Beth Beutler's Blog, page 37

“Beth Doesn’t Like Sticky Notes”

During an all-day speaking engagement some time ago I mentioned that I am not a big fan of sticky notes. It’s becoming a bit of a known quirk now that “Beth doesn’t like sticky notes.” I don’t mind them as a temporary tool, but they quickly become permanent fixtures on desks, monitors and other parts of the office and that becomes visual clutter. So I’ve found an alternative for the times when you need to do some doodling, quick figuring, or keep track of something for just a few minutes–a dry erase board and marker.

I keep small dry erase boards at my desks/portable office bag for jotting figures that don’t need a life beyond that day, or even that hour, at my work space.

Here are some other cool things you can do with dry erase equipment:

1) Use a dry erase marker to jot a reminder on your bathroom mirror (or a note to your loved one.)

Use a dry erase marker to jot a reminder or note to a loved one on the bathroom mirror.
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2) Keep a dry erase menu on your refrigerator that you can easily erase and update daily, always having several days of meal ideas planned ahead.

3) Use a dry erase marker on certain types of lids to mark whose lunch is whose (test on a small area first).

Your turn: How could you use a dry erase board to unclutter your desk surfaces?

But all things should be done decently and in order. [biblegateway passage="1 Corinthians 14:40"] 

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My special opportunity at the races [Announcement]

My special opportunity at the races

I’m excited to let you know that from Thursday through Sunday I’ll have a special opportunity to be the social media race reporter for the NASCAR race in Charlotte, NC. Thank you to Five Hour Energy and Michael Waltrip Racing for this prize which includes being part of the team cheering Clint Bowyer on to victory!

You can follow my adventure on my social media channels, particularly the one I use for tweeting about racing: Acheckeredflag

I’ll be posting to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter throughout the weekend.

The race will be broadcast on ABC Saturday night. Watch the pit road area–you may get to see us!

 

#goclintgo

 

 

Coffee Break Bible Study: 1 Timothy 5-6; 2 Timothy 1-3 #bgbg2

Read 1 Timothy 6.

How should you behave toward your employer?

What is something that can cause us a lot of problems if we fall in love with it?

Read 2 Timothy 2.

Is God’s word hampered by trying circumstances?

Write out verse 15 in a way that personalizes it.

Read
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Four Tips to Organize the Business Part of Your Purse

Is your purse full of receipts, coins, cash and cards? Simplify your life with these ideas.

Consider using separate change purses or sections of a wallet as an “envelope system.”

Keep your most used cards in a handy part of the wallet and consolidate lesser used cards into another section or change purse. That way you don’t have to sort through a pile of membership/debit/credit/health/library cards to get to the ones you use most.

Have a set place to put your receipts, either in the wallet or in the same section of your purse. Empty that section regularly.

Enough said.

Empty your wallet when you get home.

Well, not all of it. Just take out the day’s receipts and coins and store accordingly. For example, I put receipts in my monthly receipt box and take loose change and put it in a container for myself or the household, depending on how the original cash was spent. (I keep the cash in separate pouches.)

These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. [biblegateway passage="Mark 6:8" display="Mark 6:8"]

Refill your wallet as necessary.

I try to live guided by a budget so I have a certain amount of cash for spending each month. I choose not to carry the entire month’s cash at once, so I replenish as necessary when cleaning out my wallet.

If you get in the habit of cleaning out your purse regularly, before long it will be second nature.

Get in the habit of cleaning out your wallet/purse regularly. Before long it will be second nature.
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*Note: I don’t recommend putting money in accessible pockets like the photo above. This image is just to suggest keeping things in set pockets for organizing purposes.

 

 

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Coffee Break Bible Study: 2 Thessalonians 3; 1 Timothy 1-4 #bgbg2

 

Read 1 Timothy 1.

Who is Paul writing to, and why?

How did God’s grace turn Paul’s life around?

Read 1 Timothy 3.

What qualities are important for a church leader?

How can women display good character?

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Hope Cannot be Measured

"Some of our interactions to bring hope to others cannot be measured." Dan Miller
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When you own a small business like I do, it’s easy to get caught up in measuring “success” by numbers–numbers such as how many people may be reading my posts or want to be on my email list, or what products or books are selling. Some churches measure attendance and offering amounts. Individuals track their to-do lists to see if they have accomplished what they want to in a given day. And of course, businesses report their profits and losses, hoping the profits are growing. As a rule, we humans are into tracking our progress and measuring “success.”

In some ways, the practice of tracking our progress on goals, budgeting our finances, and keeping lists are good tools to help us stay disciplined and on track. However, we must remember that we cannot always measure the impact our words, actions and disposition can have on others.

For example:

Do you still remember a certain positive or negative comment someone made to you growing up? Does that still shape you?

Do you have a certain opinion of a product or company because of one negative experience you–or someone else–has had with them?

Have you ever had someone tell you what you mean to them, or what some action meant to them, and you hadn’t a clue about the impact that one thing would have on someone?

Did a certain experience in nature, with music, or from a book have a profound impact on you and not necessarily on the people with you at the time?

Recently, I was blessed when someone shared about my writing having impact on someone they know–something I would probably never have guessed.  A couple days later, in an email dialog, an individual said, “thanks for all you do to make our lives better.”  I am grateful God allows these occasional glimpses, and am reminded that we may never know the impact something may have on someone else. That’s why it’s important to walk closely with God on a daily basis. We will never be perfect. We all may be the negative memory someone has, and people are responsible for what they do with those memories. But if we walk with God daily, and try to listen to His leading, we can leave more positive deposits than negative ones.

Let’s be especially open to bringing hope to others today!

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [biblegateway passage="Romans 12:12 NIV"]

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Coffee Break Bible Study: 1 Thessalonians 3-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-2 #bgbg2

Read 1 Thessalonians 4.

What type of life does God call us to?

What are some things you learn here about Christ’s return?

Read 2 Thessalonians 1.

Why was Paul thankful for the Thessalonians?

Write out verse 12 as an admonition for your life.

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Gossip in the Workplace: Should We Have a Zero-Tolerance Policy?

“Of course we don’t tolerate gossip.” Is that what your company would tell me? If you have people working for you, you probably have gossip, at least in small degrees. Some companies, knowing how damaging gossip can be, decide to have a “zero-tolerance” policy about it. In other words, you get caught gossiping, you are out. For others, it leads to disciplinary action. Others still turn a blind eye.

A zero-tolerance policy has its pros and cons, so when you are considering how to handle gossip in your workplace, keep in mind the following.

Reasons to have a Zero Tolerance Policy

It sets a company-wide standard, especially if enforced. Your team will soon realize that they will be held to a high standard of contact and outsiders will tend to respect that.

It protects teammates. If gossip begins, teammates feel empowered to use the policy to protect themselves from getting sucked into a damaging conversation.

It uplifts the idea of team. If there is no tolerance for tearing down the team, you can build a sense of loyalty and pride.

It retrains individuals. When teammates know they can’t gossip to each other, and must instead go through proper channels (make sure such paths are easy to follow!) teammates will learn over time how to handle difficulties.

It will clean out your staff. Either the violators will have to be let go, or they will quit. Newcomers will know the expectations from the beginning.

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. [biblegateway passage="Proverbs 20:19"] NIV

Reasons not to have a Zero Tolerance Policy

It is difficult to define. Gossip takes different forms and defining it can be muddy. For example, if an employee gets advice from a co-worker about handling another difficult relationship, is that considered gossip because some negative things were said about another?

It can be a challenge to enforce. If you can’t make a firm definition of gossip, you’ll have a hard time enforcing the “You’re out” rule on a case-by-case basis and still seeming fair to all employees.

It may instill unhealthy fear. For some personalities, this type of policy will only make them suppress legitimate thoughts and problems that should be dealt with for fear that they will be considered gossips.

It can lead to a false sense of teamwork. Your teammates may simply smile and keep their mouth shut and put on a false front of teamwork to avoid any conflict that may endanger their jobs.

It can be unrealistic. If you have a zero tolerance for gossip, what other behaviors do you also not tolerate? Could gossip be a cause for dismissal while laziness is only a cause for disciplinary action? Both can affect the team.

Is there a middle ground?

It depends. Every company culture is different and made up of complex factors. Ask yourself some of these questions as you think about what policy is best for your situation:

What is the current temperature of our team?
Do we deal with gossip on a regular basis already?
Has gossip caused up problems with our clients?
Are most of our team members dedicated and people of high character who make only occasional mistakes?
Do our teammates already feel loyal to each other and the company?
Do we communicate well with our team? (Communication is one key to fighting gossip in the first place.)
Are leaders a good example of how we feel about gossip?
Could we lose otherwise good people for one or two incidences of unwise gossip?
Would this standard instill fear, or inspire conviction, in our team?

In the end, each organization needs to establish the healthiest policy for their workplace. Gossip needs to be dealt with…make sure you deal with it in an effective way for your situation.

Gossip in your company needs to be dealt with. Make sure you find an effective way for your culture.
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Select one or both. Yes, I want:Blog: Regular posts and announcements automatically come directly to your in-box 2-3 times a weekMonthly Newsletter: Our "5 on the 15th" newsletter providing five tips on the 15th of each month

Coffee Break Bible Study: Colossians 3-5; 1 Thessalonians 1-2 #bgbg2

Read Colossians 3.

How can you set your minds on “things above” today?

What are some characteristics of God’s “chosen people”?

Read 1 Thessalonians 1.

How can your faith be a light to others around you today?

What type of people do the Thessalonians appear to be?

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Gossip in the Workplace: What Can We Do About It?

Gossip. It’s everywhere. It’s harmful, yet nearly everyone participates in it at some time or another.

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.[biblegateway passage="Proverbs 16:28"]

Gossip can be defined as idle talk,* or talking negatively behind someone’s back, to someone who is not part of the problem or solution, or with no desire to improve the situation. Gossip is a damaging cancer on your team, and must be dealt with effectively. Here are some suggestions.

Create a positive culture. See to it that positive team players are recognized and rewarded appropriately. Be careful not to overdo as this can create temptation for people to “play games” to be noticed. Watch for sincere teamwork and praise accordingly, sometimes privately.

Provide appropriate information. Gossip sometimes prevails when employees are left in the dark. Share what information you can, even if it is disappointing. Exercise discretion when you have to, particularly with personnel matters, but don’t hide information that can help your team know what is coming, what obstacles need to be overcome, or what were the real facts behind a rumor.

Don’t brand someone a “gossip.” Remember that just because a person may occasionally gossip, does not mean they are a bad team player overall. Even the best people can get sucked into gossip during a time of fatigue, confusion or frustration. Yes, there are some who struggle with this habitually. But while some may struggle with gossip, others may struggle with laziness or fear. All can affect productivity and team play…so be careful not to elevate one team “sin” over another.

Be aware of the gossips. Now I’m going to appear to contradict what I just said. While you should avoid labeling people, you can be attuned to tendencies in individuals. You will quickly figure out the talkers on your team. Develop a strategy to help them grow.

Get to the bottom of it. When you become aware of gossip, gently confront the individuals involved. For example, let’s say you are picking up on negative conversation about Susie, particularly from Jay and Melissa. Pull Jay and Melissa aside with a question like, “I’m sensing that you have some concerns about Susie. I’d like to get to the bottom of the issue so tell me the top two things you struggle with.” Notice that I suggest asking a specific question so that puts the gossips on the spot. Don’t make it easy for them to say, “No, we don’t have any problem with her.”

Accompany people. If someone comes to you with a complaint, offer to go with them to the individual involved. This will either stop them from complaining to you, or give them the courage to deal with the problem.

Ask questions. If someone gossips to you, ask, “Why are you telling ME this? Would you like me to go with you to that person?” “What do you think would be a good way to solve this?” “How do you think Susie may see this?”

If someone gossips to you, ask, "Why are you telling ME this?"
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Create an open environment. As you work with your team and develop trust, encourage them to share how they feel about certain situations and be able to give/receive constructive feedback. If team members feel they can talk out their issues with each other, they will find less need to gossip behind someone’s back.

Some companies have a “zero-tolerance” for gossip, with employees knowing they could be fired for participating. This may be appropriate in some cultures. At the very least, use the suggestions above to root out this destructive element in your workplace.

*gossip. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gossip (accessed: August 15, 2014).

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