Stewardship

The wealth and assets we accumulate does it really belong to us? I know that we say we are self-made millionaires and billionaires, but the resources of the earth doesn't belong to us. So how can we say the wealth and assets belong to us. Yes, I know that your knowledge, education, and shrewdness has gotten you the wealth. Lets ponder this thought for a moment. Why did God create the earth? Was it create for him? or was it created for mankind? The answer is in the book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 26-28. It was created for mankind. Okay, with that being said, then what are we suppose to be doing with the earth and its resources? This brings me back to the topic of stewardship. We all are created with a purpose. The wealth and assets we accumulate are entrusted to us by God to use and distribute according to his plan for our lives.

So, we are expected to be good stewards over the wealth and assets that we have. If 1 percent of the population controls 40 percent of the wealth then something must be wrong with this picture. This means that some people have more wealth than others. I am not saying that everyone will be millionaires and billionaires. To whom much is given much is required. Those of us that have much wealth and assets are responsible to be good stewards over what God has entrusted us with.

During this financial crisis lets take a step back and re-examine our responsibilities as good stewards and begin to build wealth and assets again with an eye towards God.

The Entrepreneur The New Change Agent

Can we as entrepreneur make changes in society faster than government? Can we use are innovation and business models to be effective in social sciences? We being passionate about make our companies profitable and deliver goods and services that change our everyday lives can this same passion change the social issues that we deal with everyday. I know that there are many foundations impacting change in our society. Why are there still a lot of people in poverty? Why do 1 percent of the population own more than 40 percent of the wealth? Does everyone have access to the same information and resources as everyone else? When companies like Exxon Mobile have yearly profits of $40 billion and when I walk down the urban streets of America and see people homeless and hungry, I wonder how can this be.

We as entrepreneurs are very creative and risk takers can we use these same skills to help change the society we live in. Love is above all things, The love of God covers a multitude of sins, Love is not puff up, or haughty, it cares not for itself, Love is patient. No matter what we do love has to be first. The bible says in all our ways acknowledge him(God the Father) and he will direct our paths. Let us possess the love of God, mixed with the spirit of entrepreneurship and make a greater impact in the society we live in.

Relationships

How important are relationships in business? Are products and services more important then the relationships you are forming? Relationships are a part of our everyday lives. The relationships we have with friends, family,and our spouses contribute to our success or failures in life. The focus today is on relationships we have with our customers. What do your customers really want from your organization? Do the products or services you offer determines the success of your company? Or is it the relationships you have with your customers? How important is it for you to keep your word to your customers? If you say your product or service will deliver these set of results, shouldn't your whole focus be on making sure you do just that?

Can relationships keep your customers loyal? Lets think about something for a minute? How different are your products or services from your competitors? What makes your company unique in what it does? I am pretty sure that your competitors have a very similar product or service. So what makes your company a leader in its
market? Maybe its innovation, or maybe is your business model. I am hoping its the strong relationships you build with your customers. Eventually your competitors might become more innovative, or they may catch on to your business model.

Start today to lay a solid foundation in relationship building to keep your customers happy and your bottom line growing.

Accountability

Does every business owner or executive need to have accountability? Are shareholders and board of directors the only people that executives are accountable to? What about the employees and customers? How are business owners and executives accountable to employees and customers? Have one of your employees every came to you with a issue? How did you handle the issue? Did you take care of the issue right away? Did you put it off or did you let someone else solve the issue? Have one of your customers ever come to you with an issue? Did you solve that issue right away or did you give a quick fix to the issue?

Accountability is sometimes a hard thing to accept. Being accountable requires accepting responsibility even when your ego or reputation is on the line. Accountability is admitting when you're wrong. When in a leadership position accountability may require you to be held accountable for something one of your employees may have done.

Being accountable builds character. Character builds trust between you, your employees, and customers. Trust builds strong relationships. Strong relationships creates low turnover rates with employees and referrals from your customers which in turn builds a successful business.

What Makes an Effective Leader

A leader must be teachable. If a leader decides that he/she knows everything and can't be taught he/she has already cut off his/her growth. Servant hood, is a word that is not that often used with leadership. Jesus told his disciples that he came not to be served but to serve. Wow, thats a powerful concept. Humility and servant hood goes together. Humility doesn't mean that you are a push over, it just means that you don't think more of yourself than you need to. Understanding your dependence upon God. Serving your customers and employees will let them know that you have their best interest at heart. This will also establish loyalty, which is not to common in the fast pace world we live in. Everyone wants their own needs met first. When you put others need before yours this takes away selfishness. In doing this you are showing God that you trust him and know that he will always meet your need.

Go that extra mile to meet the needs of your customers and employees and watch the effects it will have on their lives and your bottom line.

Knowing The Competition

As a business owner this is one of the main topics that we are concerned about. When creating a business plan there is a whole section on your competitors. Is your business part of your destiny? I know that you are the market leader in your area and your profits are through the roof, but is this business part of your destiny? The reason I ask this is because we all are on the earth for a reason. So then what makes you unique? Why are you designed the way you are? So if your business is part of your destiny and purpose then your business is designed for success from the beginning
because it was created for a purpose.

Just as you are unique, there may even be someone that looks like you, but you are still unique. Although another business may offer the same products and services that you offer your business is still unique. No one can do what you can do because you are unique, so therefore no one can do what your business can do because your business is unique.

Know who you are and your purpose for being here. In knowing this you will never lose track of purpose and when you do lose track, you can always get back on track and to the path of destiny. Know your competitors but don't lose sleep over them because remember your business is unique and you are destined for success.

The Power of Agreement

When you hired your employees you formed an agreement that you would compensate them for their service of employment. Your employees agreed to the set of responsibilities that go along with their position. You explained the vision of the company and gave them the employee handbook in which they must govern themselves while at work. How much further did you take this agreement between you and your employees? Are they still in tuned with the vision of the company? Are you still holding up your part of the agreement? Sometimes we forget that the relationships we have with our employees is more important then the compensation. Everyone wants their life to have meaning. We all want to be part of something. We want to feel useful. Its no different from your employees. They want to know that they are being effective and contributing to the success of the company. No matter which position an employee holds from an executive to an associate all are contributing to the vision. Make sure that you and your employees are in agreement with the vision of the company, for its success depends on the power of agreement.

Creative Progress

In business communication is important. Communicating with your employees and customers is critical if you want effective products and services. In communicating with your employees create open sessions within departments once a month to discuss challenges. In doing so you will break down barriers that lead to ineffective communications. This will also create team building skills for your employees.