buyers. Why not just send an email that explained the benefits of doing business with the company. Or better yet, provide excellent customer service to the loyal customers and let word of mouth generate more sales.

Too often, we receive these suspicious emails, which do nothing more than clutter up our email. It makes me wonder, How would Jesus want businesses to create raving fans? I am pretty sure Jesus would want these businesses to take a different approach. He would like them to treat their customers as they wanted to be treated. Jesus would ask them to hire people committed to providing great customer service. These businesses should also produce a product as if they are working for the Lord. And finally, always be truthful. Four simple but essential business practices to attract lifelong customers and, in the process, create raving fans.

The Golden Rule

In Matthew [7:12], Jesus says, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. This is wise advice. Before we put any marketing effort to work, we should ask ourselves, Is this the way we want to be treated? If our answer is no, then we shouldn’t. Deceptive methods in marketing will never produce raving fans of our business. Instead, our reputation will be sullied.

Loyal customers who are raving fans will create a firm foundation for any business. Not only that, they will provide repeat business and attract other customers. We should never forget that most purchases from new customers come from the reviews of the existing customers. Yes, Jesus is giving us wise customer service advice with the Golden Rule.

Hire Great People and Pay Them Well

In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus tells the story of a manager who had to leave for a while. The manager gave his three employees tasks to perform while he was gone. Two of the employees did their job and doubled their efforts. When the manager came back and saw the bounty created, he gave them a raise and more responsibility.

I am sure all current business managers would want these two people working in their company. These workers are the type of people who will also treat customers in the same manner by going the extra mile to make sure the customer is satisfied. Over time having workers like this changes culture and helps sales.

Continually seeking great employees and treating them well will always produce excellent results. And managers should be quick to reward, and these rewards will reinforce what is required.

Produce Products As If They Are For the Lord

Having the right attitude and the right employees is very important. Equally important is to produce quality products. Jesus has a simple mindset to accomplish this facet of business, work as if working for the Lord Christ. (Colossians [3:23]-24) What a great perspective! Simply work and produce products you would proud to give to Jesus.

All flaws in production would be attended to immediately. Saving money at the customer’s expense by not addressing product quality is a flawed strategy. Companies that employ this attitude will have people meet to collaborate to make sure everything has been properly thought through.

The company would quickly become a place that desires to create raving fans. A commitment to excellent customer service will replace a penny-wise, dollar foolish mindset. In turn, the company will become far more sustainable than one which cuts corners.

Never Deceive Customers or Employees

In business, there is always the temptation to stretch further than you should in generating sales or a better outcome. Perhaps the pressure of making sure you hit a certain sales number to make the month-end goals. We have all witnessed this in our business careers. And perhaps in the short term, these efforts produce the immediate desired results.

However, lurking in the future is a payback moment that will often be greater than short-term gains. Customers will sometimes complain about the deception. But most will avoid the confrontation and silently begin moving away. It will show up in reviews posted on the internet. Soon, the once-strong sales base will become weak.

Maintaining a strong sense of Christian ethics will help avoid this dilemma. It may sound corny, but if all our actions are connected to the often-used phrase; What would Jesus do, short-term decisions will be replaced with longer-term choices.

Customers are the life-blood of every business. Serving these customers well will ensure a great future for any company. Every company’s goals should start with making their customers raving fans. It doesn’t happen with deceitful marketing efforts. It happens with a company’s commitment to excellence, great employees, truthfulness, and empathy for the customer. We only need to turn to the lessons of Jesus to create an environment that, in turn, makes raving fans.

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Three Ways Jesus Can Help Your Business Career

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I can only do what I see the father doing.

-John [5:19]

In my counseling practice, I help people who have been displaced from the workplace. Many times unusual circumstances cause these people to be without a job. When they come to me, they are usually shaken and highly anxious. Their loss of a job was caused by occurrences out of their control, and left without a way to provide for their family.

I am not sure why I receive these clients. But I sure Jesus sends them to me and asks me to help. They arrive in ways that cause me to know it could only be providence. In this practice, I voluntarily pay back the many blessings I have received from the Lord. In my practice, I meet wonderful people with remarkable life stories—all who have the potential to help any company that will hire them.

After finding out why they were displaced, I ask what they want from their next job. Mostly they want to be productive and able to help. But they are desperate and will accept any job. They want to work again and support their family. Desperation is a bad place to start a job search, but understandable. My first job is to give them hope they will find a position equal to or better than their last job.

I tell them it starts with the right mindset. First, they must believe they are positive, trustworthy, and competent. They always say that it seems too simple. It is true that it is simple, but these three characteristics are all anyone needs to show to get hired. Acquiring this mindset is much more challenging. To accomplish this, they must rid themselves of anger at being dismissed and become resilient.

Sure, there are long, complicated personality profiles, and many companies will require future employees to take tests to see if they meet their requirements. But frankly, getting hired requires just three things, showing you have a positive attitude, are trustworthy, and are desirous of being competent. Nothing fancy; it all comes down to these three things, no matter how complicated the tests or questions. Three go-to attitudes that will answer any question correctly.

Even every question on a lengthy personality/aptitude test is related to one of the three traits. These three traits are the bedrock of an outstanding employee, and all we need to do is demonstrate them in an interview.

Jesus Wants Us To Be A Positive Team Player

This is where Jesus and His lessons can help. Being positive isn’t about being cheery and smiling. Instead, it is being confident in how you can help. It is demonstrating you can be a team player. After all, didn’t Jesus say, I can only do what I see the father doing. (John [5:19]) Talk about being aligned with the goals of God. Likewise, when we are in an interview, the company will pick up quickly if we have a positive company-first attitude.

Any organization that doesn’t have employees who have a positive alignment with its mission will always fall short of its goal. This is what hiring managers look for in future employees. And frankly, this is precisely the attitude we should have. It is being ready to cooperate and jump in to help at a moment’s notice. When you have and demonstrate this positive attitude, you are well on the way to getting hired.

Jesus Wants Us To Be Trustworthy

Jesus also stresses the importance of being trustworthy. Read the Parable of the Talents, Matthew [25:14]-30. In this wonderful parable, Jesus describes trustworthy employees. People who don’t have to be micro-managed. They just need to know what has to be accomplished. To be a trustworthy employee, just imitate the first two employees in the parable. Even when the boss is gone and out of sight, you still do a great job. In fact, you do a better job than expected. Trust me, showing you are that person in an interview will go a long way in getting you hired.

Don’t just say you are that person, have ready examples to demonstrate you understand you don’t have to be watched every second of the day. Ensure the hiring manager knows that you will give more than expected when they are out of sight.

During an interview, stress and show truthfulness is a significant character trait. Above all, answer every question honestly, with no embellishment. Yes, no exaggeration! Experienced interviewers can spot even the slightest hint of overstatement. Besides, can you imagine Jesus not telling the truth?

Jesus Wants Us To Be Willing To Learn

Finally, be able to show you are an eager and willing learner. Let people know you aren’t afraid to learn new things. And not only that, have examples from the past where you not only took on new tasks but excelled. The more you desire to be better, the more valuable you become to any employer.

Think about Jesus; God needed an emissary to visit us and reveal God’s plan to us. Jesus did just that as the incarnate God here on earth. When God wanted the world created, Jesus jumped in and accomplished the task. God wanted all humankind to be freed from their sin. Well, Jesus walked to the cross to accomplish that as well.

Now, it is a stretch that any employer will ask you to do as much as Jesus has done and will do. But always being ready to learn new things will help any employee. During the interview, express this desire. Employers want employees who are willing to learn and excel.

Studying and preparing for any interview should start with demonstrating you are positive, trustworthy, and an eager learner. Before the interview, ask yourself questions and see if your answers fall into these categories. Also, learn everything you can about the company. When you do this, you won’t have to worry about taking tests or doing a great job in the interview. You are sure to impress the interviewer!

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Three Ways Jesus is Good For Business

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So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

-Matthew [7:12]

As I entered the church, I was impressed by the age and size of the church. A monolith that had been built in the mid-19th century. I found the reception desk and politely asked if I could see the pastor. When asked, what would you like to talk to him about? I replied, I have just published a new book called Jesus & Co. and wanted to introduce him to my book. The woman took a copy of the book and went into an office. After a few moments, she returned and told me to go right in.

As I entered the room, I saw the trappings of a well-appointed office. Far grander than those I had seen during my time as a CFO for Fortune 500 companies. The office was filled with memorabilia and expensive furniture. A comfortable place where I am sure the pastor spent many hours preparing material for Sunday services and greeting guests. I sat down, introduced myself, and handed the book to the pastor. Silently he sat thumbing through my book, leaving me waiting for him to talk.

After a while, he raised his eyes from the pages and told me, what I had done was sinful. Very far from what I expected he would say, and immediately I was off balance mentally. I had been visiting churches in the area that day with copies of my book and hoping to garner some interest. A day that turned out to be very long and extraordinarily unproductive. Now I heard the reason why.

He proceeded to scold me on combining the sacredness of Jesus with the sinful nature of business, even saying that all marketing was inherently evil. He boldly believed all business was bad. A comment that completely went across the grain of what I had seen in my business career.

As a Fortune 500 CFO, sure, I had seen some instances of evil, but far more often saw people committed to doing the right thing. This was the business world I knew. Ethics and fair play were usually the primary concern.

As I sat there stunned at the pastor’s comment. Not just because of what he said, but how quickly and directly he blurted out his statement. It had unnerved me and left me off balance. It was one of those moments when you think later about what you should have said but couldn’t because you were taken by surprise.

I listened to his narrative about how corrupt businesspeople were and how sinful they lived—surprising me with his negativity towards my previous life. His narrative was not created by experience, instead what he had learned from reading newspapers. Sheepishly, I left his office dismayed and discouraged.

Later, after collecting my thoughts, I realized I had a long road to go in helping people see Jesus was good for business. Both an experienced business person and trained theologian, I thought, why couldn’t Jesus be good for business?

The Importance of Jesus’ Golden Rule

It seems to me; first, we must let go of our biases and look factually at what Jesus said and relate Jesus’ comments to various facets of business. Let’s start with the Golden Rule and excellent customer service.

In Matthew [7:12], Jesus says, So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. This verse directly states how a business should treat its customers. Simply treat customers the same way you want to be treated. Customers are the lifeblood of any company, and when they are satisfied, the company will be healthy. And there is no better way to accomplish this strategy than treating customers the way we want to be treated. It really is this simple.

Work As If Working For The Lord

The work of any business and its employees needs to have a great attitude towards its efforts. And there is no better attitude than what is described in Colossians [3:23], where it says; Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Wow, imagine if every effort you attempted during a workday was designed to please Jesus. It would undoubtedly sharpen your efforts. And certainly, help ensure all your activities are honorable.

Imagine the outstanding reputation that would be created. A business filled with trust, positive attitudes, and desirous of being the best all the time. A company with a Jesus-first mentality will attract the right people and loyal customers. Short-term practices with weak moral values will disappear and become replaced with longer-term, more ethical practices.

The Truth Will Set You Free

Another aspect of being successful and ethical is being riveted on the truth. Jesus in John [8:32] tells us why, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Companies and people that look for the truth don’t make bad decisions. They know the facts, which leads to better, more sustainable solutions. These companies and people will not have to worry about what they did or how they accomplish their work. They will become free of future disasters because they know the truth and acted morally.

The point here is Jesus is good for business, and mixing Jesus with business isn’t sinful. While I am sure the pastor who was so abrupt with me didn’t mean harm. He probably thought he was helping. There is temptation in business, as there is any facet of life. But the message and ways of Jesus help us navigate life in a positive and trustworthy manner. Whether we are doctors, scientists, authors, or business people, knowing Jesus and using his lessons are the most essential facets of our work.

Jesus is good for business!

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