Christian Business Concepts
Christian Business Concepts
Getting Noticed at Work: Biblical Principles for Career Growth
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Harold Milby shares biblical business principles that guide Christians to stand out in the workplace while honoring God and maintaining their faith values. He provides actionable strategies based on scripture that help believers gain recognition through character and excellence rather than self-promotion.
• Excellence in work demonstrated by Daniel's exceptional qualities that made him stand out even in a secular environment
• Integrity and character as shown by Ruth's loyalty and Nehemiah's refusal to exploit his leadership position
• Servant leadership following Jesus's teaching that true greatness comes from serving others
• Practical strategies for getting noticed including mastering your craft and continuous learning
• Effective communication that highlights your contributions in terms of business outcomes
• Taking initiative by volunteering for visible projects and suggesting innovative solutions
• Building relationships through genuine interest in others and celebrating their successes
• Demonstrating problem-solving skills by addressing issues before they escalate
• Showcasing leadership by organizing team efforts and mentoring new employees
Remember that getting noticed isn't about self-promotion but reflecting Christ through your work. Start small, stay consistent, and trust God for the results as you seek to have more influence and let your light shine before others.
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, thanks again, kelly, and welcome everyone to this week's Christian Business Concepts podcast. I'm your host, harold Milby, and each week I try to share with you biblical business principles that will help you find true godly success. You know a lot of people don't think that there's that much in the Bible about business, but, trust me, the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, has some great principles for us to live by and define that kind of success that God defines as the kind of success that he wants you to have. It is my opinion that the Word of God says that he wants you blessed, he wants you to succeed, and so that's part of the reason that this podcast was started, and it's my hope every week that you'll be encouraged, that you'll be enlightened and you'll be empowered by what you hear. Now let me give you a big shout out to Springboro, ohio, for having so many downloads. We thank the Lord daily for those of you who listen to the podcast and we're so excited that you're downloading these podcasts each week, and we're glad that you're a part of the CBC family, as well as all of you around the world who listen on a regular basis.
Speaker 2:Now this week's Christian Company Highlights segment is about a furniture company that a lot of people don't really know about, or maybe you've heard of, but you didn't even know it was a Christian company, a man by the name of DJ Dupre. He was a founder and a visionary for a company called Herman Miller, the Herman Miller Furniture Company, and he turned that small little furniture manufacturer into a global design leader. And his decision to embrace this modern design was influenced really in his whole demeanor, influence really in his whole demeanor, his whole character. Everything about him, he says, came from and was influenced by his Christian values and it was these values that really laid the foundation for the company's enduring success. And it influenced his management style and he really emphasized integrity and employee dignity. He really took care of his employees and he treated them the way he felt, like that Christ would want them treated, and that really became the cornerstone of Herman Miller's operations. So that's another great Christian company that's out there Herman Miller Furniture Company.
Speaker 2:Well, as a Christian business leader, you ultimately want to glorify God in all that you do. Colossians 3 and 23 through 24 reminds us that whatever you do, work it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. You know, getting noticed by your boss or by the owner of a company doesn't really mean that you're seeking personal glory. It's really about demonstrating excellence and integrity and servant leadership. That really is nothing more than really just a reflection of your faith, and if you do that, you can add value to that organization and in turn, you become a person of influence within that company. You have the opportunity to let your light shine in front of others and in front of more people. So today I want to combine a lot of scriptural wisdom with some, I guess you'd say, actionable or modern strategies to help you stand out in a competitive workplace while at the same time making sure that you stay true to your Christian values. So what are the core principles for getting noticed at work? And I work through this. So these are things that I have done in the past and these are things that have worked, and I've seen others utilize them as well.
Speaker 2:So the first thing is excellence, and that is just consistently delivering high quality work, because that'll set you apart as being very reliable and very capable. And then the next is initiative. You need to be proactive when you address challenges. If you see challenges, you see those opportunities. You need to take some initiative. Show that you're invested in a bigger picture. Right, and the third out of the four is visibility. Make your contributions known. Don't do it with arrogance, but you want to be able to ensure that your efforts are seen, that they don't go unnoticed. And again, it's not trying to be braggadocious, but you want to make sure that the right people know and understand what you've accomplished. Now, sometimes they see that through. If you have to fill out paperwork for any kind of action items that you've been assigned or it can come about through, you know, maybe you have some key economic indicators that you have to show that you've done so. Whatever it may be, you want to make sure you're visible, you know, with some of the things that you get done.
Speaker 2:And the next is alignment. You need to make sure that you understand and that you support your bosses and your own goals to build that trust and relevance. So let's look at some foundations, some biblical foundations for getting noticed. Okay, so the Bible does provide a lot of examples more than I can share in this segment but there are numerous examples of individuals who really stood out through their character, through their diligence, through their trust in God. And here are some of these principles. I think that can help you.
Speaker 2:So again, excellence in work we see that in Daniel, chapter six, verse three. It says now, daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. So Daniel's excellence and his consistency made him it just made him impossible to not see, to ignore. You know, he had great work ethic, he had great integrity. That set him apart even in a secular environment. So you need to strive to produce high-quality work that exceeds, go beyond what people's expectations are. Be reliable and thorough. Be proactive in your responsibilities. Reliable and thorough, be proactive in your responsibilities.
Speaker 2:You know scripture in Ruth, the book of Ruth, chapter 1, verse 16, and we're talking about the character of Ruth. But it says that. But Ruth said do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you, for where you go I will go and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. And so she decided, after her husband died, that she was going to stay with her mother-in-law. And it was a lot of hard work, but she showed integrity, but she showed loyalty, and loyalty will make a way for you.
Speaker 2:Now, it's not just blind loyalty. I'm not talking about blind loyalty, but I am talking about loyalty and hard work. So you need to do things the right way and you don't ever, ever, ever, ever, ever speak badly about your boss. You just don't do that. It lacks integrity. God's not pleased with it. It's one of the worst things that you could ever ever do. Uh, so keep that in mind. Uh, you know? Um, even in Nehemiah Nehemiah was a great example of this as well. Nehemiah 5, verses 14-19,. A little lengthy here, but stay with me.
Speaker 2:Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the 20th year, to the 32nd year of our taxis the king, 12 years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration 40 shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people, but I did not do so because of the fear of God. I also preserved in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now, what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox, six choice sheep and birds, and every 10 days, all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember, for my good, oh my God, all that I have done for this people.
Speaker 2:And so Nehemiah was talking to the Lord and he was just sharing that I didn't treat these people badly. I didn't treat them badly. I didn't take from them they didn't have it to take and I didn't demand that they provide for my staff, for the people that worked under me directly, and so he was just bringing that to the Lord's remembrance. But it's good for us to see that too, because it shows how to be a good leader. So he did things the right way, and I think that's important, because when he rebuilt those walls in Jerusalem, despite a lot of opposition, he really refused to exploit his position. He refused to use his position and have power because of it. He worked alongside the people. He worked beside them, he ensured that they had the resources that they needed. So he really knew how to show teamwork and he was willing to be an example, which is what we have to do. We have to be an example and you participate with those that you supervise, be accountable for all the company resources and let people see that. So I think that's important.
Speaker 2:And then, of course, you have David. In 1 Samuel 24, 6, it says that he said to his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him. Seeing, he is the Lord's anointed Because this is when Paul spared Saul's life, saul, he had the opportunity to kill Saul. He had already, you know, samuel had already anointed David King, but you know he understood the timing. But he also knew that he wasn't going to speak out or do anything against Saul, wasn't going to speak out or do anything against Saul, which was the king at that time, and so that's very, very important as we look at that. So what we want to do, as I said, is we want to provide excellence in our work. And these were several examples.
Speaker 2:Now the next thing is servant leadership. If you want to be noticed, you've got to practice servant leadership. Mark 10 and 43 through 44 says whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. So Jesus teaches that really true greatness comes from serving others and not self-promotion. It comes from serving others and you got to look for ways. Look for ways to support your boss, look for ways to support the owner's vision. You know, even in small things, even in little things, that you do and you show humility and put the team first. Have that kind of an attitude, you know. Put the team first and put the team first. Have that kind of an attitude you know. Put the team first.
Speaker 2:The next is integrity and having trustworthiness. You know Proverbs 22 and 1 says A good name is more desirable than great riches. To be esteemed is better than silver or gold. So your reputation as an honest, dependable leader will naturally draw attention to you. So make sure that you continue to be transparent, that you keep your word. If you let your yes be yes and your no be no, you act ethically. Make sure that you do that even when nobody's watching. That's the most important part. And then diligence and initiative. Make sure that you show diligence and initiative. Proverbs 10 and 4 says lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands brings wealth. So hard work and a willingness to go the extra mile gets noticed over time. You just can't help that. So you got to anticipate the needs and you got to be able to solve problems before even being asked, and that'll show, actually, that you're invested in the company's success and that's what owners and upper tier leadership is looking for. So what are some practical strategies to get noticed? What are some practical strategies? And so, as we build on these biblical principles that we just shared, you know, here are some practical strategies.
Speaker 2:First and foremost, master your craft. Master your craft. Competence is the foundation of credibility. When you're exceptional at your job, people take notice. When you excel in whatever your current responsibilities are and you show curiosity about being and looking at the broader business operations broader business operations Leaders take notice the one thing that anytime that I was given a new position or a new authority, I read books. I read and read and read and read, and I did everything that I could to learn and to be the best at what it was that I needed to do, and I still do that today. But I didn't do it to take note, for people to look at me. I just did it because that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a master at what I was doing, and so I did everything that I could to learn.
Speaker 2:So you need to be consistently exceeding the expectations in what people are asking you to do and then learn skills and systems that are not part of your immediate role. We'll say Things that you know. Number one, that you're not stepping on somebody else's feet don't do that but that you can learn things that you know can add additional value. You know you want to be valuable to the company, and then you want to be able to share your insights from your expertise. When you do meetings or maybe when you write reports, you want to be able to share your insights. And then, as I said, you want to invest in continuous learning. You don't want to give up. You don't want to stop learning. You know you could take courses. There's all kinds of things that you could do but you want to continuously learn and you want to stay updated on any kinds of trends or any kind of competitive information. You just want to make sure you're updated and then deliver those results on a consistent and on-time basis.
Speaker 2:You know, if you look at somebody like Nick Saban, he's a legendary football coach, but he's also a known Christian, and you know he built a reputation for excellence, but he did that through meticulous preparation. He's a very meticulous person and very disciplined, and his consistent success really has made him indispensable to the teams and has been noticed really by the sports community. So he's a great example of that. Now, the next thing you want to do is you want to be able to communicate effectively. That Now the next thing you want to do is you want to be able to communicate effectively. That's why you need to be clear and confident in your communication, because what that does is that really shows your ideas and leadership potential. So make sure you share updates on your projects.
Speaker 2:Don't wait for him to come to you. You go to him either by email or quick meeting, but let him know what's going on and make sure you're offering solutions, not just complaints. I used to tell people all the time that would come to me. I would say look, I can find anybody to find what's wrong. But what I'm looking for is to people show me how to make it right, show me a way to overcome it. So I used to tell people never bring me a problem that you don't have, that you haven't already thought about two to three solutions before you bring it to me. I don't want to hear it until you can do that, because anybody can find a problem. And so you know, the Bible says in Proverbs 16, 24, it says gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Speaker 2:So we want to be very, very, very effective in our communication. You know, a good example of that today is the Chick-fil-A CEO, dan Cathy. He's a devout Christian. He's known for his articulate, very articulate, very value-driven communication with people and it always reflects his faith. It always aligns with the company's mission and as he does that, he's really earning the respect of people, his employees and other leaders. He's really gaining their respect. All right.
Speaker 2:Next, you want to communicate your value. You want to communicate your value. Why is that important? Well, great work doesn't just speak for itself. Sometimes leaders need to know what you're contributing. So you need to have some strategic communication highlights of what's taking place. The owners and your bosses, they want to know what's going on. So how do you do it? Well, you know you got to send some concise updates to your boss. Do you do it? Well, you know you got to send some concise updates to your boss about completed projects. You know, like you know, hey, I just wrapped up the quarter one sales report. Here's a key finding that might interest you. You know, make sure you speak up in meetings with any kind of data, anything that you think is thoughtful or any great ideas, and then you want to make sure you frame your contributions in terms of business outcomes and, in other words, you know you may share something that you did, and then you say this change has saved us 15 hours this month, so you want to be able to show what it means in business terms. Right, you know Satya Nadella. You know, before he became Microsoft CEO, he gained notice as a division leader, but one of the things that he did he was always articulating how his cloud computing initiatives would drive revenue. So they took notice of that. It's not only what I'm doing, but here's how it's going to impact the company. His ability to really connect his work to the company's strategic goals is what got him noticed.
Speaker 2:Number three take initiative. Leaders notice employees who don't wait to be told what to do. As you've heard me say many times, I believe there's two types of people those who lean into the work and those who lean out to the work. You want to be a person that leans in. You want to be a person that takes initiative. You want to volunteer for especially very visible projects, but maybe you take tasks on that other people don't want. They try to avoid them. You want to suggest innovative ideas Anytime you can improve efficiency and profitability. A company is going to take notice and then you follow through with those results. You propose different types of solutions to problems that are just plaguing the company. They always are happening. You want to try to find a way to overcome those problems. Joseph in Genesis, chapter 41, he took the initiative to interpret Pharaoh's dream when everybody else was afraid to, and then he proposed a plan and that got him promoted to become the second in command of Egypt. A modern example of that is Sarah Blakely. She's the founder of Spanx. She's a Christian. She started her company by identifying this gap in the market and then pitching her idea. She was relentless and she finally gained attention from retailers and she eventually built an empire. So I think it's important. Now.
Speaker 2:The next thing that you need to do is you need to build relationships, because people promote those they trust and connect with. So you've got to have trust. You've got to have rapport with your boss or the owner. That will only increase your likelihood that they're going to have trust. You've got to have rapport with your boss or the owner. That will only increase your likelihood that they're going to notice you and then support you. So make sure that you have brief but purposeful meetings with your boss check-ins, so to speak. Tell them, hey, I'd love to have 10 minutes to discuss how I can support your goals this quarter. Things like that Show genuine interest. You know this isn't fake, this is real. But show genuine interest in their vision and in their challenges and then celebrate with other people their successes too. You know, romans 12.10 says be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. I just think it's important that you build these relationships. You know Truett Cathy, who's the founder of Chick-fil-A. He built this legacy of relational leadership because of the way he treated employees. He treated them like family, which earned him a lot of loyalty and visibility as a leader, all right.
Speaker 2:Next, you want to demonstrate problem-solving skills before they get out of hand. So before a problem gets out of hand, you need to recognize it and then deal with it, because leaders really value those who really reduce the stress that they have. If you can solve a problem so that your boss doesn't have to solve it, it really lowers that stress to them. So what you want to do is you want to be able to solve those problems before they become so big and monstrous that it just creates so much stress. So identify whatever those current issues are that keep happening, those reoccurring issues, and then give some kind of solution. You know things like hey, I noticed our inventory process. It's just really slow. Here's a better way to do it. Here's a way we can streamline that and then take ownership of any of your mistakes and then fix them. Fix them, stay calm when you're pressured and just kind of reflect your faith-driven confidence, because we can have confidence in the Lord, because he said he'd bless the work of our hands, and so you know, I think it's important that you demonstrate these types of skills.
Speaker 2:And then next, what you want to do is you want to showcase your leadership in small ways, you want to demonstrate leadership, even without a formal title. It really shows them the potential you have to do things and to be in bigger positions and higher levels of leadership. And you do that by organizing team efforts, maybe, or you organize a training session or you know, hey, I set up a quick tutorial on the new CRM for the team, those kinds of things and then take it upon yourself to kind of be the mentor, maybe for new employees, because what that does is that will help them to perform these new employees to perform at a higher level, and you'll be noticed for that. And then stay really positive when others don't seem to be like, during tough times, you want to stay positive, and an example of that would be Reed Hastings. He's the Netflix co-founder and he really stood out early in his career. He was at a company called Pure Software and he was very informal in leading teams but he helped them to really improve a lot of the product development systems and he was just kind of a leader that caught the attention of his bosses and it really set the stage for him to be noticed, not only within his company but by and within other companies as well, and within other companies as well.
Speaker 2:So you know putting into action some of these things. You know just briefly. You know maybe your boss is overwhelmed. You know you say, hey, I noticed you've been juggling a lot with the upcoming deadline. I'd be happy to handle the client report for you. Would that help you? Those kinds of things?
Speaker 2:Just make sure that you keep your faith grounded in all of this too. I can't say that enough. That's so important. Don't ever compromise your values, no matter what you're doing, and keep your focus on God during this time. Throughout your career, make sure you're praying for guidance, asking God to direct your efforts and open doors. Make sure you avoid pride at any cost. You always give credit to God and your team for success. And then you've got to trust in God's timing. Trust me promotion the Bible says in Psalm 75, 6-7,. It says promotion comes from the Lord. So be patient and be faithful and trust God's timing.
Speaker 2:You know, as a Christian business leader, getting noticed isn't about, you know, self-promotion, and I know a lot of the things we've talked about. It seems like that, but it's not about that. It's not about self-promotion. It's about reflecting Christ through your work. You know, when you combine your excellence and initiative and integrity with just practical strategies, like I said, like effective communication and problem solving. You know you're going to stand out to your boss and to your company and to the owner of that company, and you're going to stand out in ways that really honor God, and then it advances your career at the same time. So start small, stay consistent and trust God for the results.
Speaker 2:Lord, we thank you for helping us strike that balance, lord, of promoting ourselves for your glory and for your benefit. Lord, for the kingdom's benefit. Help us to strike that balance between that and arrogance. Lord, our desire is to have more influence, lord, to live a godly life in front of more people, so that our light shines before men and women, that they may know you, lord and Lord, some people that's all the God they're only going to see is going to be seen through us. So, lord, help us to apply these principles in our lives.
Speaker 2:In the name of Jesus, lord, we ask Amen in our lives. In the name of Jesus, Lord, we ask Amen Now. Thank you for listening today to today's podcast and I hope you'll help us grow the CBC community by sharing this episode with four to five others and by posting the link on your social media pages like Facebook and LinkedIn, media pages like Facebook and LinkedIn. That'll really help us. We're really trying to reach one million people with principles to help them find true godly success. Well, that's all the time we have for today, so until next time, remember that 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.