ClickCease
Matt Rusten
Why Joy is Vital for Your Leadership and Company

Is joy an underrated asset in your leadership? In our latest article, Matt Rusten explores why joy, much like humor, plays a vital role in building a thriving company culture. From increasing team engagement to fostering resilience, joy can transform workplace dynamics and inspire purpose-driven work. Discover three key ways to cultivate joy in your organization and why it’s essential for leaders who seek both results and fulfillment.

Why Joy is Vital for Your Leadership and Company
Business, Faith, Faith at Work
Convene
Do Not Worry

‘Do not worry.’ We’ve read Matthew 6:25-34 in the Sermon on the Mount, but what does that look like on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute basis? God knows our every worry, fear, and concern – and He can handle it. Many thanks to Darrell Passwater, Convene Forum Team leader, for his encouragement to think about how our lives might be different by truly living out this scriptural principle.

Do Not Worry
Greg Leith
Who Will Lead Your Firm the Day After the ...

Got a quick minute to chat? I’ve been wanting to share something with you as you lead in the midst of the election cycle in the USA or when your political election takes place in your country. When the dust settles on the election and the new country leader is declared, one thing will still be as true as it is right now. You’ll still be the one leading your firm the day after the election. Your team members will still come to work the day after the winner is declared. They’ll still be looking to you for leadership, for a paycheck, for a sense of community at their workplace.

What do they want most that only you can deliver? It’s meaning. That meaning they’re looking for begins with you and your leadership. To be sure, what Washington DC does actually can impact your business significantly, however, the president of the United States or the leader of any country does not lead your firm. You do. It’s an enterprise entrusted to you to lead as a steward. It’s a place where people look to you for answers, where people want to be part of a team that cares about them and where people want to be valued, appreciated, and loved. The next president of the country will not show up this week at your office to encourage your team, fix a broken piece of equipment, hire the next team member, sell a big account, or cast a bold vision about how your team will reach your goals and impact the culture.

Who Will Lead Your Firm the Day After the Election?
Chip Neidigh
A Safe Place To Fall
A Safe Place To Fall
Dave Ulrich
3 Principles of Hope That Enable Transitions

As we find ourselves mid-October and a blink away from a new calendar year, it is an opportunity to prepare for how we view transitions. Transitions allow for reflection and renewal, for letting go and beginning anew, and for learning from the past and creating the future. Instead of laying out trends for the next year, I would like to comment on a fundamental enabler of any transition: hope. Leaders who want to improve, CEO’s who work toward excellence, HR professionals who aspire to deliver more value, and employees who seek well-being all achieve their transitions by realizing hope.

Hope integrates many of the positive traits that shape transitions for others and matter to me personally: learning, patience, service, faith, humility, optimism, gratitude, and so forth. I send hundreds of formal and informal e-mails every month to invite people to programs, to thank people for attending programs, to check in on those I mentor, and to stay connected to those I care about. I begin almost every one of these notes with “Hope you are well.” Hope is one of my personal desires, tag lines, and biases and an enabler of any transition.

If I could implant one trait in my family, friends, and colleagues who are undergoing continual transition, it would be hope. 

3 Principles of Hope That Enable Transitions

Faith

Seeking God's Will, Even When We Don't Understand

This Week’s Devotional PROMISE:   Source: "Promises From God’s Word for Men" When you seek God’s will and obey His commandments, you will be blessed.

“Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother” Mark 3:35

When Jesus confronted the reality of His impending death on the cross, He asked God that this terrible burden might be lifted. But as He faced the possibility of a suffering that was beyond description, Jesus prayed, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

As Christians, we too must be willing to accept God’s will even when we don't fully understand the reasons for the hardships that we must endure

When we lose a loved one, experience profound loss, confront circumstances that trouble us to the very core of our souls, when we are worried or anxious, darkness overwhelms us for a while and it seems as if we cannot summon the strength to face another day, but with God’s help we can. We must trust God and turn our concerns over to Him and listen to the quiet assurance of God’s promises. By placing our lives in His hands we learn that He is our shepherd today and throughout eternity. Let us trust the Shepherd.

“Commit your activities to the Lord and your plans will be achieved" Proverbs 16:3

Have a happy and Safe 4th of July, everyone!

Faith Always Conquers Adversity

“Whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world, our faith" 1 John 5:4

From time to time all of us face adversity, disappointment, and loss. Old Man Trouble pays periodic visits to each of us; none of us is exempt. When we are troubled, God stands ready and willing to protect us. Our responsibility of course is to ask Him for protection. When we call upon him in heartfelt prayer, He will answer in His own time and in accordance with His own perfect plan.

Psalm 145 promises “The Lord is near to all who call on Him. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; He hears their cry and saves them”

Have a blessed week, everyone!

What Kind of Example Are You?

This Week’s Devotional PROMISE: When you live in the light and set a good example for others to follow, your actions will be pleasing to God.

“For you were once in darkness, but now you are in the light of the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – discerning what is pleasing to the Lord" Ephesians 5:8-10

OK, here is a question: What kind of example are you? Are you the kind of person whose life serves as a powerful example of decency and morality? Are you a positive role model for others? Does your life reflect the character of Jesus? If yes, you are not only blessed by God, but you are also a powerful force for good in a world that desperately needs positive influences such as yours.

We live in a dangerous, temptation-filled world. That’s why you encounter so many opportunities to stray from God’s commandments. Resist those temptations! God, our spouses, children, and communities are watching us as spiritual leaders and counting on us to make a difference.

Your life is a sermon. What kind of sermon will you preach? The words you choose to speak will have a significant impact on others but not as much impact as the life you choose to live.

“Set an example of good works yourself, with integrity and dignity in your teachings" Titus 2:7

Have a Blessed week, my friends.

Life is a Team Sport

This Week’s PROMISE: “When we encourage each other and share the good news of Christ, we are following God’s will by obeying His Word" Galatians 6:2 “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ"

Life is a team sport, and all of us need occasional pats on the back from our teammates. As Christians we are not only called upon to spread the good news of Christ but to spread a message of encouragement and hope to the world.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. Paul reminds us that when we chose our words carefully, we can have a powerful impact on those around us.

So, today be a world-class source of encouragement to everyone you meet.

Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word cheers it up”

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No Limits

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But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.                      - Matthew 19:26, KJV

 

I love the way Oprah Winfrey captured the secret to her success on the last day of her show’s 25-year run:

 

"People often ask me what is the secret to the success of this show. I non-jokingly say, ‘My team and Jesus,’ because nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me."    -  Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show - Final Episode (5/25/11)

 

“I always knew I’d be a millionaire by age thirty-two,” said Oprah in 1987. “In fact, I am going to be the richest black woman in America.” Nineteen years later, with a net worth of $1.4 billion, Oprah has become not only the richest black woman in America, but also one of the richest people in the world.

This success has not come by chance. Oprah has made her fortune by setting clear and ambitious goals on both the professional and personal levels. “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret,” she says. “Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”

According to Oprah, the biggest hurdle people need to overcome in order to be successful is their belief that there are limits to how much they can accomplish. Goals need to be set and set high; expectations need to be limitless; and ambition cannot be restrained. “If you believe you can only go so far, it is an obstacle.”

 

The Bible says that with God, all things are possible.  But, as Christian leaders we must establish goals that are first vetted with Him.   “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5, ESV).  So, make sure you follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in identifying the right goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics to fulfill the path that God has ordained for you (Proverbs 3:5-6) and to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

When establishing your goals, make sure that they are SMART, which is the commonly used acronym for:

  • Specific (i.e., be precise about what you intend to achieve)

  • Measurable (i.e., ensure that your objectives are quantifiable)

  • Attainable (i.e., make sure that your goals are achievable)

  • Realistic (i.e., confirm that your objective is one that you are willing and able to pursue)

  • Time-bound (i.e., identify the timeframe or deadline for achieving the stated objective)

 

Example of a SMART Objective:  To gain 25 percent of the U.S. market for smart phones by December 31, 2020.

 

As God’s ambassadors in the workplace and in the marketplace, it is perfectly acceptable to have clearly defined goals and objectives, but we must make sure they are established by God and remain flexible to His timing. For instance, don’t be tied to a specific destination with your business such as going public or capturing a certain percentage of market-share within a certain timeframe. He’ll let you know what to do and when to do it.  Wait for His perfect timing in planning and executing your initiatives.

 

When you commit your plans to the Lord and allow Him to direct you, your plans are guaranteed to come to fruition (Proverbs 16:3). The Bible says that if you obey God, He promises to make your name great, or enhance your reputation, and make you a blessing to others (Genesis 12:2).  Remember, no one has seen what God has prepared for those who love Him, and no one can change the plans of God (1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 43:13).