How Can Businesses be Run More Effectively?
I thought about what strategies would work best with my readers. There are so many self-help books out there offering solutions, but I wanted to get some more ideas straight from “The Man.” I knew that many workplaces overkill on meeting and formalities such as bureaucratic rules to prevent problems…which cause even more problems.
“Lord, what are some of the quick fixes you can share with me to help organizations run more effectively?”
“Let me stop you right there. Just looking for simple solutions is a fallacy of its own. Just because something is fast or simple does not make them effective. In fact, most simple and fast solutions solve one issue and then cause several other issues. I love all those late-night infomercials for quick hair growth or rapid weight loss. Sometimes they might work, but often they are junk. I remember buying a Thigh Master several years ago. Suzanne Somers looked so good and I bought it. I used it once. No magical solution for me.”
On the screen was an image of the Lord with rays of light emanating from his head using a Thigh Master and grimacing in pain.
“I am happy to share some insights, but they might not necessarily be fast or simple. For example, several leading management gurus encourage moon-shot efforts: going for the stars rather than just trying to pursue simple more obtainable goals. Moon-shot goals are great for planning and to develop a compelling vision for the future, but they might not work on earth. For example, thinking about some efforts ten years down the road will not motivate someone who is dealing with the here and now. Some Big Hairy Audacious Goals grounded in reality are good, but sometimes aiming for the stars with people who can’t look up is a huge gamble. Moses had to deal with that. When he first approached the slaves in Egypt, he shared grand plans about going to their Promised Land. He mentioned how I would redeem the Israelites and bring them to the land I promised their forefathers (Exodus 6:9). Do you know what the people did Sam?”
“They complained…they always complain.”
God laughed. “They are similar to a broken record, aren’t they?”
It reminded me that you can’t make everyone happy and sometimes you can’t make anyone happy.
“Sam, they complained, and they did not listen to Moses, but why?”
“Could it be, Lord, because he was someone they did not know and when it is a life and death issue you want a leader you can trust?”
“I like that answer Sam, but it is not correct in this case. The Israelites did not listen to Moses because they were short of breath from all the hard work. What does that mean? It means that when they were trying to survive day to day, they could not focus on a plan so far away and requiring so much effort that they did not have. They would have to break their chains of servitude, escape Egypt, outrun the Egyptians, fight various foes, and so on. There were several steps that seemed truly unobtainable. Thus, Moses had to change his message. He moved it from a moon shot to a simpler goal- let’s get you out of Egypt and out of slavery.”
“It should be noted that keeping the Israelites focused and on the right path has always been a challenge…as you joked. Goals are great, but people must internalize them as well. For example, when my prophet Elijah challenged the priests of Baal (Kings 1:18), he was able to show the people that Baal had no power while I gave them a miracle to remember. They immediately forgot my laws when times became tough, and they had to actually start following my laws. The people stopped following my rules and they chased my prophet away. That is like those who witnessed the miracles in Sinai, yet still pushed to have the Golden Calf. This is where we have the conflict between history and memory. Memory is what the people had from something that happened right in front of them. Memory can be a bond, but it can also be denied- even by people who see it with their own eyes. It is fake news for some, even when they were there.”
Up on the screen popped up the image of a large hairy animal. Underneath the picture was an inscription “Big Foot.”
“Sam, it’s like those who try to shoot down people who have seen Big Foot. He really does exist. He is an angel named Ralph and he is a practical joker. He makes sure someone sees him at least once a year in his outfit. Even those who see him with their own eyes try to explain it away. Same with those who sometimes see a miracle, and then explain it away. The same can be seen with many organizations. They have accomplished something great. It should be burned into the memory of the organization and be shared for years to come. Yet, months later employees will be saying what have you done for me lately and might forget the past. Think about it like a sport fan whose team won a championship the prior year. The next season the team is not doing as well. What does the fan do? They write off the team and look at the prior year as a fluke.”
“How can I bring that back to managers and employees today? What does that mean for an organization?” I asked the Lord.
“Sam, it means that the goals need to be obtainable as when you pursue those moon shots it might scare some and for others it might represent a miracle that will not happen again so they will write off the past. Both are not the ideal approach. The ideal approach are communal goals not so far away and not so unreasonable that the people will think it is a miracle rather something they can do themselves without divine assistance.”
“That I can share with my readers. Anything else that I should examine, Lord?”
“Sam, here are some other quick thoughts, but not necessarily quick to apply suggestions. Humm. I hear all about the connected employees who feel they need to be on the phone or reachable at all hours. Stop that. Everyone needs a break from emails, calls, and other distractions. That is the beauty of the Sabbath. True Sabbath observance means one day of not doing anything work related. Imagine that. True rest and being able to connect with family, friends, and nature. Even slaves were supposed to take the Sabbath off (Exodus 20:10) so those connected employees are no longer slaves to Pharaoh, but slaves to work. Not much change over the years right Charlie?”
The Lord thought for a moment and continued.
“Another thing that is important is for there to be a covenant between the employees. Not a contract, but a covenant of trust between people. A covenant is a shared identity and shared moral compass where people feel beholden to one another. It is like a group of acquaintances who agree to go to a movie. That is a social contract. In contrast, when a family agrees on how, when, where, and why to put a loved one in a senior home, they normally have a covenant where they understand the weight and significance of what they are doing and support one another in a significant manner-even if they had disagreed on the outcome. It is very hard to reach a consensus, but a community tries to pull as many supporters together as possible. There will always be objectors to almost any action or decision. A fragmented group will keep the infighting going long after a decision is made. A true community moves forward. That is what the Israelites did. Yes, they battled for position among the 12 brothers, but when push came to shove, they coalesced in honor of their father and to protect themselves when they moved to Egypt.”
The Lord scratched his chin as he pondered what else to say. I was not going to interrupt him.
“Sam, I love the law of unintended consequences. There are so many folks who plan and plan and then when they act, the expected result does not occur. I like to think that everyone should expect the unexpected. One example was Reuven. He tried to protect his brother Joseph by suggesting the other brothers throw him into a pit rather than killing him. That saved Joseph’s life, but that also led to Joseph being sold into slavery when Reuven left the brothers alone. Did he want to protect his younger brother- yes. Did he save Joseph’s life- yes. Did he truly save Joseph- yes, but not the way he expected. Reuven never would have expected saving Joseph would save his family. Always plan but expect almost anything to happen. Who would have thought that the entire world would be impacted by the Corona Virus? Everyone had plans, but none of those plans anticipated such a devastating toll.”
I liked the little tidbits the Lord was sharing with me. While he covered various topics, he responded like a true leader- addressing issues as they came forth and providing an answer. I guess how all these tidbits fit together is that numerous elements go into building and running a business and there is no one correct way to success. However, businesses that function as a covenant will watch out for each other and plan for the unexpected. When the unexpected arises, as it will, the people work as a nimble unit to act in an appropriate manner, without panic, and with the Lord as their “North Star.”
The Lord did not need to say anything. However, on the screen popped up a bright star with an arrow pointing to the Lord. You must love the dramatic effects.
