Christian Business Concepts
Christian Business Concepts
Creating Lift For Your Business Or Organization, Part 2
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:Thank you, kelly, and welcome everyone to this week's Christian Business Concepts podcast. I'm so very glad that you've downloaded the podcast and really humbled for the growth that we've seen here at CBC in 2024. And you know, we just want to be a part, you know, of helping businesses out there. Business leaders, organizational leaders and people in general just find true godly success by applying biblical principles, especially biblical business principles. So today, I hope you're going to be encouraged, enlightened and empowered by what you hear. You know we try to give you practical applications that help your business and organization grow and just have a powerful impact on those people and businesses that you come into contact with, and this includes your employees and your customers and your vendors. And there's no greater feeling than the one that you have when you know you've been successful and have God's stamp of approval because you're following his business principles. So that's what we're about here at Christian Business Concepts, and I'd like to ask you to share this podcast on your LinkedIn page and your Facebook page and also reach out to four or five people directly that you think this podcast would encourage. Now, before we get started, I just want to give a big shout out to Ho Chi Minh City in China for or in Vietnam, for downloading so many podcasts this month. We are humbled to have you become a part of the CBC family and we appreciate all of you all over the world who listen each week and I pray God blesses your business and you.
Speaker 2:So this is a continuation of a previous podcast where we spoke about creating lift in your business or organization. You know I explained that most of you know how much I enjoy airplanes. I enjoy the science of flying and the ability to fly. I just love that. Every time I get an opportunity to go up in a private plane, I love to go up. Anyway, I want to talk about how that correlates with business, how that lift in aeronautics I don't want to say condescends, but how it correlates in business. Your company or your department may be doing good, but always you can be doing better, you can soar higher and go farther. As a leader, you need to know how to create lift. So in aeronautics, as I said, lift is the aerodynamic force that directly opposes the weight of an aircraft and it keeps the aircraft in the air. And in any business or organization, creating a lift involves creating an environment where employees are motivated, inspired and valued and engaged, and all the while raising the level of performance of all of your employees and teams. In Isaiah 40 and 31, I read this last time. You know, in Isaiah 40 and 31, I read this last time. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles and they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. So again, we're talking about lift, and so I want to continue where we left off. So I definitely encourage you to listen to the prior episode and where we discuss some of the great principles that are needed to create lift, and I'm going to continue that right where I left off, and so I would like to share with you a continued list of those things that help create lift aerodynamically and how that correlates into business.
Speaker 2:So the next is weight of the aircraft. So the overall weight of the aircraft has to be balanced by lift. The heavier the aircraft, it requires more lift to become airborne. The heavier the aircraft, it requires more lift to become airborne, which can be achieved, really, by increasing speed. You can increase the angle of attack or the wing size. So weight is a fundamental factor in the physics of flight and it's got to be countered by lift for an aircraft to take off and to rise. So how does that correlate in business? Well, you've got to balance responsibilities. You know, just as an aircraft must balance the weight with the lift to maintain flight, business leaders have to balance various responsibilities. You've got operational demands, you've got employee needs and strategic goals, and effective leaders ensure that their teams are not overloaded. You want to allow for a more sustainable and productive work environment.
Speaker 2:Matthew 6, verse 30-33 says. Verse 30 through 33 says but if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, o you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear For the Gentiles? Seek all of these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you have needed them all, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. It's really about balance. It's about what you're trying to focus on at any given time and how that it can come easily out of balance.
Speaker 2:The other is resource allocation. In aviation you've got a lot of excess weight. That can hinder your performance and reduce efficiency. Similarly, leaders have got to be mindful of your resource allocation within your organization. If you overextend your resources, it can lead to burnout, it can lead to inefficiencies. So, while strategically managing resources, if you continue to do that, you really enhance the performance and really the agility even the agility of your business. And the Bible talks a great deal about stewardship, which really is resource management. That's what that's about. In the different parables of the stewards it was about resource management, and so that's important.
Speaker 2:And then organizational culture. A heavy weight can affect an aircraft's ability to maneuver. So in business, a toxic or unhealthy culture can weigh down your teams. It can stifle innovation and lower productivity. And as leaders, we've got to actively cultivate a positive and engaging culture. We've got to promote open communication and collaboration so that we can lift morale and drive that creativity. You know, we all became aware, I think, that Uber had a culture issues when Susan Fowler she was a former employee she wrote a post, a public post, about sexual harassment and discrimination that she experienced during her time there at Uber. And once she spoke out, a lot of other people followed and the New York Times wrote an article about Uber and their company's culture and they called it quote aggressive and unrestrained unquote. And that article went on to really describe that the company had put performance and the bottom line really over teamwork and caring for their teammates. So this is the type of culture that allow the sexual harassment to go unchecked, and so it's important that we don't create that heavy weight by having a really toxic culture within the company.
Speaker 2:And then you want continuous assessment. You know, in aviation, pilots are always assessing the weight distribution in the plane to maintain this optimal performance. And similarly, business leaders should regularly evaluate, evaluate your team's workload, the project statuses, organizational health, this cultural health as we talked about. These are ongoing assessments and they really help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the organization or your company, that it remains capable of really a lot of things, but especially responding to any changes that come up. You know the parables about the seeds. You know there were several parables that Jesus talked about seeds and the seeds being the Word of God, talking about growth, talking about improvement. And then in James 1 and 2, it says count it all. Joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. So again, this to me talks about continuous improvement, continuous assessment and taking a look at that.
Speaker 2:So the next thing is weather conditions. So weather conditions, you know, like the wind, the temperature, the humidity, it can influence the air density and that is a big part of what lift is about. For example, the warmer air is less dense than cooler air, which can reduce lift. So weather plays a real critical role in aviation and it influences lift and flight safety. So weather, this concept can metaphorically be linked to business leadership in several ways.
Speaker 2:One is team communication. So weather conditions can affect communications among pilots and crew members and make clear channels of communication. It could be a real safety issue. So in business, effective communication within the company or organization, within teams, it's extremely important Because without it you lose collaboration, you don't have efficiency. So leaders have to create that environment where team members feel comfortable sharing information and insights and that'll help lead to, I think, better decision-making and innovation. You know, 1 Corinthians 1 and 10 encourages people to agree on a vision and a mission and to be united in those things. Ephesians 4 and 29 emphasizes the importance of speaking words that are helpful and encouraging. In Proverbs 16 and verse 24, it says that gracious words are sweet and healing. In Colossians 4 and 6, it encourages leaders to communicate with grace and wisdom. And Proverbs 25 and 11 illustrates the value, I think, of choosing words well and at the right time, all right.
Speaker 2:Next is resilience in adversity. So, just as pilots have to navigate through this turbulence and sometimes adverse weather conditions, business leaders often face challenges that test their resilience. So developing a resilient mindset and fostering a culture of perseverance within their organization can really, I think, help leaders and their teams overcome obstacles and even emerge stronger, which again it goes back to that growth thing we ought to always be growing, and sometimes going through difficulties helps us to grow. In Proverbs 24, 16, you've heard me quote this passage before but it says though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. So we're talking about adversity. You got to keep going, keep going forward. You know, jeff Bezos said one time, because you know resilience if you think of it in terms of the gold rush, then you'd be pretty depressed right now because the last nugget of gold would be gone. But the good thing is with innovation, there isn't a last nugget. Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities. So he's talking about resilience again.
Speaker 2:A third thing is attitude. So the attitude on a plane reflects whether the nose of the plane is pointed up or down, and that attitude gauge is one that pilots look at continually. So they got to make sure that the attitude is pointed up, because if it's pointed up, then they're increasing in altitude, if it's pointed down, they're decreasing in altitude. So when they're flying, when they're going from one destination to another, they always want to make sure that the altitude is pointed up, unless they're getting ready to land, obviously. And so attitudes, you have to realize, are not always heard, but they're felt. People feel your attitude.
Speaker 2:You know Wade Boggs said one time. He said a positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results. And I think that's true. And I think that's true In the competitive world of business. A positive attitude is just not nice to have. I think it's extremely important. It's even essential for an individual and an organizational success. So you know, understanding the importance of a positive attitude, I think to do that I think we've got to look at what it does, what it provides. So when a company, in leadership and even those within the company, have positive attitudes, it really enhances performance, because a positive attitude could lead to greater productivity and creativity, and employees who maintain an optimistic look, I think, are more likely to tackle challenges proactively and seek solutions. It boosts morale. It improves relationships.
Speaker 2:So what are some strategies for cultivating a positive attitude? So what are some strategies for cultivating a positive attitude? Well, first of all, practice gratitude. So you start each day by acknowledging three things that you're grateful for, and that helps you to begin to practice gratitude. And this practice shifts focus from challenges to opportunity, because, you know, from fostering a more positive mindset, that's what you want to do. So the next thing is you want to make sure you set achievable goals and then you embrace challenges. Don't view obstacles, or make sure you view obstacles as opportunities for growth. A mindset that kind of welcomes challenges really encourages you to have resilience and adaptability and we've mentioned those and then surround yourself with positivity. So engage with positive people who inspire you, who uplift you. Seek out mentors who embody the attitude that you want to cultivate.
Speaker 2:And so what are some of these techniques, I should say, to maintain positive attitudes in difficult situations. Well, what you have to do is something I call reframing negative thoughts. So when you have a setback, you have to consciously reframe your thoughts, ask yourself what can I learn from the situation and how can it lead me to future growth? How can I take advantage of it? And then you have to practice self-care. So take care of your physical and mental well-being, because if you don't, if you get down physically, you get down mentally, you'll get down, your attitude will get down. So make sure that you do that.
Speaker 2:And then use positive language. You know the words that you choose can have a very strong impact on your attitude. So use good, positive language in your communication. And then you've got to lead. Lead with a positive attitude. You've got to model that behavior. You've got to do that because your attitude is what sets the tone for those around you. So if you exhibit positivity, if you exhibit a positive attitude, you'll encourage those around you to do the same. So then you provide constructive feedback. So when you give feedback, it needs to focus on the positive aspects and the areas for improvement, so that helps them to have a growth mindset and it helps them to have a positive attitude.
Speaker 2:And then make sure that you celebrate successes, acknowledge people, acknowledge and celebrate not just the individual but the team achievements. So that's one of the things we have to have is attitude. It's extremely, extremely important. And then you want to exemplify purpose. You know the benefits of knowing your purpose is you have an increased motivation. It helps you to stay focused when you're going through challenging times because it inspires you to push through because of your purpose. It gives you better decision-making skills because, once you know your purpose, it allows you to make decisions that are pretty much aligned, if I could say it that way, aligned with your core values, because that's part of your purpose. And then it gives you stronger team cohesion. You know, when you clearly communicate your purpose, it helps to create a sense of belonging and shared goals within that team, so it unifies people and enhances the collaboration and productivity of your teammates.
Speaker 2:So what are some other continuing strategies I think to create lift? Well, one is encouragement and affirmation. Encouragement and affirmation. You know you want to provide that regular encouragement and that significantly uplifts your team spirit. First, Thessalonians 5 and 11, it says therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as, in fact, you're doing. So you recognize achievements and you provide constructive feedback. It creates this culture of appreciation, which is what you want to do. That starts with encouragement and affirmation, and then make sure that you prioritize a work-life balance. Recognize that importance, because it is extremely important that they know you feel that way. So make sure maybe you have to offer some flexible work arrangements. You encourage taking breaks, you promote this culture where taking time off is acceptable and supported.
Speaker 2:And another thing that you can do is empower Empower your employees. Empower them. Give your team members that authority and responsibility to make decisions that are related to their work and to their responsibilities. So what are some action steps? Well, you can delegate tasks more effectively. Learn how to do that. You can involve the employees in the decision-making processes. Sometimes you can't always do that, but you can sometimes. And then you trust them. Trust them to manage their responsibilities. But I want to go back, because it just dawned on me that when you involve employees in decision-making process, what happens is it creates ownership making process. What happens is it creates ownership, because when they help to create the process, if you let them make some decisions, then they begin to take ownership of it because they help create it. So you want to be able to do that.
Speaker 2:You want to empower your employees, and then the next thing you want to do is you want to encourage diversity and inclusion. You want a real diverse workforce because that brings different ideas, different perspectives. It just fosters this rich environment because you have so many different people from so many different experiences in their life, from different communities, from different backgrounds. You know the way people are raised in the schools that they go to. All those experiences that they have as they grow in life gives you a different look at things and it helps them to help you see things in a different light. And so you want to be able to have a very diverse workforce, and you need to do that purposely. That doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't happen because you hope to do it. It happens because you purposely do it, and I think that's really, really important.
Speaker 2:So what are some things that you can do? Well, you need to implement some diversity training programs that people understand that. That's what you're trying to do. You want to create inclusive policies where, even in your hiring, you want to look for people with diverse backgrounds. You want to bring in diverse talent. I think all of those things are so, so, very, very important as you are trying to build your organization. What you don't want to do is build your organization by looking for people who are like you, think like you, have your background, have your education. You don't want a bunch of mini-me's running around in the office or in your business and company. What you do is you want diversity, you want different people from different backgrounds to help you create a real strong company with different ideas and creativity, and I think you'll be very, very happy when you begin to implement some of these things.
Speaker 2:So when you, as a leader, I believe you use these principles that we've been talking about, I believe that you will create lift in your company, in your department or in your organization, and I truly believe and I declare that if you do, it'll help your organizational soar to heights that you've never thought possible. Lord, I thank you right now for all of those who decided to listen to this podcast today, and I ask that you help them to soar in their personal life and soar in their careers. Lord, just as we read in the beginning that they'll mount up with wings of eagles, and, lord, I pray that you'd help them, to help others know how to soar as well. And, lord, we thank you for that and we ask it in the name of Jesus. We give you all the glory and all the honor. Amen and amen.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much for listening to this week's podcast. We're so glad that you joined us again. Share with four or five other people this podcast and any other podcast. That's been a blessing to you and been an encouragement to you. Well, that's all the time we have for now, so until next time. 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.