Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve

It's nice to be needed

So I will not kid you, hearing my manager, Kathryn, say that life for two weeks was hell without me gave me a rush. I'm just admitting it...in this regard I guess I'm a little shallow.

Oh, she didn't really mean it was hell. Not literally of course. Nobody was hurt or maimed. There was no weeping, wailing or nashing of teeth. Things just evidently weren't the same. I was surprised as I didn't think it would be a blip on the screen that I was gone, especially since I had organized my work well and dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" on all my stuff before I left. What was there to do? What was there to miss? I took care of it all before I left.

I was away for two weeks on my family vacation ~ away from both the church, and my career coaching job. Tuesday evenings is my weekly one on one call with Kathryn, who lives in San Francisco. So I got on the phone for our first weekly call after getting back from vaca and these were the first words out of her mouth: "The last two weeks have been hell without you! I am so glad to have my Deanna back'! I kept saying, where oh where is my Deanna and when is she coming back? I could hardly wait!" At first I thought she was kidding or at least being overly melodramatic and said, "no really," and she said, "I'm serious!"

Nothing was wrong. The company is not falling apart. On the contrary it's growing by leaps and bounds, a place with amazing people. There were no crisis the last two weeks. Kathryn was simply saying it wasn't the same without me and she hated the fact that I was absent.

I know it might seem vain, but it was just nice to hear in her own way of saying it that I am valued. It feels good to be needed although I'm glad nobody was seriously going through hell.

Kathryn is an amazing leader who has taught me so much. Working under her has impacted me a lot already in how I lead in the church. Although she is not a believer (yet!) she has taught me some things to help me be a better church leader that I might never have learned otherwise.

In career coaching we share the statistic that 75% of all hires are ultimately made because of chemistry. It's interesting how that works. The most qualified candidate may not always get the job. Most times it's the person who clicks best relationally with the interviewer. It's not so odd -- people's happiness at work is very much tied to being happy with the people they work with or for. All that to say...the chemistry with Kathryn is great and I'm thankful for that. I think if she had the choice she'd hire me again. :)


Comments

Anonymous said…
It feels great to be needed and thats exactly how I feel whenever I am helping you out at church. Whenever you tell me how much you appreciate me it always makes my day.Thank you ! your awsome just remember that .
DaNella Auten said…
I'd have to agree on the chemistry thing, at the interview for this job I just got, I knew I had made a good impression when as I left the interviewer said, "If nothing else, I have REALLY enjoyed meeting you!" She must of ment it, I got the job.
Sharon said…
Oh Deanna,

I can't wait to start my job tomorrow...

Popular posts from this blog

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we

Stuff I Adore That Costs Little to Nothing...

Okay...taking a break today from writing about heavy things...like grief, loss, and bawling. Time to write about random stuff today that nobody may be interested in reading. Nevertheless here it is... Stuff I adore that costs little to nothing... Listening to playlists I make on (free) Spotify Drinking out of canning jars Reading books again that I already have on my shelf. Walking and riding my bike. Admiring crepe myrtle trees. Taking a bath in the daytime with the lights off in the room. (Natural light.) Naps. Snuggling with my husband or one of the kids and watching a movie at home. Having all noise turned off when no one is home. (No TV, no music, just silence.) Prayer.