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

Some people will never understand this...

And that's okay. Just let us be as we lavish love upon the fur-kids of the world. It doesn't mean we don't care about people. We do care. In fact most of the people I know who are great pet lovers are also the greatest philanthropists. If you're not a dog lover, you might not understand the overwhelming intensity that many of us felt about Tank's reunion this past week. You might think we've lost our marbles. That's okay, we think you've lost your heart. ;)  Before I go on with this post, let me say that we were delighted that CBS 10 posted the video and article about Tank and his Celebration Church reunion yesterday. Click here to watch it. (But then come back!) If you haven't realized it, there is a revolution in America about dogs. Dogs have always been loved and known as the most loyal companions ~ "man's best friend". But things have gone way beyond this. Dogs aren't just dogs or friends anymore. They are family me

Fifty Shades of No Way

This weekend, the Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released and millions of women are expected to flock to the theat er s.  I will not be one of those women.   As a leader of women , some have asked me about this movie. The following is my thoughtful response. Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world. The book series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 52 languages. It set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.   Is Fifty Shades of Grey just a harmless book or movie? Although n o one seems to be debating this fact, let’s first establish that it’s pornography.  And not just porn, but a genre that is even more dangerous for women. The book glorifies a female character that is controlled and abused by her partner.   Who is excited about this book and mov ie? Hmmmm….you might be surprised. Many women and girls in our churches have read it. Sadly, I am even aware of

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