Christian Business Concepts
Christian Business Concepts
Creating Lift for Your Business or Organization
Welcome to the Christian Business Concepts with your host, harold Milby. Christian Business Concepts is dedicated to guiding companies and business owners in becoming effective, efficient and successful through God's Word and godly principles. Now, here's your host, harold Milby.
Speaker 2:Well, welcome everyone to this week's Christian Business Concepts podcast. You know this is where we try to help Christian business and organizational leaders and others find really true godly success by applying biblical principles and especially business principles that is found in the Bible. You know our desire each week is to encourage, enlighten and empower you. With some of our discussions, you know we try to give you practical applications that help your business or your organization or you personally to grow and just have a powerful impact on those that you come into contact with through your business. This could include employees, volunteers, customers, vendors. You know I've experienced the world's success and I've experienced God's success and I can tell you that having God's success brings fulfillment and satisfaction and enrichment really in every area of your life. Now, before we get started today, I want to give a big shout out to the country of Uzbekistan for downloading so many podcasts and becoming really one of the newest countries to join the CBC community. I just want to say welcome, thank you. Please help us grow all of you. Please help us grow the CBC family by posting our podcast on your Facebook and your LinkedIn pages and by inviting four or five other people you feel would benefit from these podcasts. Now let's get into today's discussion. You know most of you know that I absolutely enjoy learning about flying and learning about airplanes and instrumentation. You know the science of flight is an exciting subject to me, so today I want to talk about how you can create lift in your business or your organization. You know your company or your department may be doing really good right now, but it can always be doing better. You can always soar higher, you can always go farther and as a leader, you need to know how to create lift. You know, in aeronautics lift, lift is an aerodynamic force that directly opposes the weight of an aircraft and it's what holds the aircraft in the air. It's essential for flight. It's generated primarily by the wings of the aircraft and in business or in any organizations. And then, in business or in any organizations, creating lift involves fostering an environment where employees feel motivated, where they feel valued and engaged, and it'll actually increase the performance of employees and teams. And Christian business leaders are called to create lift. Christian business leaders are called to create lift and basically that's a sense of uplifting others and inspiring others, motivating others within their teams and organizations. And so today I want to talk about some strategies that's rooted in Scripture that can help leaders really foster this environment of growth and unity and purpose. In other words, where we can create lift, we can get off the ground and get things moving right.
Speaker 2:So Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31, says but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. I love this passage just from the standpoint that it kind of compares God's people to eagles and how eagles soar and fly. In Philippians, chapter 3, verses 12 through 14, it says Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own Brothers. I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So again, both of these passages are talking about how that we can go farther, how that we can go higher, and that's what we want to try to do.
Speaker 2:So let's talk a little bit about understanding lift and aerodynamics, right, it's this force, as I said, that opposes the weight of the aircraft. You know how does it work? Well, bernoulli's principle says lift is primarily explained in a way that which states that an increase in the speed of a fluid, in this case air, occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure, creating lift. Now what does that mean? It just means that when you get the plane going fast enough and you've got the right kind of wing design, it creates lift and it helps the airplane to take off. So what are some of the factors that affect an aircraft's lift during flight and trying to take off? Well, let's talk about them and then let's talk about how they apply. And I don't think we're going to get finished today in this podcast, but we'll finish it up in next week's podcast too.
Speaker 2:But first you have to consider the wing shape. They also call that the airfoil, and you have to look at that design, because the design of the wing and that includes its curvature, its thickness, that all affects how air flows over it and under it and you have different types of airfoil shapes and they can really optimize lift. You know, we see that in our military aircraft every day, because they kind of take a look at that. There's always new designs, new wings, new things that they're looking at. We saw that in the new stealth bomber, the new stealth fighter, that the wings have a totally different shape and it just helps bring lift, you know, to that airplane and it's really critical, it's one of the most critical things in creating lift, in creating Lyft, and so, interestingly, this concept of wing shape can serve really as kind of a metaphor, if you will, for how business leaders can achieve success and how they can elevate their organizations, their departments.
Speaker 2:So here are some similarities between wingshape and lift and effective business leadership. So first, understand design matters. We understand that, just as the aerodynamic shape of a wing is designed to optimize airflow and minimize drag, effective business leaders have got to carefully, very carefully, design their strategies, their organizational structures. You know a well thought out plan that considers a lot of different things. You know even the environment and it needs to consider the stakeholders and that those things can help create a path to success. But then there's balance and stability. You know wings are crafted to provide stability and balance in flight. So very similar, business leaders have to maintain a balance between various things like innovation and tradition. You got to have a balance there about risk and caution. You have to balance those two things and what the needs are of the employees and what are the organizational goals. This I guess, if you want to call it equilibrium, it ensures that the organization, that your company, that your business, is going to remain steady even during difficult times.
Speaker 2:Another thing is adaptability to the condition, so wings can adjust their shape and angle to adapt to changing air conditions, which is really important when you're going to talk about lift. And so, likewise, you know successful business leaders, you know you've got to be adaptable. You know you've got to recognize when to pivot strategies and alter your approach, sometimes in response to, maybe, market changes or things internally. And this flexibility allows the organizations, I should say, to stay relevant and to stay competitive. You know Philippians 4 and 11 says now that I am speaking of being, not that I am speaking in need, for I have learned in whatsoever situation. I am to be content. You know he is speaking here of adaptability. He's talking about being adaptable, and so we in business have to learn how to be adaptable, how to adapt.
Speaker 2:The next thing is collaboration and team dynamics. So just as the wings lift, it's enhanced by the collaboration of both the wings working together and including the tail of the plane. The effective leader is going to rely on teamwork and he's going to collaborate and create collaboration within that organization. So business leaders, I believe, must they have to collaborate and they must have a pretty cooperative environment, because you're going to have a lot of diverse talents that are going to come together to drive innovation and achieve common goals, and the only way you can do that is you have to collaborate with one another. And then next you've got to have long-term vision. Aerodynamics teaches us that the wing shape is not just about immediate lift but also about sustained flight. So business leaders have to adapt a long-term vision to ensure that their organizations are not only successful today but they're also prepared for future challenges. So, by keeping the bigger picture in mind, they can really help steer their organizations and their departments towards a lasting impact, a lasting kind of growth. I like what Jack Welch, who was the leader of GE for so many years, helped it really develop into the giant that it is. He said this. He said good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision passionately, own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion. And I think that vision is so, so, very important.
Speaker 2:Okay, the next thing that's important in creating lift is airspeed. The speed of the aircraft directly influences that lift. So as the aircraft moves faster through the Just to be scientific with you there's more air molecules that pass over those wings, which again increases lift. So airspeed plays a real critical role in generating lift of an aircraft. It affects how air flows over it and under it, influencing the ability for it to rise, to ascend, to take flight, ability for it to rise, to ascend, to take flight. And we can see that even in business.
Speaker 2:Because first you have to think that momentum is key. I mean, just as a plane needs the right air speed to achieve lift, business leaders have to build momentum to drive their vision, to drive the initiatives, to get the vision completed. So maintaining a steady pace and fostering a culture of action can really create that speed. It can propel the company towards its goals and it ensures that the projects and the strategies get that traction that they need. You know, isaac Newton said an object that is at rest will tend to stay at rest, an object that is in motion will tend to stay in motion. So you know, speed is the key, momentum is the key. You've got to have that for lift.
Speaker 2:So then there's the importance of agility. You know in aviation you know varying air speeds can affect lift efficiency. So if you go too slow and the aircraft then might stall, you know. Similarly, business leaders have to remain agile. They have to be responsive to changes in the market. You've got to be able to adjust strategies, operate quickly in response to new information. Psalms 18.33 says he made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. You've got to be agile, you've got to look at things and you have to be able to make those quick decisions to make changes.
Speaker 2:Next is building relationships. You know airspeed is influenced by the surrounding environment, including wind and weather conditions, of course. You know. So if you're an effective business leader you've got to recognize that relationships with your stakeholders and the stakeholders are people like your employees, your customers, your partners, your vendors they affect your organization's momentum and you've got to build and nurture these relationships so that you can kind of create this supportive environment so that it enhances this collaboration and it drives success. Again in Genesis 2 and 18, it says Then the Lord said it is not good that man should be alone, I will make him a helper fit for him. Proverbs 17,. 17 says A friend loves at all times and a brother is born of adversity. It's important to have relationships in your personal life, but also in business, and you need to nurture them.
Speaker 2:The next is continual learning and continual improvement. Just as pilots monitor airspeed and they adjust their approach accordingly, business leaders and organizational leaders should prioritize a system of continuous learning. Staying informed about industry trends, customer needs, technological advancements, customer needs, technological advancements all of these things help you to develop and keep your strategies focused and maintain your competitive edge. So continuous improvement, regularly assessing you know where you're at with your strategies, your operations, to ensure that you're really kind of maximizing things like your effectiveness, your efficiency. You know, henry Ford said one time. He said anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young, and I try to live my life that way. I want to be a constant learner. I want to be someone who's never reached a point to where he feels like he knows everything.
Speaker 2:Next is you've got to have risk assessment In aviation, understanding that airspeed helps your pilots assess the risks associated with takeoff and landing. So business leaders also need to evaluate the risk. So you got to evaluate them. You've got to evaluate risk related to your we'll say your operational speed right and the pace of change. So you've got to balance this ambition with caution, because that will help you to ensure that your organization can take the calculated steps while trying to minimize that risk or minimize, I guess you would consider, I guess, potential pitfalls.
Speaker 2:We'll say, all right, what's next important about creating lift in aerodynamics? Well, angle of attack. So the angle at which the wing meets the oncoming air is critical. So increasing the air or increasing the attack increases lift to a certain extent, because you know, if it becomes too steep, if your angle of attack is too steep, then you can stall, the engine will stall out. The angle of attack refers to that angle between the wing and the oncoming airflow. So it's critical in aerodynamics for generating this lift that we're talking about and again, I use the word metaphorically. It illustrates the important qualities for business leaders.
Speaker 2:Here's how the angle of attack really relates to effective leadership. First, you've got strategic positioning. Just as the angle of attack determines how effectively a wing can generate lift, business leaders have got to constantly and carefully position their strategies to leverage the opportunities. You know a well-considered approach can always help the organization's ability to rise in a competitive landscape and competitive market. It maximizes the potential for success. And just as pilots have to consider the air density when planning flights, business leaders have to engage in thorough leadership or strategic planning. So you've got to understand the differences and understand all of the complications of operating in that environment. That allows you to anticipate challenges and seize opportunities, ensure that your organization can navigate really effectively and to maintain this lift that we're talking about.
Speaker 2:And the next is risk management. Now there's a difference between risk assessment and risk management. I want to talk about risk management. So increasing the angle of attack can increase lift to a point, but if you push it too far it can lead to a stall. As I said, it stalls the engine out. So, similar to that, business leaders need to find a balance in taking calculated risk. So by understanding the limits of their own strategies and operations, they can avoid maybe overextending their business or themselves while they're still trying to grow. Proverbs 22 and 3 says a prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. So that's what we're talking about here. We're talking about risk management, because if you're going to take risk then you have to manage it properly. So risk management Now.
Speaker 2:The next is responsiveness to feedback. So wings adjust their angle of attack based on environmental conditions like wind and speed and direction. But in the same way, the effective leaders have got to be responsive to feedback from their employees, from customers, from market conditions, even from their vendors. And this responsiveness allows you really to kind of make sure your approach is right, make sure you continue to be effective even if circumstances are changing. All right.
Speaker 2:Next, vision and direction. A proper angle of attack is essential for sustained lift, much like a clear vision provides direction for a business. So leaders with a really good and really well-defined vision, it can inspire people, it aligns their teams together, it guides them towards common goals and a strong vision really helps keep the organization focused, it keeps them motivated, especially when things are tough. You know, one of my favorite passages is Habakkuk 2 and 2. And it says and the Lord answered me Write the vision, make it plain on tablets so he may run who reads it? I say this all the time If you can't write your vision, you don't have a vision. If you cannot articulate your vision in writing, you don't have a vision. If you say, well, I know it, but I just can't say it, then you don't have a vision. You've got to make sure that you can write it and you should have it in writing and your people should know what it is All right.
Speaker 2:The next thing that helps in lift is air density. Air density so the density of the air, affects lift. Higher air density, such as at lower altitudes, it's got greater lift, while the lower air density, such as at higher altitudes, it decreases lift. So air density is a crucial and a critical factor in generating lift for an aircraft. It affects how much lift is produced at a given speed and an angle of attack. And this concept can give us some ideas and show us how it relates to business leadership in a few ways. First is environment matters. So, just as air density varies with altitude and temperature, the business environment that you have, it impacts your organization's ability to thrive. You know, business leaders have got to understand and adapt to their market conditions and and that includes whatever the economic trends are, what the competition's doing, the customer behavior. They've got to know all that so that you can create an environment that's conducive to success. Next is your resource availability. So high air density allows for greater lift because there's more air molecules available to generate pressure. There's more air molecules available to generate pressure. So, just like that, business leaders need to ensure that their organization has the necessary resources.
Speaker 2:Now, I'm not just talking about physical resources. I'm also talking about technology. I'm talking about people. You know talent, because people are resources. Your best and number one resource is your employees. And then capital. You've got to have cash, you've got to have capital to maximize your potential. And then you've got to invest in the right resources, because if you don't, you can make a huge mistake and you can begin to slow or even stop your growth and lower your performance. So you've got to invest in the right resources at the right time. You know having resources it's kind of like having tools in a toolbox right, the more that you have, the more equipped you are to handle any task that comes your way. So you've got to have the resources.
Speaker 2:You know King David prepared all of the resources that were needed for his son Solomon to build the temple. The temple today, if it was built in today's dollars, would be several billion dollars to build that temple. But it was David, it was King David who assembled and got all the resources ready, including the masons, the stone masons to get them ready, the timber cutters and the timber, and he got all these people. He got all these resources, he got everything laid out and the money as well that he would need, and he got all of this laid out ready for his son so his son could build the temple. So you've got to have this resource availability and then team culture. What's your culture? Like you know, zig Ziglar said that research indicates that employees have three prime needs interesting work, recognition for doing a good job and being let in on things that are going on in the company. Those are the three things, and your culture and your organization affects your agility and it affects you in so many ways. And when you create a positive and an inclusive culture, you create an environment where that your team members, where that your employees, they feel valued, they feel empowered, and then they'll want to collaborate, they'll want to put the time in to innovate. So that's important too.
Speaker 2:So the next thing that gives lift that has to be considered is what's called your surface area of the wing, that's, the total area of the wing and that plays a role in lift as well. So larger wings can generate more lift because they have a greater surface that's interacting with the air. The surface area of that wing is really fundamental in generating lift. So how does that, you know, relate into business? Well, a couple of ways here. Number one capacity for impact. In other words, a larger wing surface area allows an aircraft to generate more lift and carry heavier loads. And so, similarly, business leaders who expand their organization's capacity through resources, personnel, through expertise, you can increase your impact and this might involve, you know, scaling your operations or maybe enhancing some of your products or maybe even entering into new markets.
Speaker 2:The next part of that is diverse skill sets. So wings with varying surface areas can adapt to different flight conditions. Business leaders benefit a great deal by fostering and having creating a diverse team with different skill sets, different perspectives, different experiences. The broader the skill set within the organization, the more effective it can be, the more effective it is in adapting to challenges and seizing opportunities and really enhancing overall performance. You know, malcolm Forbes said diversity is the art of thinking independently together. You don't want people on your team. That's just a yes man, and they're just going to tell you what you want to hear, and you also don't want to put people on your team that think like you do, that have the same talents you do that have the same skill sets that you do. You want a diversity. The next part of that is collaboration and support. Just as a larger wing surface gives you better lift, effective business leaders create a supportive environment for their team. So you've got to encourage this collaboration. We've talked about it before. You've got to have good, open communication that allows your team members to share ideas and resources and that kind of helps them to grow and have innovative solutions and you really begin to build this really cohesive culture within your company.
Speaker 2:The next is sustainable growth. You know wings designed for larger surface areas can sustain lift over longer durations, so it gives you more stability. Again in business, leaders need to focus on sustainable growth rather than just short-term growth. So this means that creating strategies that ensure long-term viability, like investing in employee development and having ethical practices and community engagements these are things that help you do that. And then flexibility and strategy. So you've got to be flexible because, just like these wings are adjustable in their surface areas, you as a business leader or an organizational leader or even a department leader. You need to be flexible, be flexible in your strategies, be able to pivot when you need to adapt when you need to, whether it be based on market trends or feedback from people within your organization. But you've got to have this adaptability because that can help you maintain your competitive edge and help you to respond really powerfully when it comes to changes. So helping your business or department to fly high, really it takes the strategies and principles we've discussed today.
Speaker 2:I've always said that the average is the best of the worst and the worst of the best. So you don't want to be average. So if you want to become more than average to fly high, so you don't want to be average. So if you want to become more than average to fly high, you need to make it your goal to create lift and by doing that, I really believe that that success that you have as you serve the Lord, I really believe that brings glory to God and I think that's important.
Speaker 2:Lord, we come before you in the name of Jesus. Lord, it's easy to get into a rut and into a routine that keeps us average, but, lord, you didn't call us to be average. And, lord, I pray that you will allow this episode, lord, to be an encouragement to the people who hear to soar higher than they ever have before. Help them to begin applying these principles, lord, and creating lift in their businesses and organizations. And, lord, I ask that in the name of Jesus. Well, thanks for listening to this week's podcast and please help us to try to grow the CBC community by sharing this podcast with four or five other people. That's all the time we have for today, so remember Jesus is Lord and he wants you blessed.
Speaker 1:Thank, you for tuning into this week's Christian Business Concepts podcast. Go to christianbusinessconceptscom for more information and resources. Be sure to check out other podcasts that will help you take your business and your personal life to a whole new level of success.