There are an increasing number of companies that donate a portion of their profits to local charities. There are national companies (Target, Kroger, Amazon, Panera, etc.) and also local companies. This is a positive trend – these companies recognize that by donating locally, they can encourage loyalty by their shoppers to stay with them and buy even more. It is a marketing tool by the companies – plain and simple.

There are several things that the non-profits on the receiving end must be aware of and make an intentional decision.

• The non-profit should consider the cost-benefit analysis: is the time & money spent in promoting this worth the money that will be received?
• The non-profit is doing advertising for the company. Church members will only know about the “kick back” if the church tells them in bulletins, newsletters, and other communications to the members.
• The non-profit is endorsing the company. If you don’t like what the company is about, then don’t associate yourself with them. You can remove yourself from their list of approved charities.
• The non-profit may be favoring one company over another one (which doesn’t have this type of plan) and that might upset some church members. Members might raise this perceived favoritism in a business meeting or other venue.
• The non-profit must know that in many cases, the benefits are relatively small. The charity should not expect this income to pay wages of any employee.

These are the main factors for a church and non-profit to consider when deciding whether to be linked with a company willing to donate some of their profits. Never enter into these agreements willy-nilly – think wisely and strategically about the relationships.

Lead On!

Steve

Getting the right mix of people on decision-making committees is a science. It is NOT about getting people to agree to serve on a committee. Most churches have several key decision-making committees: finance, personnel, church council, and endowment. The people serving on these critical committees must be wise and patient among several other traits. Here is my list of things to consider when balancing a committee:

• Age & gender
  • You must have a variety of ages and genders. Too much of one will make a committee lopsided in its thinking and unaware of other opportunities.
  • Committees should be almost evenly divided by gender.
  • The average age of a committee, from my experience, should be 45-55. That will mean you have as many people in their 20s & 30s as 60s & 70s giving the committee a nice balance.
• Institution Memory & New Ideas
  • Committees must have a balance of people who are new to the committee while having others who remember how the church got started or did things a while ago.
  • We all get caught up in our ruts of how we see and do things, even young people. Having a mix allows people to see the perspectives of others.
• Professional Training (lawyers, engineers, doctors, blue collar, accountants, military, stay home parents, etc.)
  • Every profession teaches its members to think and act differently. Leverage that training to gain the maximum benefit for the church.
  • Too many people from one industry will cause “group think” with little originality. Not including some “stay at home parents” may cause the committee to not remember some common sense items.

Be intentional about who is on your committee. Variety is the spice of life. A varied committee will mean more spice to your meetings but it will also mean a better result of their decisions.

Lead On!

Steve

What would you rather have: power or influence?

Let me define these:

• Power is what Washington, DC has. It passes laws, makes policies, regulates society, and issues orders that control daily life in big and little ways.
• Influence is what Hollywood has. It creates movies and TV shows which shape culture and change our perspective in overt and subtle ways.

Power is visible – the limos, the buildings, the suits, and other trappings which indicate this person has a great deal of authority. The President of the US is the most stereotypical sign of great power.

Influence is less visible – it is often wrapped up in a person or even just a concept. An artist (Picasso), actor (Marilyn Monroe), or author (Mark Twain) are common examples of influence.

Power is overt while influence can be understated. Power is a command; influence is a change in the way of thinking. Power is intimidating but influence is often welcomed. Power is immediate while influence can take time to take root.

If you had the chance to be a person of power or of influence, which would you choose?

I choose influence – its effects last longer and are received better by others. But that’s me – what about you?

Lead On!

Steve

Throughout my life I’ve asked God for signs: what job to take, what woman to date, where to go to school, what house to buy, etc. You probably have done the same. But as I read the Bible, I notice something interesting: almost every “sign from God” is different from the others.

God doesn’t like to repeat signs. God does original things; God is creative.

That’s hard on humans, though. When I ask God for a sign, I’m expecting to see something that I recognize is a sign from God (not from someone or something else). I’ll recognize the God-sign because I’ve seen it before. But that doesn’t work with a God who does original stuff all the time.

How do you know when a sign is from God?

Three ways: you talk with God (a lot!), you talk with others (a lot!), and you think about who you are (a lot!). If there is consensus between all three conversations (with God, others, & yourself), then you should probably do it. But if any one of the three tells you to pause, then stop.

Just remember this: God is all about creation and doing unique things. God made you different than everyone else that has ever existed. God will do things for you that God will never do for anyone else.

The next time you ask God for a sign, you may not recognize the sign. Instead, listen closely to God, your friends, and even your inner voice. Learn to recognize those voices – you’ll recognize them because you know and trust them. That is the best – and most unique to you – sign there is.

Lead On!

Steve