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CEO Training In Greensboro And The Greater Piedmont Area: How "Open Book" Christian Corporate Leadership Helps Companies Thrive

Steve Andrews — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

All too often, the Piedmont C12 Group has watched as formerly successful, healthy companies suddenly lose traction during tenuous economic times. Many times, leaders wrongfully assume their past achievements will continue in all economic environments. Others simply adopt a bloated sense of status and overall attitude of complacency. Unfortunately, these leaders find they simply can't sustain their previous success when the economic activity drops unexpectedly.

At the Piedmont C12 Group, we understand that every working person in this country from chief executive staff to new grads dread the word "recession" on some level. While we recognize that economic dips, downturns and outright financial recessions are often simply unavoidable pitfalls of conducting business, we ardently believe that focused leaders are not rendered completely powerless against them. Rather, through our CEO training in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem, we urge our members to rise up and take action in even the most dire financial climates and circumstances. Most specifically, our CEO training in Greensboro and the Greater Piedmont area focuses on one of the most potent tools these Christian business leaders can wield during recessions and the like: open book management.

CEO Training In Greensboro, High Point & Winston Salem With Open Book Management And Executive Leadership

Through our CEO training in High Point and the surrounding area, we've learned that trying commerce situations evoke two vastly different executive responses. Some companies choose to bring on reactionary consultants determined to quickly minimize and eliminate debt and overhead. While some progress may be made, the efforts often result in enflaming an internal fear mentality and the onset of operationally debilitating corporate casualties.

The Piedmont C12 Group advocates a different approach when faced with financial struggles in the form of open book management. Our CEO training in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem encourages Christian leaders to acknowledge the circumstances around them. More importantly, CEOs learn to leverage a difficult time as an occasion to get back to Christian business basics, build foundational company integrity and empower and inform employees with as much information from the top as possible.

Helping Christian Leaders Maintain A Focus On Open Book Management

Understanding the concept of open book management represents one part of the overall battle. Actually implementing and consistently reinforcing the principles behind the theory is a major component of its success. Some of the many points our CEO training in Winston Salem and the Greater Piedmont Triad emphasizes include the following:

Revise and rebroadcast your company's mission, vision and primary focus
Seize every opportunity to inform and educate staff on every relevant business metric
Emphasize process and procedural improvements as a basic requirement
Increase ownership and accountability by tying individual goals to overall organizational plan
Reevaluate staff at every level to ensure everyone is on board with a new mentality
Publicly acknowledge every success, small or grand, and recognize teammates that helped with the achievement

Adopting these and other open book management policies will help Christian leaders effectively eliminate a "sky is falling" fear of the unknown, grant accountability and authority to everyone within the organization, and strengthen employee productivity and loyalty during both thriving and fragile economic situations.

The Importance of Being Diligent: Tips For Business Leadership In Greensboro, High Point, And Winston Salem

Steve Andrews — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

What is the most important catalyst for business success? It's not luck - it's diligent pursuit of a considered goal.

At Piedmont C12 Group, we recognize that prolonged diligence is often not an inherent characteristic, but rather a learned behavior through consistent practice and reinforcement. We help executives understand that while maintaining a steady eye on the corporate big picture is important, it is the unswerving diligence towards small everyday goals that fosters a positive internal business culture. By overcoming these small but relevant daily hurdles, executives can yield immeasurable results in growth and achievement, which leads to the overall long-term health and sustainability of their business.

Biblical Business Leadership In Greensboro, High Point, And Winston Salem

These ideas from the Bible hold true for business leadership in Greensboro, High Point, and Winston Salem, as well as for larger national corporations. While the people who get rich quick may be the most famous, the most successful are those who use their experience to create a wise plan and follow that course of action with unwavering dedication. The biggest long-term success comes from small victories each day, not from the one moment of excellence. This is true in the business world and is supported in the Scriptures as well. Proverbs constantly reminds us that we must be disciplined; using the experiences God gives us to improve and enhance our ability to plan for the future.

Minor victories may not seem like much, but they are the building blocks of a great business. Business leadership in High Point and the greater Piedmont Triad requires that you find a way to constantly re-focus yourself on those routine things, ensuring that you are successful in the moment to set yourself up for success in the future.

Examining Business Leadership In Greensboro And The Greater Piedmont Triad: Understanding Your Approach To Diligence

Business leadership in Greensboro, High Point, and Winston Salem requires diligence. It is diligence that drives us to constant excellence, and constant excellence is the engine of long-term success. Diligence does not come easily for many people, but it can be fostered through a strong character and sound leadership.

These questions will help you better understand your own attitude toward focus and diligence, enhancing your understanding of your business leadership in Winston Salem and the surrounding area.

Are You Living Diligently? Being diligent requires hard work, but hard work is not always diligent. Are you working smarter, not just harder? Do you have difficulty keeping the longer term view in mind? Business leadership in High Point and throughout the Piedmont Triad requires you think in the long term, yet act in the short term to move yourself closer to long-term goals. In fact, a successful long-term effort is a direct result of executing a series of successful short-term actions.
What Causes You To Be Rushed Or Hasty? We all have moments when our diligence falls short, and mistakes are made. Don't spend time being angry with yourself; remember that all is part of God's plan for you, and that you are simply learning and growing according to His will. Do evaluate your performance in as much detail as possible. What caused the problem? What can you do to avoid it in the future?
Are You A Good Role Model? Part of business leadership in Winston Salem and the surrounding area is being an example for the rest of your team. You are a leader for everyone at your company, whether that's more of a symbolic role or a clearly defined CEO position. What are you modeling for the other people driving your company toward its eventual goal? Do they see an emphasis on dedication and clear pursuit of a well-defined end?

Maintaining day-to-day diligence is a challenge, but it is rewarding to know that your actions and your deeds glorify God. Focused business leadership in Winston Salem and the Piedmont Triad can build a culture of team unity and is an important component of your overall success.

How Every CEO Group In Greensboro And The Greater Piedmont Area Can Strive For The Ultimate Business Prize

Steve Andrews — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

When asked to designate leading indicators of corporate prosperity, a CEO group in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem may point to various factors. All too often, these business leaders deem financial merit the top priority in the list of business achievement. While we ardently agree that revenue generation and positive commercial growth is a major ingredient in any organization's recipe for success, at the Piedmont C12 Group, we feel that this alone makes for a short-sighted business vision.

Rather than simply designating bottom line dollar figures as an attainment tell all, we work closely with every CEO group in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem that we mentor to realign and broaden the internal focus of their success metrics in their Christian business. Our ultimate goal? To help chief executive officers recognize that in the grand scheme of business health and longevity, loyalty, both internally and externally, not cash, reigns supreme.

Working With Each CEO Group in Greensboro, High Point And Winston Salem To Uphold The Golden Rule

In business we often hear the saying that "happy customers tell five friends, while angry customers tell 10." However, in today's global economy, this classic axiom is showing its age. Client loyalty is critical, but it should always be pursued simultaneously with employee satisfaction as well. Bearing this premise and the onset of online commerce and social media networking in mind, a more appropriate maxim would read, "Happy customers and employees tell five friends while angry customers and employees tell five million…all with the click of a mouse."

The Piedmont C12 Group recognizes that the most effective way to build consumer/employee loyalty is through consistently delivering excellence and authentically displaying complete commitment to fostering trust. In short, a CEO group in High Point and the Greater Piedmont area should follow the golden rule of "do to others what you would have them do to you," (Mt 7:12). When this is accomplished, not only is loyalty created for repeat business and employee retention, but these loyal individuals will be highly encouraged and motivated to tell the world at large (aka their social networks) just how great your Christian business truly is.

Loyalty Checklist List Of 6 For Every CEO Group In Greensboro, High Point And Winston Salem

It's one thing to understand the importance of loyalty in every business transaction/partnership we pursue. However, how does a CEO group in Winston Salem and the greater Piedmont area make loyalty an actionable focal point and part of their internal corporate culture? The Piedmont C12 Group offers this checklist of six to help:

Embrace Simplicity: Don't over orchestrate and convolute business interactions - simplicity allows for greater speed and flexibility.
Look For The Win/Win: Target areas where your business can dominate in service and excellence while generating revenue - be a partner/problem solver for your clients instead of a mere order taker.
Combine Communication With Action: Outline guiding principles towards achieving loyalty with utmost clarity and then exemplify execution at every opportunity.
Be Selective: Don't chase "bad profits" for a quick fix - foster relationships where there the win/win mentality is upheld.
Realign Reward Metrics: Rather than simply focusing on dollars, create metrics that reward performance that increases loyalty.
Communicate Directly And Honestly: Even if it makes for an awkward conversation don't overpromise and under deliver - clients and employees will appreciate your honesty.

Maintaining a steady focus on these six important goals is a critical task for any CEO Group in Greensboro and the Greater Piedmont area to create, sustain and strengthen loyalty for the benefit of any Christian business.

Execute CEO Leadership In Greensboro And The Greater Piedmont Triad With Authority: Avoid Being The Dreaded Bottleneck

Steve Andrews — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The Piedmont C12 Group recognizes that a Christian business' chief executives have been entrusted with major responsibilities. Not only are these individuals accountable for external metrics of achievement and success, but as examples of CEO leadership in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem, they alone define a Christian business' internal dynamics, staff moral and corporate culture that gets mirrored throughout an organization.

Based on this premise, when senior staff members successfully create and sustain a positive and productive work environment based on proper task delegation, great things are sure to ensue and corporate rewards reaped. However, when stewards of CEO leadership in High Point and the greater Piedmont Triad habitually encourage and demonstrate an internal environment wrought with an unchallenged staff and leaders that horde the lion's share of the responsibilities, internal stagnation will certainly follow and continue in a ceaseless cycle of futile efforts. In short, the actions and examples of these select few can, quite simply, propel forward or completely stifle the performance of the entire corporation.

Piedmont C12 Group Helps CEO Leadership In Greensboro, High Point And Winston Salem Delegate And Empower Staff

When it comes to effectively managing affirmative execution of CEO leadership in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem, the Piedmont C12 Group asks each of our mentees a very simple question: Are you the bottle neck? If the answer is yes, we focus on one simple strategic endeavor; delegation.

In Exodus 18:13-27, Moses demonstrates how consistent delegation can reap mutually beneficial effects. After watching the masses helplessly mill about to await instructions from their leader, Moses' father in law encouraged him to solicit feedback, enlist help from others and portion out the work load. By entrusting those around him, Moses was even better able to live out his God appointed plan and empowered his followers to do the same. At the Piedmont C12 Group, we firmly believe that this example of Moses' successful delegation can be incorporated into every Christian business.

Piedmont C12 Group Challenges Christian Business' To Embrace The Delegation List Of Five

The Piedmont C12 Group understands that successful business delegation can initially prove challenging to management members. To help CEO leadership in Winston Salem and the greater Piedmont area maintain their focus on this important factor long term, we task each chief executive with answering these five questions for each employee. Does this staff member:

Understand performance expectations?
Demonstrate performance ability?
Illustrate dedication?
Show determination and initiative?
Have necessary confidence to act/react?

Using this list of five questions as a guideline not only helps CEO leadership in Greensboro, High Point and Winston Salem gauge staff performance and commitment, but it also allows for an accurate representation of their own delegation effectiveness. Executive staff should strive to ensure that every team member in their organization should feel perpetually informed, encouraged and unhindered to perform. When every employee meets these important criteria, the proverbial CEO bottleneck is effectively broken and a corporate culture of empowered, initiative driven, entrusted employees can truly be cultivated.

How To Balance Strategy & Execution Consistently For Your Christian Business In Greensboro And The Greater Piedmont Triad

Steve Andrews — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In the past few years, the phrases "economic downturn," "financial crisis" and the like have all worked their way into our everyday corporate vernacular with seemingly deep roots. TV, newsprint and online media distribution remind us daily of the high unemployment rates, exorbitantly disproportionate debt to asset ratios of citizens and corporations alike and the increasing decline of pure liquidity once so easily accessible to businesses. In short, times are tough, not only for Christian business owners in Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point, but also for organizations on a global scale.

The Piedmont C12 Group members do not undervalue the current fiscal deficiencies in the worldwide markets. We recognize that today's economy has demonstrated a tumultuous and inconsistent climate that has rattled commercialism in unforeseen and historic proportions. However, as part of our discipleship to Christian business in Greensboro and the greater Piedmont Triad, we urge Christian business owners to take heart. Even in the bleakest financial times, business success is attainable. Prayerfully leading your Christian business in Greensboro and surrounding areas with a healthy mix of business strategy teamed with zealous and consistent business execution can yield prosperous results.

Piedmont C12 Group Teaches Christian Business Owners In Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point To Recognize And Leverage The Positive

Yes, Christian business owners in Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point face a seemingly endless array of challenges and difficulties. However, participating in a vicious cycle of "there's nothing we can do" mentality is a futile exercise. Instead, a Christian business in Greensboro and the surrounding area needs to actively recognize that there are some solid, positive factors in today's economy. While the unemployment rate is high for our country, it is still considerably low when compared to European standards and even lower still when compared to Great Depression statistics. Economic growth has slipped slightly, yet the overall percentage lost is almost negligible at zero to -1% and interest and inflation rates are still at reasonably low levels, especially when compared to other fiscal eras.

Christians understand that their path, while surely rewarding, is not always an easy journey. Thus in business, rather than accept a powerless posture against the financial elements, recognizing these positive factors should encourage any Christian business in Greensboro and the greater Piedmont Triad to rise up and take action; first by creating a sound business strategy and then by diligently and consistently executing your business' specific plan.

Piedmont C12 Group members often tell our mentees "Priorities are what we DO. Everything else is just talk." We firmly believe that this mantra needs to not only be committed to memory, but our executives need to embrace this attitude as part of their daily example to their staff. While we understand that time and care must be given to creating an appropriate business strategy, it is merely only a small piece of solution. To truly rise above even the most disconcerting corporate situations, Christian business owners in Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point must commit to executing on their business strategies constantly. It is this unwavering obligation to business execution that will help these organizations rise above environmental circumstances and achieve growth and success.

Christian Business Owners In Winston Salem, Greensboro And High Point Answer To A Higher Power

Even in the toughest commercial terrain, Christian business owners in Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point are not navigating alone through each crisis. It's crucial to remember and find comfort in knowing that, no matter how difficult the economy, our God provides for his followers and always delivers everything we need to live out his plan for us. Motivated business execution coupled with a consistent, prayerful focus will help corporate leaders perform as worthy stewards of the finances and staff members entrusted to them, and allow God's hand in every endeavor.

Innovation: The Path To Progress For Your Christian Business In High Point, Winston Salem And Greensboro

Steve Andrews — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Manning the helm of a Christian business in High Point, Winston Salem and Greensboro can often mean navigating tough and inconsistent corporate terrain. Economic downturns, upturns and even complete commercial stagnation are all unavoidable climates a Christian business in High Point and surrounding regions may have to weather at various points. How an organization handles these peaks and valleys can truly mean the difference between a make or break company standing.

The Piedmont C12 Group members have watched many organizations simply hunker down and attempt to passively ride out the storm with monotonous rote during a fiscal weakening. Unfortunately, time and again we've watched as this "wait and see" attitude actually works against these companies. Instead, corporations that know how to embrace proactive business innovation and change during both pinnacle and trying times alike find themselves well poised to continuously sustain success and growth while still remaining on the path of Christian practice and example.

The First Step: Recognize The Importance Of Innovation In Your Christian Business In High Point, NC And The Greater Piedmont At Every Opportunity

Piedmont C12 Group members know that simply understanding the importance of business innovation is only a small piece of the overall puzzle. Actually finding ways to constantly solicit and implement new and evolving practices and business goals remains a critical component as well. Ultimately, the best way to keep a Christian business in High Point and the greater Piedmont fresh and new is to first recognize that visionary corporate execution isn't only relevant when an enterprise is floundering. Rather, successful entities realize that innovation is also especially vital even during a company's highest performance peaks.

Peter Drucker, a leading executive trendsetter of the previous century once noted, “Any organization which continues to do what brought it success in the past will ultimately fail.” His words ring true today; a Christian business in High Point, NC and the neighboring regions that wants to hold on to a "business as usual" mentality when times are good will eventually find their business goals and practices obsolete. In order to remain ahead of and impervious to the ever swinging pendulum of the commercial markets, savvy leaders know that maintaining a steady hand on their established, profitable book of business while persistently endeavoring to incorporate new product, demographics and/or processes remains paramount.

Once you've embraced the significance of business innovation, it's imperative to make this mindset part of the everyday approach and philosophy within your Christian business in Highpoint. As Christians, we understand that even a seemingly small or significant event can produce a major impact - Piedmont C12 Group members advocate and mentor executives on encouraging employees, using recognition and rewards, to constantly seek and source fresh ideas and improvements, no matter how minor, until it simply becomes part of your corporation's internal culture.

Incorporating Your Christian Business Networking In Winston Salem And The Surrounding Regions

Perhaps the best way to seek business innovation is to listen to your customers. Use your capabilities for Christian business networking in Winston Salem and the surrounding regions to talk with end users, form focus groups, send satisfactions surveys, request feedback and aggressively solicit external input on how to do what you do better. In short, let your clients be the boss!

Innovation can come in variety of forms and through a plethora of channels; Piedmont C12 Group can mentor the leaders at your Christian business in High Point, Winston Salem or Greensboro on how to keep your organization fresh, new and ahead of the corporate curve while ardently maintaining your Christian focus.

Taking The Long View Of Your Christian Business In Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point

Steve Andrews — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

As business owners, it is easy for us to become wrapped up in the small things. Especially in a down economy, our focus naturally shifts to the daily things that will keep us financially afloat and allow us to continue on tomorrow. But many Christian business owners in High Point, Winston Salem and Greensboro become so focused on this short view that they forget the importance of the long view. The long view is what keeps a Christian business in Winston Salem and other areas of the triad working along the path to overall growth and development in the coming years. Taking the long view can be a difficult shift of perspective, but it is a necessary one for your business and for your own benefit as a Christian business owner.

Look At The Ultimate Big Picture For Your Christian Business In Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point

Many of us are used to operating in the "here and now" and that's all right. Christian business owners in High Point, Winston Salem, and Greensboro have many small crises to attend to every day; our Piedmont C12 Group members have to take the time to remind each other of the importance of stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. Take a moment to step back and look at your business in the ultimate long range. Look at the desires, dreams, and hopes you have deep within your heart for your Christian business in Winston Salem and surrounding areas. These hopes should be things that would require years of gentle guidance and direction to achieve. One way to think of them is by asking yourself what kind of career legacy you would like to leave. At the end of your career, what do you want to show for all your work?

Strong Companies Start With Lofty Goals From Christian Business Owners In Highpoint, Winston Salem, And Greensboro

Most of the world's biggest businesses started with humble roots. Every one of them had a CEO who not only looked at the big picture, but never forgot the biggest picture of all. These men and women were able to handle the everyday problems of their business while always steering their ship toward that ultimate destination.

One of the reasons that these companies succeeded is that their CEOs felt themselves to be stewards of the company. They were consciously aware of building a strong foundation that would last long after their time at the company was complete. They remained focused on the bigger picture, and they worked relentlessly to make it happen.

God's Children Building Great Businesses For A Greater Purpose

As Christian business owners in High Point, Winston Salem and Greensboro, we may or may not desire to build this kind of business. God's path for us may not involve a company that lasts the test of time. But if you see the long view and desire to build your company, you can accomplish great things for a greater purpose. By building your business for the long run, you can help your community, your employees, and the world. Don't be afraid to have seemingly impossible goals. Don't be afraid to dream big. With God's help and the support of your peers, you can see these goals through and set your company up to be wildly successful.

Running A Christian Business In Greensboro, Winston Salem, or High Point: How To Clear The Cobwebs To Take A Fresh Look

Steve Andrews — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Managing a Christian business in Greensboro, Winston Salem, or High Point during an economic downturn always requires some hard decisions. Many of our CEOs have had to make tough choices to get their companies stable in the long term, even if those decisions were hard in the short term. Yet even in this time of hardship, there is opportunity. Remember, even though it looks dark, there are still many bright spots. 90% of people are still employed. Americans are spending at 98% of overall prior levels. The economic downturn may seem severe, but in reality, it's just a temporary problem. The economy will bounce back, as it has so many times before. This means weathering the storm and awaiting the calm of a recovering market for any Christian Business in Winston Salem, Greensboro or High Point. Remember, God watches over us during times of hardship, and he rewards those who come through with strong faith and obedience. Think of Abraham, Job, Joseph, Daniel, and David, and remember how blessed they were when their trials were over.

Beware Your Old Habits

In a struggling market, you cannot conduct business as usual. If you haven't already, take a hard look at what your company provides. What makes you unique? Is it something that appeals to the market? Is it something you could be doing better? If you see any room for improvement, now is the time to make the change. It often surprises people during our Christian business networking in High Point, Greensboro and Winston Salem to learn that 50% of businesses were launched during troubled economic times. Surviving isn't a matter of working harder; it's a question of adapting better to the changes.

The Fundamentals Of Success Remain Unchanged

Although virtually every other element of running a successful Christian business in Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point has changed, three things remain constant: the need to identify customer needs, the need to fill them, and the need to remain true to God's will in the process. Do not lose your Christian identity as you struggle in a down economy; as a Christian business in Winston Salem, Greensboro or High Point, you have the opportunity to find support and make the changes you need while walking God's path for you.

Prepare Your Christian Business In Greensboro To Win The Market

Successful change starts with an analysis of your current situation. As you consider the target market for your Christian business in Greensboro, Winston Salem or High Point, keep these five questions in mind.

Has your customer profile changed due to the changing economy?
Have there been new technological breakthroughs that could require a change?
Is your industry supply chain different from what it has been in the past?
How does the internet impact your industry?
Are you able to use permanent part-time work or digital off-shore subs?

Once you've taken a look at your market, start identifying the right avenue of growth that would be most beneficial for your Christian business in Greensboro, Winston Salem or High Point. There are seven basic strategies available for consideration:

Sell more of what you're already selling to your current customers.
Sell more of what you're already selling to new customers.
Sell a new product to existing customers.
Expand your sales by improving your delivery system for customer convenience and speed.
Expand into new geographic territory.
Acquire a competitive business, product line, or technology (yes, even during a downturn!)
Creating a new product to offer a new market.

Which one of these strategies is right for your Christian business in Greensboro, Winston Salem or High Point? The answer may be just one of them, or might involve multiple, or even all of them. You'll need to spend some time identifying markets and potential acquisitions, as well as considering your own business' needs and possible ways to streamline your delivery. With all of these tools at your disposal and strong faith, you can ensure that your ship sails smoothly through turbulent economic waters.

A Christian CEO's Biblical Antidote To Burnout Or Discouragement

Steve Andrews — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Virtually everyone experiences burnout at some point in our life. Burnout can happen at any time, and it often sneaks up on us with little warning. Burnout is a feeling of hopelessness, discouragement, sadness, and physical exhaustion. It's a very distinct feeling, and it is very unpleasant. In order to combat it, we must return to our spiritual roots, and rediscover the path that God has set for us.

Burnout Is Common Amongst Christian CEOs

As a Christian business group, we often see our members struggle with burnout. In fact, it's more common among a Christian CEO group because we as Christians are often more sensitive to the suffering of others. We try to take the world on our shoulders, and we end up much too invested in the problems of others. When this happens, we experience burnout because we are trying to do too much. We must remind ourselves that we are not equipped to take on the problems of others; that only God is sovereign, and we cannot carry the weight of the world.

What Causes Burnout In A Christian CEO?

The cause of burnout is always the same, no matter the specifics of your situation. Burnout happens when you lose touch with God's will. This may not necessarily mean that you are "doing" the wrong thing, but perhaps your efforts are fueled by the wrong motive, attitude, or by your own strength. When you stray from the path that He has planned for you, He will try to guide you back onto it. This guidance is in the form of the unhappiness of burnout, a gentle push to get the Christian CEO back onto the right path. The longer and further we stray from that path, the stronger the Holy Spirit within us must push us to move us back toward our destiny. The result is an increasing feeling of burnout.

How To Tell If You Are Burned Out

Our Christian CEO group often self-examines to determine whether any of us are suffering from burnout. As a Christian business group, we meet to discuss how we are doing at following God's plan and living a Christian life, allowing us to catch burnout early. Once we catch it, we encourage every Christian CEO to follow this four-step antidote to help relieve burnout and enable you to more easily follow God's path once again.

Step 1: Step Back

When you experience burnout as a Christian CEO, one of the first changes is that you start to lose perspective. Stepping back requires that you take the time to rest, and spend that time in quiet reflection and prayer. One of the best ways a Christian CEO can accomplish this is by devoting an hour in the morning to prayer and Bible study. Starting your day connected with God puts you in a better position to follow His will no matter what the rest of the day may bring. If you don't already do this, start making time for it immediately. If you do this, extend the time by 30 minutes or an hour.

Step 2: Shift Your Focus

Burnout causes you to lose track of who you really are in Christ, shifting your focus away from what is most important. In order to combat burnout, you must shift your focus back. Spend time considering who you really are. Look at what the Bible says on the subject, and ask your Greensboro Christian business group advisor for help if you need it. The most spiritually aware members of a Christian business group can help you find the answers. Get your priorities straight again, and set up a plan to accomplish them. Our Christian CEO group has found this step of the process particularly freeing - be sure not to overlook it!

Step 3: Shift Your Perspective

In this step, take time to recognize the many blessings in your life. You are focused heavily on the problems and the burnout, yet every Christian CEO has more good than bad in his or her life. By stepping back and refocusing on all the good, you will realize that the grace of God truly touches your life.

Step 4: Restart

Once you have completed the other three steps, it is time for you to return and face the world. You have reconnected with God, and reaffirmed your commitment to living your best life in Him. If you need to, take this time to confess sins and receive His forgiveness. Once you have received it, it's time to rejoin the battle!

Life as a Christian CEO is not always a smooth one. We are not defined by our behavior in times of prosperity and ease, but by our actions when times are hardest. Take heart and be inspired by the many Christian heroes that have come before us, and know that they were no more perfect than you or anyone else in your Christian business group. We need not be perfect to live in Christ; we simply need to keep fighting no matter how many times we get knocked down. Rest if you are weary, take the time to re-energize, but never quit.

Thinking Big, Acting Small: Achieving God's Best As A Christian CEO

Steve Andrews — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Whenever our Christian CEO group meets for discussion roundtables, we are always astonished to rediscover the similarities between our core business tools. We each have God-given talents in different fields, providing completely dissimilar services and products, yet at the most basic level we all face the same challenges in our leadership. By meeting as a Christian business group, we can help each other discover hard-headed habits and improve our lives, both business and personal.

Bigger Isn't Always Better

In recent years, businesses around the world have been discovering that bigger isn't necessarily better. Our Christian CEO group has always recognized the value of acting in such a way that everyone benefits - acting small, with the enrichment of everyone as a goal. At the same time, thinking big prepares your company for the future, providing lasting stability for your customers and your family of employees.

Every Christian CEO faces a business challenge that mirrors the Kingdom paradox of Christ within us - the combination of the eternal and infinite nature of the Divine alongside our own temporal and personal self. When we experience this paradox in our lives, as a Christian CEO we face a similar combination of the large within the small: acting small, but thinking big. When we act small, we never lose touch with the people who truly drive our business. As a Christian CEO, it is vital to remember that the meek shall inherit - we should never forget those to whom we owe so much. Yet at the same time, without the ability to think big, our company would never grow. Thinking big and acting small allows us to grow our business, increase our prosperity, and continue to serve the Lord in our work.

Do You Think Big Or Small?

In order to know whether he or she is currently thinking big and acting small, a Christian CEO in the Triad should first determine how they are thinking. How strong is your long-term planning? Do you rely on your current products, or are new ones in development? Do you rely on the status quo for success, or are you pursuing more? Our Christian business group encourages leaders to always be looking to the future. Being one step ahead in your thinking will help you adapt quickly to any changes, as well as make you the kind of leader who can proactively make an entire industry a better working environment for all concerned. A Christian CEO who thinks big looks outside his or her company, considering the well-being of suppliers and distributors as well as his or her own employees.

Judging Your Actions: Are They Big, Or Small?

Thinking big is the best way for a Christian CEO to plan, but acting small is the best way to lead daily business operation. When you act small, you are able to delegate tasks to those who are best at them. Everyone on your team is in contact, and issues rarely go unresolved. The Christian CEO who acts small remains engaged with the daily operations of the company. He or she is an active participant in a tight-knit network. There are no "cogs in the wheel" at a company where the Christian CEO is acting small!

Making The Transition To Thinking Big And Acting Small

We're only human, and that tends to mean that we overestimate our opinions of our own actions. Many members of our Christian business group find that in a group environment, sitting around a table with other like-minded individuals, we are most able to improve our own behavior. Our Christian CEO group is able to point out blind spots and offer suggestions in a timely manner - truly the Body of Christ at work. If you are a Christian CEO in Winston Salem, Greensboro, or High Point, we encourage you to contact us for support. With assistance from other like minded CEOs and business leaders, you can walk your own path to success and service to the Lord.