Rant: “Our employees are our most valuable resource”

April 27, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

YOU HEAR THIS all the time: “Our employees are our most valuable resource!”

It’s supposed to make you feel better as an employee.  You know what?  I don’t see that it works.  But to figure out why, we need to tear apart that word “resource.”

re·source
noun \ˈrē-ˌsȯrs, -ˌzȯrs, ri-ˈ\
: something that a country has and can use to increase its wealth
: a supply of something (such as money) that someone has and can use when it is needed
: a place or thing that provides something useful
— Merriam-Webster online

What’s missing from this definition?  Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you!

April 20, 2014 in Christianity, Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

CeasterHRISTUS RESURREXIT!  Christ is risen!

This last year has been just amazing, and I’m blessed to be working with such talented and generous people.  This blog has been going for less than 16 months, yet it’s generated a level of interest and enthusiasm that I never expected.

I want to offer my sincere thanks for all your support and engagement.  I continue to get personal emails, connections, and encouragement every week.

Please take this opportunity to thank all those who are YOUR support – especially in your times of greatest need.

We’re all in this together, after all.

Changing the future of innovation

April 13, 2014 in Business profiles, Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

LEE Lee PorterPORTER is one of three founders of InnovatioNews, a news organization that targets entrepreneurship and innovation in Colorado USA.

It’s an all-electronic publication, not printed on paper.  The focus is on high quality news and other digital content which is on the IN website, distributed via email, pushed through social media and placed strategically on other websites. InnovatioNews is jumping on the age of new media with full enthusiasm – which is a pretty great fit, given their subject.

This company is jumping on the age of new media with full enthusiasm – which is a pretty great fit, given their subject.

Read the rest of this entry »

Firms of Endearment

April 6, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

FFirms of EndearmentIRMS OF ENDEARMENT: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose is an excellent book, supporting the idea that companies are more successful when they form positive emotional bonds with employees, customers, and investors.  I’ve been reading it recently in preparation for leading the Entreprenerds discussion on April 18th, “Business for the 21st Century”.

I’ve learned a lot from this, and it’s been useful for my own coaching business.

By definition, the owner of a values-based business is focused on “doing something important.”  But there’s always the question of whether he or she will be rewarded by also having a profitable and sustainable business.

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Why innovation is different

March 30, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

THIS WEEK Quid Novi Spring JamI had a chance to hang out with a bunch of inventors, writers and artists at the Quid Novi Spring of Innovation.  What a cool idea!  We had a chance to talk about what’s currently happening with innovation in northern Colorado and the rest of the world.

It’s clear to me that innovation has a slightly different twist in values-based businesses than it might in others.

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Warning! Mission-driven culture!

March 23, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

LIZ RYAN, Founder of Human Workplace, Mission driven culturerecently wrote a great article entitled “What is a mission-driven culture?”

I’d highly recommend it.

She’s talking about many of the same concepts that I cover on this blog – but this article focuses on the jobseeker’s point of view, rather than the company’s.  There’s some great things to learn from this.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Dream Manager

March 16, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

THIS WEEK I heard about Dream ManagerThe Dream Manager, a book by Matthew Kelly.  It sounded so interesting that I’ve added it to my reading list.

The underlying concept seems to be that it’s extremely helpful and inspiring for a company to evoke its employees’ dreams and aspirations.  Check out this extremely short video to get an idea.  Some organizations have a designated “dream manager” whose job it is to bring that out and capture the benefits of an energized workforce.

But I wanted to take the idea in a new direction.

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Work on the big picture here

March 9, 2014 in Christianity, Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

DURING THIS SEASON OF LENT we have a great opportunity to step back and work a bit more on the big picture.  I’m not talking about business planning, or even visioning and direction-setting.

It’s more about recognizing the hard work ahead.

How do you take advantage of Lent at the personal level?  Many will use it as a time of introspection and spiritual development.  Giving up chocolate or coffee might help you do that, but Lent isn’t about denying yourself pleasures and “feeling bad” now so you’ll “feel better” at Easter.

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Fraternal financial services

March 2, 2014 in Business profiles, Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA Modern Woodmen Logois a community-minded financial services company in the US.  Founded in 1883, they are structured as a 501(c)(8) “Fraternal Beneficiary Society,” a category I’d never heard of.  This is a designation for organizations which are primarily intended to provide insurance-type benefits to their members.

Modern Woodmen has a rich legacy of service, including widows and orphans, those suffering from the Tuberculosis outbreak a century ago, education, and eye care.

I had a chance this week to talk with John Weidenfeller, the local Regional Director in Northern Colorado.  He’s been with the organization for ten years now, opening up the Fort Collins office a few years ago.  He’s a strong supporter of the values of this company, and has committed himself to leading a group which is aligned around those principles.

Read the rest of this entry »

Falling in love

February 23, 2014 in Success in business | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

FINDING LoveYOUR DEEP VALUES can be like falling in love.

Love is elusive, one of those “I’ll know it when I see it” type of things.

What I’ve described as deep values also can be elusive, because it starts with what you live and breathe every day.  For me, I’ve decided that being of service is crucial to my life and my business.  People generally have two reactions to this:

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