ARE:A Renewal Enterprise

Seriously – You Should Laugh More

 We teach people that working playfully is a good idea. It makes work more enjoyable, it raises the sense of safety that provides for space to be creative, and it helps build trust. But many of us still assume that laughter and fun are for after work and that a workplace filled with laughter necessarily means that people must be goofing off and not getting their work done. But the truth is, some workplaces filled with laughter have the healthiest workers and the most productive people!

A Purposeful Turnaround

It's not that I don't have enough to do. There is plenty of work. It's not that the weather has been so weird in Chicago, either, although it has. I've been taking advantage of these cool summer days and enjoying a good share of music fests and long walks along the lake. But the lure of the TV this season has been pretty strong. 

Have you been watching the great new shows on cable?

Freedom to Get the Results You Want

A follower of Jesus, the Apostle Paul wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Most people in the United States think of it as “The land of the free.” And in most cultures and deep within most peoples’ hearts is a longing for freedom. In fact, the search for more and more real experiences of true freedom drive many efforts, both good and bad, throughout our world. But for your church, or agency or business what does that mean? And are there practical implications that could influence how you lead the people in your organization and how they do and experience their work? “

Is Your Work Going Down The Toilet?

It still shocks us when we meet a church leader, nonprofit exec, school administrator, or business owner who really seems to believe they'll keep attracting members or clients or students or customers, year after year, even if they just keep doing things "the way we've always done them." But it shouldn't. There are leaders like this at work in every arena today. And they are leading their organizations into oblivion. 

There is no forever for your business, no matter what your service or product happens to be. Take toilet paper, for example.

Gut Check Time

It's gut check time.

A couple of our favorite authors have an article in this month's Fast Company magazine in which they report the results of a University of Toronto research project showing that those gut feelings you have are far more reliable than rational thought when it comes to ethical decision making. The bottom line is that you can talk yourself into or out of anything, especially if doing the "right" thing is pitted against doing what seems to be in your best financial interest. Your gut is a way more reliable voice to follow.