In a recent advertisement on television, employees are sharing benefits of working for this particular company. One young lady says, “They’re gonna pay for me to go to school so I can eventually leave the company. Like that’s insane!” Undoubtedly this was an unbelievable benefit as far as she was concerned. There are very few companies who do pay for college or trade school educations for employees, with the understanding most employees will leave the company after finishing school.

This sounds a little unusual, yet I contend it should be more of a norm than abnormality. Effective leaders know helping employees/volunteers in their self-improvement is one of the greatest benefits that can be provided by any organization. If I as a leader I am not assisting my employees/volunteers to improve and reach for his/her greatest potential, I am doing each one a disservice and our organization as well.

Paying for schooling may not be possible in your organization. That is okay. It is not about diplomas. It is about people’s self-worth. There are many, many items you can offer to assist people in self-improvement. One that costs you nothing but a few seconds of time on a regular basis is encouragement. Find out people’s interests and encourage him/her to strive for improvement in that area.

A person will always serve in more productive ways when he/she believes the organization cares for his/her future and effectiveness in life. An organization that creates an environment to help everyone expand on his/her personal skills for a better future, will embolden that person’s commitment to the organization’s goals. Is one of your organizational goals to help all involved to improve his/her skills to serve him/her for the rest of life?

From the candidate or employee’s perspective, everyone should ask him/herself, “How will working here increase my ability and skill preparing me for a better life?” If each of us will ask that question for every organization we are involved with (work, church, civic organization), we can find the right place to serve according to God’s purpose in our life. In that “right place” we will work for self-improved skills and effective service.

As an employee/member, you might be in the right place. You might be the one person who needs to bring to your organization the opportunity to assist others in self-improvement. Think on that thought right now. What can you do, even if you are not in leadership, to assist others in reaching for their God-given purpose? This may be your first step in fulfilling your own God-given purpose.

As a leader, what will you do this week to provide a better environment for self-improvement of every person associated with your organization?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell performed an experiment for the Washington Post a few years back. Joshua Bell, masterfully plays a Stratovarius built in 1713. The Stratovarius is known as the very best, top of the line violin ever constructed. And Joshua Bell plays it in front of hundreds of people at some of the biggest music venues worldwide. He is perhaps the most famous and sought-after violinist alive today.

The Washington post’s experiment had Bell wearing jeans, long-sleeved t-shirt, and a baseball cap enter one of the Washington D.C.’s subway stations, open his case and begin playing his Stratovarius. His 43 minute performance was recorded by the Post. Of the 1,097 people filing by in that time only seven stopped to listen to some of his performance. Only one recognized Bell. As street performers do, Bell turned his open violin case toward passers-by so they could contribute if they so desired. Bell received $32.17. Just weeks before, Bell had played the exact same repertoire in front of hundreds of well-dressed patrons earning thousands of dollars. The difference – value attribution.

Value Attribution is the importance or significance we tend to assign to a person, object, or service without objective observance. In the subway, over one thousand people passed by what they deemed just another street performer. Perhaps a want-to-be musician hoping people will drop enough change and bills to feed him another day. .006 percent of the people passed by the most sought after and highly paid violinist in the world without notice. A free concert was theirs to be had. But their value assessment of him was just short of “ unemployed bum.”

We all have a tendency to place value attribution on people before getting to know each person. We subconciously place a value on people based on how they dress, who they are with, whether or not he/she is pleasant to look at, and other outward factors. Often our value assessments are wrong in that they do not account for the person’s true worth in skill, talent, and attributes he/she can bring to our organization.

Unfortunately, we seldom give that person an opportunity to prove himself or to fully engage in all he can to assist our organization in fulfilling its purpose. Our value attribution holds him/her back from using his best abilities, and we do not even recognize we are doing such. Yet, because our value assessment says this person could never be a leader, we never assign any leadership tasks to him/her.

A person who is held at a lower level than he can achieve will seldom strive to fulfill his greatest potential for your organization. Thus, your organization will not be able to reach its full potential. Multiply this by the number of people in your organization that you have wrongfully placed a value attribution and you multiply the level of lost potential.

Your value attribution of each individual connected to your organization will determine the extent of excellence of your organization. What will you do this week to alter the way you attribute value to others? After all, you may be overlooking the world’s best right in front of you.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Thanksgiving week is here. Frantic shopping, cooking, and house cleaning abound. For most, this is a happy time with family. For others it carries a sadness with it. Thanksgiving around our house will be different this year. My father-in-law passed away four days prior to Thanksgiving and we will lay him to rest on Thanksgiving eve. While it is a sad time, we have much to be thankful for. Be yours happy or sad, there are a few keys to having a successful Thanksgiving Day and these same keys relate to your business as well.

Proper Planning – As in business, Thanksgiving comes with unforeseen misadventures; undercooked birds, travel hazards, last minute store runs. Many of these can be avoided with some proper preplanning. Map out not only your travel routes and times, but also your meal and the preparation time needed for each portion. In business, proper planning is essential for success. Thinking and brainstorming with others can help your organization/team avoid the unforeseen. Proper planning turns the unforeseen into the foreseen.

A Harmonious Team – You can’t always choose who you want to attend Thanksgiving dinner – family is family. You can, however, choose how you interact with those you have disagreements with every year. The same is true in business. You may not always be able to choose everyone on your team, or your temperament may not align with one or more of your team members. You make the decision on how to relate and react to them. As leader, you set the tone and your interaction can determine outcomes.

Exceed Expectations – Whatever your part is this Thanksgiving Day, preparing the whole meal, the turkey or some other part, hosting, or entertainment, strive to exceed expectations. I hosted part of my family twenty-some years ago. Those who attended still talk about that meal every year, at Thanksgiving and every other time I cook for them. In your business do the same. If you want people to strive for success, you must willingly do everything you can as a leader to exceed their expectations in the workplace. You may need to ask what they desire in the workplace. Actually, that is a great place to start.

Gratitude Exuberance – While the name still holds the meaning of this holiday, it has certainly been over-commercialized. Be certain this Thanksgiving to let your gratitude genuinely shine to those you share the table with. God, our creator, has blessed each of us immensely. May we show Him our gratitude by sharing with others. In the workplace as well, the more you genuinely show gratitude for those who work for/with you, the more efficiently they will work toward success.

There is a fifth key – Prayer. Spend time with our Creator, God, this Thanksgiving weekend, around the table and some one-on-one time thanking Him for His blessings of family, friends, health, and success. He is a great God and He blesses greatly.

Happy Thanksgiving

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

“Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I’m not certain that I fully agree with the first part of von Goethe’s quote. You may not always make him worse, but you certainly do not help him improve when you treat a man as he appears. On the other hand, when you treat a man as if he were what he could be you do help him move toward his potential.

Any man or woman who hears enough times, “You are not good enough,” and he or she will begin believing it. Moving forward seems to be impossible. “After all everyone else knows it, it must be true.” Rare is the person who pulls out of this mentality without the input of a positive influencer.

Negative influencers abound. You have the potential to be a positive influencer for the people in your life. Whether you are a boss, parent, sibling, or friend, why not encourage people to reach for their potential.

I’m not advocating that you tell everyone to reach for his/her pie in the sky dreams. But you can help those you know to reach beyond a dead-end or flat-lined life. After all, you cannot have a million-dollar dream on a minimum wage work habit. Everyone has a next step toward improved skills, a better life. You can be the one, perhaps the only, positive influencer in other’s lives.

Leaders should have the resourcefulness to encourage and influence all people in their charge (impact) to always be reaching for the next step of self-improvement. This could be furthering education, improving physical ability, mental capacity, personal competency or any number of personal advancements. Not only resourcefulness, every leader, pastor, manager should have the ambition to assist others in striving for a more self-improved tomorrow. It should be our responsibility and our aspiration every day.

When we treat those in our charge as who he (she) could be, we help move him (or her) toward the person God intended. Don’t hold others back. Determine in your heart to be a positive influencer. Be the person who sees greater potential in others and inspires them to move in that direction.

Looking back in your life, I guarantee someone was that positive influencer speaking into your life. Can you name him/her. Likely, you’ve had more than one. What will be your aspiration tomorrow for moving others toward a better future?

“…treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

The story is told that Henry Ford once procured an efficiency professional to examine the operation of his company. While this expert’s report was largely positive, he did express reservations about a particular employee. When questioned by Ford about who and the cause of concern, his reply was, “It’s that man down the corridor. Every time I go by his office he’s just sitting there with his feet on his desk. He’s wasting your money.”

“That man,” replied Ford, “once had an idea that saved us millions of dollars. At the time, I believe his feet were planted right where they are now.”

Most leaders understand the value of creativity and innovation. Unfortunately, some leaders believe themselves to be the only person in the organization who can have a creative thought. Effective leaders, on the other hand, are not afraid to create a culture of creativity within the organization.

While Henry Ford did not allow every person in his organization to sit around with feet upon their desk, I believe his point about this particular employee is easily grasped. Generating a culture of creativity simply put is allowing the time and atmosphere to think or to brainstorm creatively. This can be individually as well as small groups. This atmosphere is to be broad enough to foster building on the strengths and ideas of others. All creativity becomes a team effort, while giving credit where credit is due.

Perhaps the third ingredient to this type atmosphere is to empower others to carry out the envisioned product, service, or idea. For many leaders this can be the sticking point in the process. Not sticky, the sticking or blocking point. In other words, many leaders have difficulty empowering others with the leadership capabilities to carry out the task. Micro-managing kills creativity.

Too often in the workplace and in the church, we associate busyness with productivity. However, busyness can keep our employees/volunteers from their best creativeness.

Trusting and nurturing the creativity of your employees/volunteers is perhaps the greatest bridge between efficiency and effectiveness. Some of my biggest eye-opening moments were reading of and seeing some of the creativity atmospheres developed in several Silicon Valley companies. To me the atmospheres themselves were out of the box, creative, innovative, clever ideas.

What type of creative atmosphere exists in your organization? Is it top down only? Or do you truly value the input of others – allowing them to not only create, but flesh out and brainstorm with others the process to arrive at the desired creative ideas? What will you do this week to improve the creative atmosphere in your organization and your personal valuing of the creativeness of others?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

“Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” One of many great quotes from perhaps the biggest sales and motivational speaker for over half a century, Zig Ziglar. I chose this quote for this week’s post for a few reasons. First, Zig was a man of character – and integrity. Second, he hit the nail on the head with this quote. he knew this from experience, his own and from observing others over many years in the professional world.

The third reason is the truth found in this quote. Ability is good and necessary in any successful endeavor, business or personal. Ability includes the proficiency of aptitude, and ability to exercise skill and competence in a particular area. I have a brother who has mechanical ability with autos and other motorized vehicles. Not only the ability to work on engines, also body work, exceptional painting, literally anything to do with motorized vehicles from customized golf carts to racing speed boats. My brother has this ability, I do not.

My younger brother has the proficient ability in home and commercial maintenance and remodeling. Building a deck on the back of a home or overseeing a multi-million-dollar remodel project for a hospital, he is gifted with ability to accomplish the task. While I enjoy some of these type projects, I do not have the level of ability as my younger brother.

We all have ability and our ability can take us to the top of our field as long as we use and continue striving to improve these abilities. It is when a person stops improving that he/she stagnates in progressing to the pinnacle of performance.

“Ability can take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” Character includes one’s temperament, personality, disposition, level of integrity, uprightness, and honor. Without character – quality character – a person’s time at the top is limited.

Zig Ziglar made it to the top of the sales profession selling pots and pans. From the late 1950’s until his passing in 2012 he never stopped bringing others along and continuously encouraging as many people as he could to strive for reaching the top – the top of their personal and professional possibility. Not everyone can be the president of a fortune 500 company or the best salesperson in the world. But each person can strive for the best of his/her own ability with impeccable character.

For some people, being shown respect for his/her ability is enough. Yet, those who strive to continually improve ability with quality character, these are the people who go beyond expectations and thrive at the top. These are also the people who will be encouraging others along the journey as well.

Like Zig Ziglar, quality performers with respectable character not only make it to the top. They bring others along with them and spend a lifetime encouraging others to be and do the same. Are you living dependent on ability alone or ability plus character? What will you do this week to improve both your ability and character quality? How will you encourage the ability and character of others?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

John F. Kennedy inspired a nation and the leaders of a space program to put a man on the moon in less than ten years. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” NASA moved forward with confidence.

Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a civil rights movement with a steadfast character and a speech that is still remembered fifty years later. “I have a dream…” Several of King’s quotes remain on the pages of social media and annually captured in many news articles around the country. Many men and women have been able to advance with a strong confidence due to Mr. king’s inspiration and sacrifice.

Jack Welch was a leader who knew how to inspire others to dream big and accomplish big. Jack Welch led General Electric for two decades in which GE became a global powerhouse in many areas of business. General Electric is filled with stories of man and women who moved forward with strong confidence during Jack Welch’s leadership. And they continue today.

The list goes on and on. As we read of history or history in the making, great and successful leaders were and are the leaders who inspire others to reach for the best inside themselves for the good of the organization or nation. Think back on leaders you have witnessed in your lifetime. What is it about the leaders in your own life that cause you to consider them great or better than good leaders?

I believe one contributing factor you will find in all successful leaders is the ability to inspire others to reach inside him/herself and to strive with confidence to do his/her best with their God-given abilities for the organization while increasing in his/her own capabilities.

Those who utilize this leadership practice will see others rise and increase in skill and competence. Rising beyond even what the individual thought possible. The bittersweet portion of this is the leader often says goodbye to these excelling employees as they move on to greater positions with other organizations. Yet, the successful leader knows this is part of the leadership cycle and is indeed successful leadership.

An effective leader never wants to hold someone back from reaching his/her potential just to keep that person in a current position. That would be stealing confidence, not instilling it. While losing good, quality people is tough, it is very rewarding to see and hear of future accomplishments. Learning of former employees reaching far beyond they ever could have at your organization will bring a delight to any leader if you’ve had a hand in encouraging and inspiring that person in his/her skillset and competences.

What will you do this week to inspire others in your organization (church or family) to dig deeper, to grow confident in fulfilling their greatest potential? What will you do to improve your leadership of inspiration?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

In 1969, Oakland A’s owner Charles Finley introduced to major league baseball, “ball girls” – young girls who would sit in foul territory to retrieve baseballs grounded foul by batters -. Debbi, was one of the first girls hired. Debbi saved the money she earned to buy ingredients to bake cookies. She introduced a milk & cookies break for umpires in Major League games. At the age of twenty this same Debbi started her own business, a cookie business. You know them as Mrs. Fields Cookies.

I recently read an article by Mrs. Fields written several years ago. In the article she gives what she deems a “Recipe for Success” which included four ingredients. (Do you see a theme here?) I’ll give Debbi’s four ingredients, Mixed with some personal comments.

Ingredient #1: Good is never enough. Why would anyone settle for a good cookie when you can have a delicious one that sends your taste-buds into orbit? Debbie is always looking for the very best cookie to be eaten. Good is the enemy of great. When we settle for good, we’ll never strive for the greatness for which we were created by God. Whatever you do, never settle for what seems good. It will only withhold you from the greatness you could achieve. Even yesterday’s best is likely only mediocre today.

Ingredient #2: Don’t just make a customer. Mrs. Fields employees get to know their customers. Not names only. They build relationships, find out their likes and dislikes. Each store’s employees determine which seven of the fourteen cookies get baked each day, based on the likes of their customers. Whatever your business, nurturing relationships is the sustaining factor on keeping people coming back.

Ingredient #3: Don’t be afraid to fail. You can imagine, not all cookie recipes made the cut. When you strive for the best, you will go through recipes (trials, campaigns, products or processes) that just aren’t illustrious enough for your brand. Push through the trials, setbacks, and almost good enough”. Like Mrs. Fields keep looking for that better recipe.

Ingredient #4: Enjoy the Journey. You don’t have all the answers. Stop beating yourself up when trials come your way. Build a support team around you – family, close friends, church family. Mrs. Fields says the two things that kept her going and motivated was, a supportive family and a passion. Follow your passion. If its not baking cookies, you might want to get out of the kitchen. The joy in your life’s journey is based in your God-given passion. Unearth your passion for your greatest enjoyment.

Many people have written their “Recipe for Success” and published books about how. I’m not saying this one is the best cookie on the shelf. But Mrs. Fields has a few good great points to consider. What will you do this week to unearth your passion and stop settling for good?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

4 ingredients adapted from “Recipe for Success”, pg 19, Get Motivated 2010

The great Greek philosopher, Socrates is credited with introducing the Triple Filter test. One version of the story is, a man, possibly a disciple of Socrates, came to the philosopher and said, “Let me tell you what I heard about one of your friends.”

Socrates said, “Hold on a minute. Before you tell me, it might be good to run it through the triple filter test. First, have you made absolutely sure what you are about to tell me is true?”

“No,” came the reply. “I just heard it, I do not know, I have not checked to insure if it is true.”

“Okay,” replied Socrates, “Let’s try the second filter. Is what you are about to say something good about my friend?”

“No, quite the opposite…”

Socrates interrupted the man, not wanting him to share the news yet. “Okay, you do not know if it is true. It is not good. But you might still pass the test with the third filter. Is what you are about to tell me useful?”

“No, not really.”

“Well,” said Socrates, “If what you want to tell me is not true, good or useful, why do you want to tell me at all?”

Can you visualize a culture where this triple filter test was practiced in the workplace, churches, and in homes, even in our private casual conversations with friends and family? A culture with no gossip, backbiting, or insinuations about others. Sounds like a utopia, doesn’t it?

It all starts with one person, you. Will you this week commit to put into practice the triple filter test before you speak and before you allow anyone to share information about others? With whom will you share this concept, perhaps even make a triple filter test pact with?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

The small group sat around the room discussing options for the future of their church. Seven men and women representing the 35-37 remaining members of Ho-Hum Ecumenical Church (or HEC). Though the church had run well over 300 in attendance each Sunday twenty years ago, the facilities now look like an outdated, well-worn overcoat with the current congregation. Today’s discussion, like many others over the past few years centers on trying to resurrect old events and programs that were used in the church’s heyday. An hour and a half later the meeting is dismissed with no decisions made. The only plans for the future are to keep meeting on Sunday morning as always.

A scenario very similar to this plays out each week in churches across North America. In time many of these churches close their doors, leaving no Christian presence in the community, no legacy that a church ever existed – except for the empty buildings. Churches and other establishments get so caught up in past exploits and observances they do not realize the self-inflicted Organizational Strangulation.

Three elements are needed for any organization to remain healthy and avoid Organizational strangulation. Faith (inspiration), Fellowship (communication), Service (action).

Faith – complete trust or confidence in someone or something most often grounded in spiritual apprehension, not proof. In the business world inspiration takes the role of faith. Faith or inspiration gives individuals the desire to invest in moving forward without full evidence of what the future holds.

Fellowship – the friendly association of people with similar interests joining together in community. In the church and business world the strength of fellowship is determined by the depth of communication. The more people of like interests communicate with one another the closer the bond of friendly association.

Service – the act of helping or assisting others. To act or to take action is to engage in some behavioral deed. Service is one person engaging in some behavioral deed on another’s behalf.

The New Testament church of Jesus Christ cannot exist without faith. Faith is a preeminence of existence for the church. No one alive today was alive when Christ walked the earth. Therefore, we rely (by faith) on what has been handed down to us in written and oral form.

It is our common interest of faith in Christ that draws us into fellowship with one another. The more time we spend relating with each other, the closer we draw to one another. The more time we spend together relating to God’s Word and His directives for our lives, the closer we draw to God as individuals and as a community of believers.

True faith and fellowship in Christ cannot exist without acts of service for Christ, on His behalf to others around us. Many churches live today on a pseudo faith; a self-styled faith. It is a faith derived by our own measure, not the true Word of God.

This pseudo faith is then connected to friendship instead of realistic fellowship. Today’s fellowship is based on our own level of need and desire – if and when it suits me.

When pseudo faith and me-friendship co-exist true biblical service is seldom present. In these churches when true service does exist, it is usually by accident when it is thrust upon us, not us seeking service.

The members of any organization must work together to strengthen the faith which in turn leads to inspiration for accomplishing God-sized results. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, living together with one another’s best interest at heart. Acts of service comes from a heart to help others. Determine this week to change the culture of faith, fellowship, and service in your organization. Otherwise you might find yourself in one HEC of a church.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.