Moses the Manager

Exodus 18:17-25 tells the story of Jethro’s management advice to Moses. The place is in the wilderness near Mount Sinai and the time is over 3,500 years ago. Moses was leading the nation of Israel out of Egypt when Jethro saw that he, Moses, was not managing their exodus effectively.

Jethro’s advice reveals three important management principles that you can apply to your career today.

Consider these excerpts from Exodus 18:17-25:

“‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear  yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.  Listen now to me and I will give you some advice’ … Moses listened to his  father-in-law [Jethro] and did everything he said.”  (Verses 17-18, 24) 

First, Moses “listened“ to Jethro. Moses was not a know-it-all manager. Despite his current responsibilities and many previous successes, Moses remained open and approachable.

He understood Proverbs 9:9 and applied it to his own life  – “Instruct  a wise man and he will be wiser still ….”

The best managers listen to their co-workers and customers. Some managers are too quick to transmit and too slow to receive. Big egos have little ears.

Listeners are learners; they know what is going on in their realm of authority. Your fellow stakeholders can help you identify problems, solutions, and new opportunities.

“Teach them  the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to  perform.” (Verse 24) 

Second, Moses, the manager, was also a teacher. Jethro’s  advice was to “Teach them … and show  them the way….” Moses equipped his followers to make more of their own decisions. He shared his knowledge and the nation of Israel was better off for it (5 Steps to  Equipping Others).

Moses was a positive role model Read the rest of this entry »

May 16th, 2012 | Permalink | No Comments »

Why Sluggards Don’t Work

Proverbs 26:13-16 describes the “sluggard.” This word only appears in the Book of Proverbs and it is used exclusively within the context of work. A “sluggard” is a person who does not work. His life is characterized by failure rather than success. Whatever the “sluggard” does, the conscientious Christian should do the opposite. The passage reads:

“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!’ As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.”  

These verses reveal three reasons why the “sluggard” does not work. 

First, the “sluggard” fears the workplace. The “lion in the road” is an imaginary threat that keeps the “sluggard” from going to work. The “lion” doesn’t exist – it’s a manufactured excuse. The “sluggard” is handicapped by self-limiting fear.

Careers are full of uncertainties, career paths are seldom straight, and there are no guarantees. But, these realities should not stop you from achieving success in the workplace. Read the rest of this entry »

May 1st, 2012 | Permalink | No Comments »

Dealing with Extreme Stress

If you work for a living you are no stranger to stress. Deadlines, performance demands, difficult people, family and work balance, physical and mental fatigue – all of these stress triggers come with the job. 

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 Paul is speaking to Christians. He begins by describing the extreme stress he and his companions endured on one of their mission trips, and then he tells us why God lets this level of stress come into our lives. The passage reads: 

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God ….” 

Paul does not want us to be “uninformed” about the types of pressures we Christians can experience, i.e. “the hardships we suffered … under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure … despaired … felt the sentence of death.” What Paul describes here is extreme by any measure. Read the rest of this entry »

April 15th, 2012 | Permalink | Comments Off

Two Success Principles

We could all use a few simple principles to guide us as we pursue success in our respective careers. These principles should be tested, completely trustworthy, and from an impeccable source. This Psalms 1:1-3 passage offers two of the best:

“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.” 

Success Principle #1: Choose friends of good character. 

The passage begins by telling you to not “walk … stand … or sit” with “the wicked … sinners … mockers.”  The people you spend your time with will influence your destiny. Select them wisely. 

You can’t always choose your co-workers, but you can choose who you seek out and befriend in the workplace. Align yourself with productive and positive people of good character – avoid the unscrupulous and the ungodly (Walk with the Wise). 1 Corinthians 15:33 is speaking to believers when it says “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”   

Respect and work with all of your supervisors and co-workers. Read the rest of this entry »

April 2nd, 2012 | Permalink | Comments Off

Who Are You Becoming?

“Who are you becoming?” is a far-reaching question. Your answer addresses the whole of life. It goes beyond title, rank, and career. Achievement and being the best you can be are valid issues for every worker, but the person you become along the way is much more important. 

We Christians are fortunate. We have the perfect role model in Jesus Christ. Our goal is to become more like Him. Jesus lived in community with others, learned a skill and worked just like us (Jesus’ Ordinary Work). But, what makes Jesus different is that He is the ideal human being. There is no better person to know and become like than Him.

Who are you becoming? Galatians 5:22 lists the nine qualities of the “fruit of the Spirit.” With Jesus’ help you can personify these qualities in your life just like He did in His.

Galatians 5:22 declares: 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control ….”    Read the rest of this entry »

March 16th, 2012 | Permalink | 5 Comments »

Dealing with a Fool

The Book of Proverbs makes over sixty references to “fools” and their “folly.” It’s a big topic. A fool is the opposite of a wise person.

Proverbs reveals these characteristics of a fool: 

Fools cause conflict. “A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct …” (10:23), “A fool gives full vent to his anger …” (29:11),“… a fool is hotheaded and reckless.” (14:16), and “… every fool is quick to quarrel.” (20:3) 

Fools talk more than they listen. “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.” (18:2), “He who answers before listening – that is his folly and his shame.” (18:13) and “… the heart of fools blurts out folly.” (12:23). 

Fools don’t learn. “Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?” (17:16), “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” (26:11) and “The way of a fool seems right to him …” (12:15). Read the rest of this entry »

March 1st, 2012 | Permalink | Comments Off

Golden Rule Relationships

There is probably no better principle for guiding our workplace relationships than this simple statement: Treat others as you would like to be treated. In our culture we call this the “Golden Rule.” It is labeled “golden” because of its great value. Following the Golden Rule is considered to be noble and right in almost every situation.

For us Christians, the Golden Rule is validated by Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:12 when He says in the Sermon on the Mount:

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”  

Jesus opens and closes this verse with references to it being a summary of other New and Old Testament teachings.

The verse begins with Jesus saying “So in everything,” “So” used here in the NIV is translated “therefore” in the KJV and NAS. By doing this Jesus is connecting the message of this verse with His previous statements, i.e. the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. Read the rest of this entry »

February 16th, 2012 | Permalink | Comments Off

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