By Marty Hardell – Years ago, I worked with a professional engineer I will call Jim – a very religious man known for his stoic, professional demeanor. Initially wary of the beliefs of colleagues from different denominations, Jim found himself drawn into a discipleship relationship that would change his life forever. Engaging in weekly lunchtime discussions

By Robert J. Tamasy – Have you ever been on a treasure hunt? They come in a variety of forms. Some involve a crudely drawn treasure map like legendary pirates of centuries ago followed. An ‘X’ marked where their treasure had been hidden. Some treasure hunts are progressive, with ‘hunters’ guided by one clue that

By Jim Mathis – It has often been said that we are the average of our five closest friends. I do not know if actual data can back up this statement, but it seems to make sense. We tend to enjoy spending time most with people who are like us. Chances are our best friends

By Robert J. Tamasy – Having spent the entirety of my career in communications – first as a newspaper editor, then magazine editor, director of publications and communications, and book author and editor – the art and complexity of communicating have always fascinated me. We employ myriad means for conveying our messages. Communication has evolved

By Rick Boxx –  We all would like to think that following the Bible’s high standards of doing business always result in success, but that is not reality. It can be especially frustrating when unethical, unscrupulous people seem to thrive while we are struggling to do right. This conundrum is as old as history. In

By Erenia Mendoza   Mental and emotional health increasingly are reasons for great concern for every aspect of life. Especially for the demanding, high-pressure, fast-paced global marketplace. The causes are complex. Sometimes, however, solutions can be surprisingly simple. In his studies on emotion and social interaction, Dr. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University

By Robert J. Tamasy    One of the worst things that can happen while operating a motor vehicle is to be cited for driving “under the influence.” This usually refers to driving while intoxicated or controlled by some kind of drug. But we can also be influenced by smartphones, snacking without keeping our eyes on

By Philip Struble   Entrepreneurs and small business owners – even leaders at midsize and large companies – tend to suffer from the same problem: They want to control all the decisions at their company. Bosses are often under the impression they have achieved their standing today due to their excellent decision-making skills. While this may

By Rick Boxx    Early in my banking career, I had the difficult task of communicating to one of our customers that our loan committee had decided to decline his loan request. When I met with this individual, I thought I had delivered the bad news with gentleness and sensitivity. However, I soon discovered there

By John Johnson    What would be the primary traits you would consider essential for effective leadership? Would you include qualities such as vision, courage, determination, perseverance, charisma, communication skills, and intelligence? How about character traits such as honesty, integrity, generosity, and humility? One quality that stands out to me probably would not appear near