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Stewardship Podcast Promo

John Houston — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:00:00 GMT

You may or may not know we’ve launched a new way to connect through the John Houston Podcast! Technology is amazing, and I’m continually thankful for the different ways we get to interact with you.

A Leader's Response To Recession

John Houston — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:00:00 GMT

How should a Christian business leader respond to a recession or financial crisis?

We All Have Setbacks In Business

John Houston — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 13:00:00 GMT

We all have setbacks in business. Here’s how I deal with them.

Corporate Giving Lessons from the Widow's Offering

John Houston — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 13:00:00 GMT

This month in my newsletter, I talked about the importance of integrity and how I deal with the challenging times when it seems easier to cut corners. (If you didn’t get it, sign up for next month’s here.) The current economic outlook gives us another challenge to tackle: if and how much we should be donating to charitable causes. If you’re like me, you desire to be generous as God has been to us. But what does that look like when finances are tight?

As always, we can find the answers in God’s Word.

The Widow’s Offering
The Bible has a lot to say about stewardship of money. 2 Corinthians 9:7 instructs us to give cheerfully and without reluctance. Gratitude and joy are the right attitudes to have when giving back!

And in the gospel of Mark, Jesus’s response to the widow’s offering tells us how God feels about giving, even when times are tough.

And He (Jesus) sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

A Christian's Strategy to survival in an economic downturn

John Houston — Thu, 26 May 2022 13:00:00 GMT

National and world events can have a significant effect on the markets. We’re seeing that now. Gas prices, supply chain hold-ups, and war cause many issues for consumers, but they can also be very challenging for businesses.

And now, just as we’re getting on the other side of the pandemic, the economy seems to be going the wrong way. Or is it?

But even in these situations, there are always opportunities if you look for them. That attitude has really helped our company withstand pressures, and I firmly believe in it. I think the path to discovering opportunities in chaos is by following the teachings of Jesus: I start with His Word and pray and that often leads me to look for ways we can best serve.

Look for new ways to serve.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 AMP

It’s natural in times like these for our first response to be fear self-preservation. However, I find that when we counter-intuitively respond with wisdom and peace to those around us, we represent God’s light to a lost and dying world. This is even true in our business decisions.

Back in 2008’s recession, when companies around us were folding, God gave us a survival strategy to love and serve through innovation and broadening our scope to match the marketplace. We started by looking at who in our industry was in need and could use our help. We quickly saw banks and developers in need. We realized they were losing money on the properties they were holding, so we offered to partner with them on these projects by working at a discounted rate until the debt was paid. Instead of seeing them as our enemy, we collaborated with them, made and executed the plan, and all of us came out even stronger on the other side.

God will open and close doors, and we can trust Him. It’s our responsibility to steward our people and our witness well, even when it may not have the result we desire.

Economic downturns don't mean disaster if you follow the teachings of Jesus.

Even when the landscape looks dark, there is always an opportunity to find the light. Be flexible and humble. Recognize and admit when you need to change your approach.

When looking for new strategies, ask yourself how you can serve best in the current environment. Who else is struggling? Expand your targets of service to include vendors and competitors. Are there opportunities that I’m missing?

How are you getting through these challenging times? Have you had to rethink your short or long-term strategies to stay afloat?

A Christian CEO's Guide to Recruiting

John Houston — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:00:00 GMT

Everywhere I turn, business leaders are having trouble finding and retaining good people. Maybe you are too. We often think the best way to recruit and keep good people is simply by paying well. While this is important, we’ve found when we provide genuine, healthy relationships and a purpose-driven atmosphere, people want to work for us and keep working with us.

It’s a long game
Sometimes you don’t have a particular opening at the moment, but you know that you’ll need a specific skill set in the future. It’s never too early to plant the seed with someone you feel will fit the organization and live its vision. For example, when our company started to grow, I knew we would need a godly, capable Chief Financial Officer.

Through interactions at church, I got to know our current CFO, Chad, and I witnessed his wisdom and character as we served on the church board together. I knew he was the type of person I would want to work with in the future. So, even before I was ready to hire him, I began dropping hints. I’d casually ask, “When are you going to come work with us?” He always chuckled and told me he was happy where he was. But I knew I was planting the seed: I knew he had the traits we wanted, and he knew we wanted him.

Share the vision and their part in it
Let’s face it, people need to put food on the table and have every right to succeed financially, and I don’t blame anyone for doing so. But I’ve found that the people who last in our family of companies can attach themselves to the vision God has placed before us. Our team is strongest when we all realize we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s why I try to paint a picture of how a person we want will not only fit in but contribute in significant ways to our purpose.

As Chad and I got to know each other, we built trust. He learned about how God was uniquely placing us to reach people. As we worked side by side to strengthen our local church, our relationship grew. Consequently, when Chad came to a crossroads in his career, our conversation about him joining the team was a natural one. We both knew God had been laying the groundwork for us to work together. The timing was right: Chad was ready for a vocational change, and our company was prepared for our new CFO. Only God could orchestrate the timing and relational dynamics that lead to an invaluable partnership.

A note about compensation talks
There’s a very simple reason I don’t begin talks with potential team members by bringing up the proposed salary: If I make that part the priority, then I’m sending the message that money is the primary reason we exist. It’s not. We value people more than the bottom line. It’s important to pay people well, and we do that. However, I don’t want to cave to the temptation to throw money at a special recruit. Ultimately, I have a fiscal responsibility to steward our company’s resources. My team and I focus on building a company culture that attracts great people and the compensation follows.

When we have staffing needs, we focus our recruiting efforts on people who we believe have the best chance of attaining personal success in our businesses. I can sleep at night knowing that we are attracting some of the most talented people who also happen to fit our culture well.

What kinds of things do you look for when you’re hiring?

Leadership Lesson From the Oscars

John Houston — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 17:00:00 GMT

It’s been called “the slap heard round the world”.

If you weren’t watching the Academy Awards live this past Sunday night, you’ve probably watched the video on YouTube or read a few of the hundreds of articles and social media posts of people giving their opinion of the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock. Some defend Will and others defend Chris and the repercussions of the event keep unfolding.

As a Christian business leader, I think there’s an important question to ask and lesson to be learned from what happened. This has really made me think, what steps do I need to take ahead of time so can learn and be prepared as I face challenges and hurts in life and leadership?

What do we do when we are deeply and personally offended? How do I choose to respond when I may feel emotionally punched in the gut?

There are times when someone says or does something that cuts me to the core. It may be that it triggers a reminder of a painful event in my past. Or it sparks a reaction to defend and seek revenge in order to protect myself or the people I love. Or it may be my personality that tends to get easily angered if I am not careful.

I’ve had a lot of hurt in my past, just as many have, and I know I tend to be strong and aggressive in business. One of my best friends and I say this to each other regularly, “Be wise today.” The truth is, we are all one decision away from making a bad decision. The predicaments we find others in could easily happen to any of us.

But here is one thing that I have I’ve realized the hard way as a leader: My impulsive reactions can do a ton of damage because my words and actions hold so much weight.

So what do we do when we feel the sting of an offense? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take a breath: I’ve learned that when my “button gets pushed” and I feel the urge to react, be quick to listen and slow to speak – take a second to think through the situation and my response.

Three Steps to Good Leadership

John Houston — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 21:00:00 GMT

We can learn so much about leadership from Joshua, who led the Israelites after Moses. Some I’ve covered already in “Strong and Courageous: Leadership Lessons from the Book of Joshua.”

As I continue to learn from his example, I’ve realized how easily his lessons can apply to today’s business world and life. So here’s how I practice a 3-step leadership approach that I learned from reading God’s Word.

Leadership step 1: Align with God
Seeking and aligning with God is the first step to outstanding leadership.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7 NIV

From the beginning of his story, Joshua continually sought God’s wisdom as he stepped into his leadership role. In Joshua 1:8, we read that God instructed him to “keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua’s army was victorious as he led the Israelites into the promised land only because he followed God’s instructions.

I start almost every day in God’s Word and prayer. If I don’t, I know I might be tempted to lean on my own wisdom and understanding in my situations. Going it alone has never been a successful strategy for me. I need God’s wisdom to guide me each day.

Leadership step 2: Seek Wise Counsel
God doesn’t always give specific instructions. At times, He wants us to use the resources and people He’s made available to us.

When Joshua was preparing to cross the Jordan River into the promised land, he sent spies to scope it out. He needed to gather information to make decisions. As we read in Joshua 2, the spies came back with a favorable impression: “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (Joshua 2:24) The spies’ report gave Joshua confidence to move forward.

Likewise, we can utilize the wisdom and experience of those around us to make wise decisions. I rely on my wife, pastor, and executive team when decision-making. I don’t know what I don’t know, and many times they’ll have valuable insight into our business decisions and opportunities. It’s critical to involve others and to resist making decisions in isolation.

Leadership step 3: Implement Processes
One of the Israelites' most significant victories happened when Joshua led them to march around the city of Jericho. The army consisted of 40,000 soldiers. Can you imagine the logistics and processes required to follow God’s instructions? God told Joshua to put the priests and musicians in front. But what about all the rest of the soldiers?

Often, God gives us a piece of the puzzle and then allows us to use the abilities He’s given us to accomplish the rest of the task. For example, Joshua used his God-given judgment and wisdom to figure out the Jericho plan of attack.

As leaders, we too must implement processes. We might get some broad or general instructions from God, but He wants me to use my instincts and experience to create the specific action steps for our company’s strategies while trusting Him and allowing Him to make adjustments. I understand that God wants me to be an example of leadership and has given me the tools to achieve that goal (although I must keep growing).

For example, a few years ago, we took our team through a two-year process to hone and improve internal procedures throughout our family of companies. We had a vision from God, but it took a lot of detailed planning to execute that vision.

We didn’t know at the time that this exercise – the fruit of God’s vision – was preparing us for the challenges of the 2020 global pandemic.

So for me, it comes down to trust. We can trust God is with us and will guide us. We can trust in the wise counsel of those around us, and we can trust He has also given us the skills and abilities to lead effectively.

Final thoughts
Sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed and be overly cautious while waiting for God to give us specific instructions. However, God wants us to lead with courage and strength. So how can you apply Joshua’s example in your own business?

Reflect God's Light Like The Moon Does the Sun

John Houston — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 18:00:00 GMT

A few weeks ago, I was at an event that included a time of worship with leader Chris Tomlin. He shared how a reporter once witnessed him signing autographs and taking pictures with “fans.” The reporter then asked him what I consider to be a “gotcha” question: “You say your motivation to perform is to share God’s love and message, but I just watched a group of fans mob you and it sure looked like you were eating that attention up. How do you reconcile this discrepancy?”

Chris paused for a moment and then replied: “Have you ever admired a full and shiny moon at night? You know, the moon doesn’t give off light itself. Instead, it reflects light from the sun. It’s the same with God and me. I reflect God’s light, not the other way around.”

That analogy was just perfect to me and got me thinking people love to moon gaze when it’s full or big and bright, and it can be the same with us. People are attracted to leaders who shine brightly as well.

Remain in God to reflect His light.
We will naturally attract people as we grow in leadership and influence. But just like the moon, we only get to lead and inspire people when we align with the true source of light, Jesus Christ.

We must remain connected to God so that we continue to shine. Prioritizing prayer and spending time in God’s Word every day enables me to share the hope within me and do my best to be a beacon for others.

And even as important – we have to remember we are nothing without God’s Spirit living in us. We don’t have any hope, peace, or wisdom that He hasn’t given to us. We are not the source of light but simply a reflection of it.

Final thoughts
It’s easy to fall into the trap where you think you’re solely responsible for your company’s success or that you alone are equipped to make every decision. Sometimes I wonder if my ego gets in the way of letting God’s light shine through me. Have you ever found yourself in that trap? As for me, I always want to be as radiant as a full moon, reflecting the light God has placed within me.

A Christian CEO’s Approach to Handling Conflict

John Houston — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:00:00 GMT

“The best time to fire someone is the first time you think about it.”

It seemed like good advice when I heard it years ago, and I followed it for a while. I mean, it could sure save a lot of time and expense, right?

However, I have realized there is a better way to go about it for Christian leaders. This is especially true when it comes to handling conflict between team members.

God’s Word says it’s good when we’re unified (Psalm 133:1). This means our combined efforts take precedence over personal opinions and preferences. We’re only successful when we lay our personal agendas aside and work for the good of others and our corporate vision and mission. People don’t have to be best friends, but we all have to be unified in our goals.

In difficult situations and conflict resolution, I try to make sure I’m leading strong in three areas:
- Love
- Justice
- Righteousness

Leading with love
Leading with love doesn’t mean being soft. God is our best example of love, and He doesn’t always let us get our way or behave any way we like. Sometimes, honest and direct communication is the most loving thing we can do. While it’s not always what we want to do, sometimes termination or role adjustments are the best way to show love.

We have to understand where people are coming from. We need to walk in their shoes and try to gain their perspective. This way, we can begin to see the motivations behind their actions.

Years ago, I noticed that two of our high-level leaders weren’t getting along. One had been with our company for years, while the other was newer. Their departments should have collaborated and made each other better, but personalities and egos were getting in the way.

I met with the leaders, and I gave them an assignment: they each had to spend one day a week together. They would rotate spending time in each other’s departments. Every time an issue would come up that was caused by the other department, the leader was to explain to their counterpart how these decisions impacted them. They had to work toward understanding the other’s perspective.

Leading with justice
At the end of the 30 days, I met with the leaders again. Unfortunately, they hadn’t made a lot of progress. I had worked with one of these leaders for years, and although my trust level was high, so were my expectations. As a veteran of our company, I expected him to know our culture and be willing to lay aside personal opinions and help others learn it. This newer leader hadn’t been with our company nearly as long, so my expectations weren’t as high. There is grace in a new learning environment.

In other words, the responsibility was on the veteran to show patience and compassion for the new guy.

Ultimately, I explained that if they didn’t work it out and I needed to fire someone, I was leaning towards firing them both. We must be just in our decision-making, and, in this case, it meant the consequences would be the same for both employees.

Leading with righteousness
I’ve had people ask me if I have trouble sleeping when I’m dealing with situations like this one. The answer is no. I know if I am leading with love and justice, I am also leading with righteousness or in right standing with God.

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
Matthew 18:15-17 NIV

This scripture gives a clear workflow to resolving conflict. While our businesses are not the church, we should encourage our employees to work out their differences. Mediation may be necessary – that’s what leaders and HR departments are for. However, we might have to let people go for the sake of our teams and their own personal growth.

Sometimes I wonder how things would’ve turned out if I had continued to follow the advice to fire someone the first time I thought about it. What kind of environment would that create?

Have you ever thought about whether it’s better to be trusted or feared? As for me, I’d rather steward an environment of trust.