Finding The Right People
(From Jesus & Co., page 155)

, , , ,

 

Five Traits of Great people:
• Gets things done
• Warmly Assertive
• Listens to learn
• Analyze Effectively
• Develops others

 

FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE

When I first got to Foot Locker, I needed to find friends quickly who had these same five characteristics. But I had to be careful in my approach. It’s easy to come into a tough situation and announce you’re going to change everything; easy to be disparaging of the past, your employees, and your predecessors; easy to think you know the answers without the full set of facts at your disposal. But that’s the wrong approach.

I discovered it was easier to find out what was already working and look for current employees who could help, on the theory that it’s easier to make progress with allies than with enemies. Joe Bongiorno, Peter Brown, Peter Cupps, and Mike Zawosky had all had consider-able careers at Foot Locker before I arrived, but all had been largely overlooked by their superiors. When I talked to them, I found they had the five qualities of good employees. I merged them with people I knew from my own past, like Lauren, Kevin, and Marc, and we developed a team that promoted the message of the company and avoided self-interest. When we found employees who exhibited these shared traits, we labeled them with a term we developed, “profile employee,” meaning they had the requisite five characteristics. They worked for the company, not themselves. Everyone we thought of hiring or bringing into our circle was evaluated. If the candidate was a “profile employee,” we brought that person in. If a candidate didn’t possess the five traits, he or she was ruled out.

Our circle soon expanded to form a powerful group that could work on its own, for our values became the culture. The culture worked because we weren’t trapped by tradition or hemmed in by our personal status or power. For Foot Locker this group became the team that held the goal line when things looked the bleakest. We survived because of these common values.

Jesus knew that in building teams, success depended not only on hiring the right people, but on training those people to live up to their God-given talents.

He recognized that all people have blind spots to go along with their gifts. Jesus concentrated on maximizing people’s strengths, while minimizing their weaknesses. Sometimes the effort was simple, other times intense. The aim was always to help the team become more effective and live into their mission.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

/by

Follow Me—Jesus of Nazareth

, , , ,

 

“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’”

— John [1:43]

 

FOLLOW ME – JESUS OF NAZARETH

When Henry Heinz, the founder of the H. J. Heinz Company, wrote his will, he included as his first lines, “I desire to set forth, at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior.” Henry Heinz founded the company called “Heinz 57” with his brother after previously filing for bankruptcy. They started out making ketchup and eventually expanded to over sixty other products. A successful company largely in Pittsburgh, it grew to become one of the biggest food producing companies in the world. Beyond his being a devout Christian, the unusual first words of Henry’s will represented a lifetime of living his faith. 

“The words in Henry Heinz’s will reflect the life he led and were a statement of his focus in following Jesus.”

The H. J. Heinz Company had a reputation for fair treatment of their employees, at a time when fair labor standards existed only in the future. By 1906, he was providing his employees with free medical care. In his facilities, he had gyms, swimming pools, and gardens. He provided educational opportunities, libraries, concerts, and lectures. He was a pioneer in safe and sanitary food preparation. At a time in our country’s history when many corporations ignored these social items, Heinz was a leader. The words in Henry Heinz’s will reflect the life he led and were a statement of his focus in following Jesus. 

“Following Christ requires a self-examination by ourselves, of why we follow.”

Jesus finds Philip and recognizes in him a stout and honest man. Philip will become one of the Jesus’s leading recruiters. When he meets Philip, he says, “Follow me.” Philip follows. Philip was the connection to Nathanael, Andrew, and Peter. In later life he is credited with traveling to many parts of the Middle East and preaching the Gospel. He represented the true nature of Christianity by following Christ. Not just physically, but spiritually. Following Christ requires a self-examination by ourselves, of why we follow. Do we follow for gain or profit? Or do we follow out of a real desire to know him? To give up our past lives requires a change of focus. It doesn’t mean we give up who we are and what we do, but we give up a previous focus. We change our attitude on why we do things.

“The first lines of his will described whom he followed and where his focus rested, with Jesus.”

For Henry Heinz, his focus could have been on squeezing out a few more dollars by not being generous to his employees. He could have increased his net worth by not being charitable. His focus, however, was to be successful in a way that supported his choice to follow. Certainly, lobbying for tougher food standards cost him margin dollars. The first lines of his will described whom he followed and where his focus rested, with Jesus. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

What do we have to give up?

 

/by

The Number Seven and Business Planning

, , , ,

 

“As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the church, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

– Revelation [1:20]

 

THE NUMBER SEVEN AND BUSINESS PLANNING

One of my favorite things in helping a business or a businessperson is to review the company’s or the individual’s strategic plan or purpose. How do they guide themselves? How do they think about their customers? What is important to them? It shows up in their strategic plan. Good businesses can articulate their mission crisply and quickly. Both their employees and their customers know the mission. Those that have a long, extensive strategic plan are usually unfocused. Those that have no plan or are unsure are rudderless. It almost always shows up in their results.

“In the Bible the number seven represents perfection and is considered divine.”

An exercise I do for businesses is to get them to write their mission in seven words. It forces them to be both concise and focused. Listing out the seven words is hard; it involves looking again at what the purpose of the business is. The next step is to list the seven actions a business needs to take to accomplish this mission. Are the seven action steps harmonious with the mission and are they consistent with how the business is being run? Would the employees and customers agree? In its simplicity, a focused approach makes us think beyond the seven words and seven actions, but it isn’t overbearing and doesn’t require massive committees. This also works for the rest of our lives. When looking for a job or trying to be more successful with your career, do we have a plan?

“In its simplicity, a focused approach makes us think…it isn’t overbearing and doesn’t require massive committees. This also works for the rest of our lives.”

In the Bible the number seven means perfection or completeness. It is tied to the creation of the world. While I am not a fan of numerology, we can see that the number seven is important to God, by the fact that throughout the Bible it is used 860 times. If we were taking a Bible test, the number seven would be on the test. The first act by God for humankind was the seven days of creation. Jesus performed seven miracles on the seventh day. In the Bible the number seven represents perfection and is considered divine.

When using the method of seven in our business or life plans, not only are we focused, but we are honoring our Christian values. In a sense we are asking God to bless our plan. The plan of seven doesn’t take long, but it requires thought and insight. It highlights where we have to get better and where we are doing well. The seven actions we need to take will awaken us to the state of our business. If we take out the business or life plan once a week, it becomes part of our daily thinking. We can hire high-priced consultants to tell us what we already know, but I am not sure it is any more effective than to follow the roadmap of God.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Do we have a life or business plan?

How does it measure up to what our employees and customers think?

Do we have a life plan and are we following the plan?

 

/by
forgiveness

The Customer is Always Right

, , , , , ,

 

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

— Luke [23:34]

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT

Printed on every receipt, L.L.Bean’s return policy reads: “Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We do not want you to have anything from L.L.Bean that is not completely satisfactory.” It’s true, this is exactly what L.L.Bean means. There are countless stories about people returning things many years later and getting their money back. No questions asked and no hassles. Live Christmas wreaths that have turned brown or slippers worn out in the sole—L.L.Bean will refund you your money. 

“Successful businesses index to trust and an attitude of forgiveness.”

Sure there has been abuse. You can read about these stories on the Internet. L.L.Bean sees it differently. They see a customer they have to satisfy. Each employee knows the rules and issues a credit with no questions asked. Successful businesses index to trust and an attitude of forgiveness. They avoid judging their customers and look for ways to give their customers the benefit of the doubt. They surely know there is abuse, but they look the other way. They look to satisfy and put themselves in their customers’ shoes. They believe in their customers and have done so for over 104 years. They remain one of America’s most successful retailers. 

“Forgiveness is one of the major tenets of Christian belief.”

Jesus likewise implores us to have a forgiving heart. A heart that does not judge, but searches for a different view. With this attitude we take a position that all people have value. That people make mistakes, not because of inherent evil, but because of a lack of knowledge. Jesus says, “They don’t know what they are doing.” By admitting this, we make it easier to forgive. We assign a value of humanity to the individual. We avoid the argument of telling someone he or she is wrong. Instead, we provide an example of Christian action. Forgiveness is one of the major tenets of Christian belief. It removes judgment and seeks an understanding of the offender. For L.L.Bean, the customer is always right. 

“Businesses with the most lenient return policies are also the most successful.”

How many of us have been duped? We know the cost, and it is the most difficult position to be put in as a business. A position where we have to make a decision out of anger or out of kindness. But what if we knew more about the offender’s backstory? What if we knew about why the person acted that way on this day? What caused him or her to behave in a way we found offensive? Businesses that have a reputation of good customer service choose to give their customers the benefit of the doubt. They know there might be abuse, but they also know they have to forgive. Businesses with the most lenient return policies are also the most successful. Their hearts are aligned with the adage “The customer is always right.” 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How many chances do we give people?

How many should we?

Do we know the rest of their story?

 

/by
cloud over the ocean

Staying Awake

, , , , ,

 

“Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

— Luke [22:46]

STAYING AWAKE

As we passed each hurdle in our recovery at Foot Locker, I would often rest and reflect on what we had just accomplished. But as with any company in recovery, danger lurked around every corner. Inevitably, Giovanna Cipriano would come to visit and tell me about the next obstacle. I would become crestfallen and want to give up. But Giovanna was always clear that here was what we needed to do. I would eventually listen, gather up the team, and tell them about the next hurdle. They would grumble, saying things like “Here we go again.” A new goal was created and we had another trial to get through. We always grumbled and complained. But we always got through the trial. 

“Her efforts to keep us awake were critical to our success.”

Giovanna was our lookout. An extraordinarily smart executive. She was promoted to being our chief accounting officer before the age of thirty. She was always on guard for danger and very adept at spotting trouble ahead of its arrival. Not only did she have my respect, but she had that of her peers and our board. She was always right. Her efforts to keep us awake were critical to our success. While I dreaded seeing her in my office, I knew after a certain amount of grumbling that I would have to respond. We survived because she kept us awake. 

“Jesus tells us to get up and act. He knows danger is lurking around the corner.”

Jesus gives us very sound business advice: Stay awake, so that you don’t get into trouble. He implores us to act. Jesus tells us to get up and act. He knows danger is lurking around the corner. In warning us he gives us three directives. First, don’t fall asleep, don’t become satisfied with yesterday. Second, act, be aware of the importance of staying busy, continuing to work hard. Third, pray faithfully, petition God to protect us and guide us in our honorable activities, pray that we remain vigilant, active, and purposeful. In this remedy, we can avoid trial. 

“Eventually, we were no longer financially troubled and actually thriving.”

At Foot Locker, it seemed that for three years we were always jumping to fix one crisis after another. After each of these events, there would be a period of relief, where we could take a respite. This was usually followed by Giovanna telling us about something new that threatened our existence. Eventually, we were no longer financially troubled and actually thriving. However, while our dangers became more spaced out, they still existed. Giovanna still warned us, we still acted. We thrived.

Jesus give us our remedy. To stay vigilant, to remain active, and to pray. With all of this we begin to avoid times of trial.

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What are our trials and how could they have been avoided?

How do we stay awake? 

 

/by
hot air balloons

Turning Back

, , , , ,

 

“. . . but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

— Luke [22:32]

TURNING BACK

In the early thirties of the last century, Germany was mired in fourteen years of hyperinflation, political turmoil, and poverty, as a result of World War I. What emerged was a Nazi regime that slowly gained control over their society, led by Adolf Hitler. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a young Lutheran theologian, stood up against this acceptance of the Nazis. He preached against them in the great Lutheran church in Berlin. Over time, the Nazis seized control of the Lutheran Church and were able to have the Catholic Church look away.  In response, Bonhoeffer helped start a new church, called the Confessing Church. He organized a clandestine seminary to train young German pastors. In time the Nazi regime then closed the seminary and tightened its grip on every aspect of German life. Fearing for Bonhoeffer’s safety, his friends encouraged him to go to New York City, were he would be safe. He went. 

“Bonhoeffer could not shake the thought that he needed to turn back.”

While in New York, however, he remained unsettled. In spite of his wide acceptance and support by leading  American theologians, Bonhoeffer could not shake the thought that he needed to turn back. He returned to Germany in 1939 and continued to speak out against Hitler. He was part of one of many attempts to overthrow the Nazi regime. Captured finally, he was thrown into prison, but he continued his ministry there, with both the other prisoners and the guards. In fact, many of the guards went to Bonhoeffer for spiritual help. Two weeks before the end of the war and the elimination of Nazi rule, he was executed. His executioner described his death as one of peace. A peace the executioner had not witnessed before. Bonhoeffer had turned back.

“Giving up our safety for a noble cause is a hard decision, made easier when we follow the ways of Christ.”

Hidden in today’s verse are the words spoken to Peter by Jesus, “. . . and you, when once you have turned back . . .” Jesus knew that Peter would turn away. He was also sure Peter would turn back. He knew the crisis in faith would occur. Jesus knows that it will occur in each of us as well. Giving up our safety for a noble cause is a hard decision, made easier when we follow the ways of Christ. We want to be safe, but are left with a nagging feeling. We know we have let someone down. Our character fights with us. We are unsettled until we turn back and complete our task. When we do, we strengthen ourselves and others. 

“…we all will have to turn back and confront our foe.”

Most people don’t have to confront the terror of Nazi Germany. But we will all have something we need to turn back to. A troubled friend or perhaps a difficult business situation, but we all will have to turn back and confront our foe. Jesus knew Peter would turn away and come back. Bonhoeffer also could never escape his mission. Similarly, we all have that thing that we need to turn back to. Maybe it isn’t as dramatic, but it nags us.  Our peace will only come when we turn back. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What situations do we have to turn back to?

What holds us back?

Why does going back soothe us?

 

/by
helping others

Servant Leadership

, , , ,

 

“But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.”

— Luke [22:26]

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

In 1978 Betty Ford’s family confronted her about her alcoholism and addiction to opiates. In her memoirs she later stated, “I liked alcohol, it made me feel warm. And I loved pills. They took away my tension and pain.” Here was a former first lady admitting her addiction. A person well regarded for her social activism and grace. She had been trapped. She entered rehab and emerged into recovery. Behind her life as a social activist, a recovered breast cancer survivor, and an abused wife in her first marriage, was a hidden life of booze and drugs. The pressures of her past and present had driven her into the trap.

When my daughter was in her early teens, she asked me, “How many people work for you?” I replied, “Thousands.” She replied back, “It must be fun to boss that many people around.” Little did she know, when you manage a very large organization you have to make adjustments almost hourly. Each person you meet has a different need, and no one management style works universally. You develop knowledge about the people and respond the way that is most effective for the person to get his or her job done. Sometimes it is gentle coaching. Sometimes it is frank talk. But it is always different. Leading a large organization is definitely not “one size fits all.”

“However, when you tell people where you are going, and not how they have to get there, they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

I noticed over the years that managers who require people to perform their way can be effective, but are very limited in what they can accomplish. They are good at getting very specific things done, but their style keeps them from moving beyond that. They often find themselves exhausted and frustrated. The task of getting everything done your way requires constant follow-up and a lengthy “to do” list. However, when you tell people where you are going, and not how they have to get there, they will surprise you with their ingenuity. As a manager, I always found it easier to find people their resources and give them the freedom to do their job. Sure, you will get disappointed here and there, but the breadth of what you can manage will grow.

“We get our greatest life pleasure by helping others succeed.”

Jesus stresses this in today’s verse. That we are here to serve, that rewards don’t come from being served. When we think of people we admire, we usually think of servers, like Mother Teresa or my friend Roger, who donates his dental experience, or Geoff, who started an inner city after school program. Jesus knew that the human condition is that we aren’t truly satisfied unless we are in service. We get our greatest life pleasure by helping others succeed. Our best memories are of those times we served. We cringe when we insist on our own way. We are left unsatisfied. 

“In our work life we get our greatest sense of accomplishment watching others succeed.”

In our work life we get our greatest sense of accomplishment  watching others succeed. Helping others be successful gives us self-satisfaction. At the same time, it allows our organizations to grow. Servant leadership requires us to adapt. It requires us to be in the background. It requires us to leave our ego home. But the reward is a sustainable and productive workplace. Jesus asks us to not think of ourselves too highly. He knows that a controlling, do-it-my-way management style is very limited. Serving and helping people with resources is usually all we need to do. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What is our management style?

What prevents us from serving?

Do we think about serving or commanding?

 

/by
ocean

Audacious Requests

, , , ,

 

“. . . and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.”

— Luke [22:11]–12

AUDACIOUS REQUESTS

I remember seeing her, Beth Caulfield, in class at Drew University Theological School . I immediately knew she was from the business world. My old world. She was dutiful, serious, and committed to learning her new craft. I knew she would get an A. She did. Later, after we graduated, I received an assignment to assemble and hire the best Methodists in New Jersey for a new group being set up to help the larger church. The existing clergy gave me over fifty names to interview. I needed to hire five. I personally talked with all that were on the list and began to hire the five I thought were the best fit. Then Beth called and asked if she could interview. But she hadn’t been on the list. She persisted and I conducted one more interview. 

“She wasn’t part of the crowd, but she knew that wasn’t important. What was important, she knew she could help.”

We hired Beth. But she hadn’t been recommended by the clergy, I was told. They also told me she was pushy and not part of the crowd. True she didn’t speak their language. True she was from a faraway place, called the business world. She wasn’t pushy, she was using her skills learned in another world. She wasn’t part of the crowd, but she knew that wasn’t important. What was important, she knew she could help. She wasn’t afraid of disappointment. Her past had told her to ignore rejection. Her past had told her to ask. But her past had also told her to be polite and humble. She was only following rules she had learned in a different place. 

“Jesus knows that when we serve God faithfully, we are not disappointed.”

Imagine Jesus sending a few people into town to ask for a room. A room where he would meet for the last time on earth with his disciples. A request that we might view as audacious. But not to Jesus. He knew there would be no disappointment. He knew that the room was to serve God. Jesus knows that when we serve God faithfully, we are not disappointed. God emboldens us to make the request, and the request will be granted. Jesus did meet in this upper room. Beth did get her job. 

“Fear of disappointment is the biggest obstacle to success.”

Fear of disappointment is the biggest obstacle to success. It is the fear of being rejected. Perhaps even humiliated. We all confront it every day. We have to ask and we get nervous. Rejection is a very high form of humiliation. Jesus modeled the ability to ask without fear. He put his purpose ahead of disappointment. His goal was divine and his request fit a practical need. In business, we don’t always have divine goals, but we always have goals. When our goals help our neighbor, our customers, or our company, we should ask. When our goals are honorable, we should ask. Our own fear of disappointment prevents us from asking, but Jesus modeled how to request, and Beth followed. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What do we fear when we ask?

Is our request honorable?

How do we ask?

 

/by
tulips

Recovering from Life’s Traps

, , , ,

 

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.”

— Luke [21:34]–35

RECOVERING FROM LIFE’S TRAPS

In 1978 Betty Ford’s family confronted her about her alcoholism and addiction to opiates. In her memoirs she later stated, “I liked alcohol, it made me feel warm. And I loved pills. They took away my tension and pain.” Here was a former first lady admitting her addiction. A person well regarded for her social activism and grace. She had been trapped. She entered rehab and emerged into recovery. Behind her life as a social activist, a recovered breast cancer survivor, and an abused wife in her first marriage, was a hidden life of booze and drugs. The pressures of her past and present had driven her into the trap.

Later, she set up the famous Betty Ford Center. In its time it became the go-to place for addiction recovery. Over one hundred thousand people emerged from the center into recovery. Betty Ford’s public admission of her situation helped others take the first steps to recovery. But Betty Ford was more than this. She inspired people with breast cancer. She fought for women’s rights by lobbying for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1991 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

“Jesus tells us to be on guard for life’s addictions, of all kinds.”

Jesus tells us to be on guard for life’s addictions, of all kinds. He calls it a trap that arises unexpectedly. He also tells us that all will be confronted. None will escape the battle.  Even first ladies of great character. It can become an embarrassing moment in our lives that we try to conceal. In this concealment, we lose the resources of friends who will help. We conceal our addiction from God, who will help. We fight alone against a dangerous foe. Our embarrassment prevents our resources from coming to our aid. We become trapped. It is inevitable that we all encounter this part of life in one form or another. 

“Our prayers, friends, and most importantly our recognition of our addictions become our shield.”

How do we win against addiction? Jesus says through prayer. Praying for strength to escape these things. But it starts with our first admitting that we are being confronted. We extend this recognition into prayer. We allow others in on the secret, as Betty Ford did. Our prayers, friends, and most importantly our recognition of our addictions become our shield. There will be those who judge, but they will have their turn. They will need help in some distant future. We press forward balancing judgment against recovery. Recovery is stronger, judgment is weaker.

When we emerge into recovery, we can renew our lives and begin the task of being a shining light.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Is addiction just drugs and alcohol?

What are other addictions?

How do we fight back?

 

/by
woman in field

Powerful Words of Truth

, , , ,

 

“For I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.”

— Luke [21:15]

POWERFUL WORDS OF TRUTH

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in 1818. As a youth he became obsessed with learning to read. Thanks to the wife of his slave owner, he was able to. Later he would read the New Testament to the other slaves, teaching them the Gospel. When his masters discovered this, they broke up his activity and he was sold to another master. Frequently subject to beatings, he desired a different life. A free black woman, Ana, met Frederick and used her life savings to help him escape dressed as a sailor. They moved to New York and were married for over forty years. They had five children. 

Frederick Douglass said, “Right is of no sex—Truth is of no color—God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren.”

Frederick was not satisfied with just his freedom. He became a leading orator in the anti-slavery movement. His oratory compelled many to turn against the practice. He was universal in his views of human rights. Frederick Douglass said, “Right is of no sex—Truth is of no color—God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren.” While a great supporter of the anti-slavery movement, he also fought for the right of women to vote and many other humanitarian causes. Later his oratory gave him access to American presidents. He pressed Lincoln to move faster on abolishing slavery. He traveled to Europe to speak about human rights. But many were against him, falsely using the Bible to justify slavery, creating images of slaves as inferior. Frederick Douglass spoke against all this, and is now long remembered, while his adversaries are long forgotten. 

“Truth takes longer to brew, but is always a lasting brew.”

Many times in our business lives we see a different way. Perhaps we see corruption or something that causes harm to our customers. It is in these times that Jesus says he is there to help. He will give us the words to say. Words that seek truth. Words that lead others to see a better way. Words that promote a different view. Speaking these words requires conviction and a sense of love for our opponents. The truth is hard to contradict without opponents indicting themselves. Truth takes longer to brew, but is always a lasting brew. This is Jesus’s promise, that we will have the words. Our hearts and minds have to be ready for the words. Our courage, ready to speak the words. Jesus has the words. We have to ask.

Frederick Douglass was successful in his cause because he was singular in his fight. But his words were of universal freedoms. His words were spoken truthfully and not colored by agenda. His heart, too, was directed universally. Frederick Douglass’s color symbolized a great specific injustice, but his voice became that of all injustice. In our business world injustice exists as well. Maybe not to the degree of slavery or the right to vote. But it does affect our customers and fellow workers.

There is a way to speak the truth. The right words. They exist. Jesus gives us these words. Jesus gives us our love. Combined they create truth and change.

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Where in our lives could we use the words of Jesus?

How do we speak them?

What can become the outcome?

 

/by