I had the good fortune to work for a CEO who was an incredible leader. I count myself privileged to have worked for such an exceptional person. He had a vision for the direction of our organization and took timely, tangible steps to achieve that vision. My CEO understood the value of a strategic plan, … Read More
Max De Pree has been a defining mentor in my life. I first became aware of Max when I was a young administrator and he was Chairman of the Board at the institution where I worked. As I assumed leadership responsibilities, I was vulnerably aware of my lack of preparation. So I applied for a Kellogg … Read More
In the year 2000 the richest 10% of the world’s population owned 85% of global assets.* Today, more than one billion people live on less than $1 a day.* When I first heard these numbers, I felt compelled to do something. I felt that for-profit companies should share responsibility for changing these realities. During 2011, … Read More
By Kate Harris If all work is indeed God’s work, then it is a deep grace that even the work we do out of a place of pain, or insecurity, or constraint, is still work that he can use and redeem for good purposes. Learning to see the value in limitation and constraint has been … Read More
By Kate Harris Vocation is a wonderfully broad and encompassing word. In contrast to how we normally think about calling, as something having to do with our career or professional work, instead I find tremendous grace and reassurance in the more biblical understanding of vocation that helps us see all work as God’s work. Etymologically, … Read More
Originally written on September 17, 2013. It is hard to find a well articulated theology of work – especially work involving entrepreneurial and other commercial vocations. Shortly before his death in 2008, Catholic scholar William J. Toth wrote an extraordinary theological examination [1] of the entrepreneurial vocation that addresses this shortcoming. Toth uses Catholic social … Read More
by Mark D. Roberts, originally posted on Patheos. The basic truth of Easter is simple. In the classic litany of the church, it’s this: Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! On Easter Sunday, we celebrate this good news, rediscovering for ourselves what the earliest followers of Jesus realized on that first Easter Sunday. Yet … Read More
Recently, I was chatting with a client of mine who was a few years into resurrecting an organization that had nearly fizzled out under previous leadership. When she assumed leadership of the nonprofit, it had run out of money, was unclear on its mission, and had major personnel problems. As we talked, she described to … Read More
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19 To Dust We Will Return This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, one of the most important days in the Christian year. Millions … Read More
Ash Wednesday is a day to stare death in the face, to acknowledge our mortality. All of us will die. Christians who observe this holiday get ashes “imposed” on their foreheads, while a minister or lay church worker says, “You have come from dust, and to dust you will return.” In other words, “You are … Read More
Stories of sexual harassment continue to get top billing in the news. It seems that each day another prominent man—a leader in government, entertainment, business, news, or whatever—resigns or is fired or is in serious hot water owing to believable accusations of grossly inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Most of these accusations come from women … Read More
The Christmas season is over. We’ve put away nativity scenes and unstrung our lights. That distinct festivity is no longer in the air. Another year has started, and while this can be an exciting occasion for many—time for resolutions and fresh starts—it can also feel like the great Monday morning of the year. Back to … Read More
At first glance, Advent doesn’t seem to have anything to do with work. Advent, after all, is a special season in the Christian year, a time for people to prepare for the advent of Christ at Christmas. (The English word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “arrival.”) Advent is about … Read More
As I was recently re-reading the book of Ruth, I found myself remembering similar stories I have encountered in my own life. I thought especially of my husband, who is a second-generation immigrant. His parents were ranchers in his home country. But the countryside had become unsafe, and economic instability meant that their work was … Read More
When you saw the title, “Thanksgiving and Work,” what was your first reaction? I expect some of you, seeing the title “Thanksgiving and Work,” felt wistful, perhaps even a bit peeved. You may not associate work with being thankful. Your job may be terribly demanding or tedious. Your boss may be a tyrant. You may … Read More
I graduated seminary in 2011, on the heels of the Great Recession. Very few companies were hiring. In fact, many were laying people off. Let’s just say that in a depressed economy there is very little demand for someone with an advanced degree in theology and no record of success in any industry. To complicate … Read More
When I was the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church, a woman from my congregation – I’ll call her Rochelle – made an appointment to see me. When she entered my office, I could tell something was wrong. Normally quite joyful, Rochelle looked distressed. Sitting down, she got right to the point. “I have a … Read More
“But the Midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them.” (Ex. 1: 17) Two women face an ethical dilemma at work. By profession, they are caretakers, nurturers, and guides ushering new life into the world. But in the midst of their life-giving work, there is a death-dealing force at … Read More
I was on a panel recently that opened up with this question: As a woman, what are some of the ways you’ve been discriminated against in the workplace? And, how does the Gospel shape your response? Whoa! Talk about starting off strong. I loved this question. So, seeing that none of my panel-mates were eager … Read More
I hate icebreakers. Maybe it’s the introvert in me. Or maybe it’s because I’m Irish and my face heats up every time I’m put on the spot. Either way, I hate icebreakers. Four or five years ago, during one such icebreaker, I was paired up with a man and asked to talk about our jobs. … Read More
Someone asked me once, “Why are you afraid to fail?” I remember wading through a bunch of half sentences until I admitted, “I don’t want to fail because I’m afraid of who that means I am. Basically, my identity is at stake.” Even though I know that my being is more important than my doing, … Read More
The world will reward agility, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Every manager and entrepreneur recognizes this. But our educational system does not yet prepare people for agility. So managers and entrepreneurs will need to know how to prepare their people for agility. That process starts with understanding why today’s grads come to them without instincts for agility. … Read More
I feel a little sheepish asking this question. I am not eager to join the club of writers who claim Jesus for their particular cause or agenda. You can find books that identify Jesus as a CEO, the world’s greatest therapist, an excellent manager, a revolutionary, a free-market capitalist, and, well, you name it. I … Read More
Together, my husband and I own a creative agency. Separately, I work as a practical theologian and he is a filmmaker. Like many of our colleagues and friends, we are busy “building” our careers. And while I admit to daydreams of snorkeling and sleeping until 10 a.m., our chosen trajectories are ones that require long … Read More
These days, we hear a lot about the need for more inclusive workplaces, especially when it comes to the participation of women in leadership roles. The reasons put forth for why we should include women in traditionally male roles vary. Some base this on basic human rights and equal justice. Others advocate allowing women to … Read More
Calling for Deborah: Investing and encouraging women leaders in the workplace It had been twenty years. Twenty years of Canaanite oppression Twenty years that had devastated Israelite communities; that left roads and highways abandoned (Judges 5:6). Twenty years that had broken God’s people Finally the Israelites cried out to God for help and one leader … Read More
Near the start of his ministry, Jesus proclaimed at the synagogue in Nazareth that he was the one, foretold in Isaiah 61, who would set the oppressed free (Luke 4:14-28). In doing so, Jesus announced that a central aim of his ministry would be leveling social hierarchies in which some people were favored over others. … Read More
It was the early 90’s and I was a 20 something trying to figure what to do with my life and how my chosen endeavor might make a difference in the world. I’m not sure the dilemma was exclusive to me as many of my peers were also Christians trying to figure out how their … Read More
Several years ago, I helped design an academic study of Christians who held positions of significant leadership in the marketplace. My team and I joined forces with a major university to learn about the lifestyle, beliefs, and work of over seventy leaders. Much of what we discovered through our research was predictable. But one of … Read More